What You Should Know Before You Travel to Kuwait

What should you know before you travel to Kuwait? We have prepared a list of important and interesting facts which can help you get to know Kuwait better. You will learn, how to get a visa to Kuwait, how to deal with traffic or how to dress appropriately.

Kuwait is a very safe country, and it’s certainly an interesting experience to see a small Arabic country which became rich from petroleum. There are a few things which may be surprising for people from a different culture.

Safety in Kuwait

Many people know Kuwait because of the first war in the Gulf – Operation Desert Storm, but that’s a few decades old history. Nowadays, you cannot see anything from that war. Kuwait is very prosperous and is rated as a safe country in many rankings. On the other hand, it isn’t recommended to go to the desert near the Iraq border because there may be unexploded landmines or other ammo.

In Kuwait people are very friendly

How to Get a Visa to Kuwait

Kuwait is currently issuing “Visa on Arrival” for more the 50 countries worldwide. You just pay 3 KWD after arrival on the airport, and you will easily get a visa. It is a piece of A4 paper which you need to carry with you all the time, ideally with a passport.  We had to identify ourselves with it in the car rental company, hotel, and the police wanted to see it near the Saudi Arabian border too. If you want to cross the border by land from Iraq or Saudi Arabia, the procedure is the same. You can find more information on official websites.

Alcohol in Kuwait

Before you travel to Kuwait, prepare yourself for a very strict ban on alcohol. It isn’t like other Arabic countries (UAE or Qatar) where alcohol is more or less tolerated. You won’t find alcohol, even in international hotels or bars in Kuwait.

During a visit to Kuwait, it is better to exchange alcohol for Arab tea

The laws of Kuwait aren’t entirely unambiguous; however, drinking alcohol in private isn’t prohibited or even penalised. Nevertheless, it is prohibited to produce, import or sell alcohol. You cannot even be drunk in public, otherwise, you risk a big fine. The consequences of that are alcohol is available in private parties or clubs, but it’s very expensive. Because of possible complications regarding consuming alcohol in Kuwait, we recommend avoiding it completely.

Dress Code in Kuwait

Lots of people think that in most Arabic countries, women must cover their head, even wear a burka but not in Kuwait. This isn’t the case in Kuwait. There are no laws or regulations in terms of clothing. There are many expats in Kuwait from Asia, Europe or USA, so everyone dresses as they think is appropriate. What could be inappropriate is a bikini on the beach. It isn’t usually a big deal in a hotel or private beaches, but in public, it could be a problem.

In Kuwait there are no regulations that would mandate how to dress

The exception for regulation in clothing was a visit to a mosque. However, there are preparations for this. Women automatically get a burka, and men must hide shoulders and knees. In case you don’t have a proper piece of clothing, they are happy to lend you a long fancy skirt.

Accommodation of Unmarried Couples in Kuwait

You can have a problem in some hotels if you want to get one room for an unmarried couple. In general, Kuwaiti and people from GCC must be married if they want to share one room. Mostly, hotels tolerate accommodation of unmarried couples if you are a tourist, but this doesn’t apply to all accommodation facilities. We recommend verifying this information with every hotel in advance.

We can recommend Wahaj Hotel Apartments 2, where they did not care about it.

How to Travel in Kuwait

Even though there is public transportation provided by buses, the system isn’t reliable and clear. So, the only way to move in the city or outside is by car. Before you travel to Kuwait, you should consider renting your own car. To rent a car in Kuwait is very cheap and visiting a petrol station won’t break your budget at all. Petrol prices in comparison with Europe or US are almost nothing. The locals in most cases use cars everywhere, so a minimum of people walk and sometimes, sidewalks are completely missing. On the other hand, get ready for delays close to the entrances and exits at parking lots.

While traveling around Kuwait, it is best to rent your own car

The roads are in perfect condition, and during the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays), Kuwait City has no traffic. During weekdays, expect big traffic jams even though the city intersects several highways. For locals, cars are very important, and they are also a big source of fun. Every weekend, many Kuwaiti leave to visit deserts. They have picnics on the cliffs or just go through the desert in their big cars or literally burn tires on remote parts of the highway.

Do you want to know something more before you travel to Kuwait? Check out official tourist information or ask us in the comments.

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