The Ultimate Travel Blog Kuwait: “Where Fun is Forbidden”

The Ultimate Travel Blog Kuwait will describe how to visit, or work as an expat, in this boring, conservative, petro-state.

In Travel Blog Kuwait, you’ll learn about how to arrive and get around Kuwait City.  You’ll visit the iconic Kuwait Towers, pass by a beach, view the Grand Mosque, and explore an interesting souk.  You can learn how to stay safe and avoid problems with the Kuwaiti legal system.  You’ll visit a massive shopping mall, and get an early nights rest in one of the most boring countries on Earth.

by Worldwide Wilbur, March 2019

Why travel to Kuwait? 

There are only a handful of reasons to come to Kuwait:

• You are an oil executive or foreign embassy staff, and you just scored a big six-figure job in Kuwait City.
• You’re in the U.S. military and are one of the 18,000 soldiers and airmen to receive orders to Camp Arifjan, Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, or Ali Al Salem Air Base.
• You are an Egyptian, Pakistani or Indian guest worker coming to work hard and send money home to your family.
• You’re a obsessive traveler trying to go to every country in the world.

A Very Brief History of Kuwait:

For thousands of years Kuwaitis were maritime traders, merchants, shipbuilders, and pearl divers.   Their small port town was ruled by each successive empire of the region.  The last empire to roll through were the Ottomans, who were replaced by a British alliance.

In 1938 oil was discovered, and Kuwait was launched straight from the 18th into the 20th century.  From 1946 to 1982, the country underwent large-scale modernization. In 1990, Kuwait was brutally invaded by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in the first Gulf War.   After seven months the US military crushed Saddam’s forces in just four days.

Kuwait quickly rebuilt its damaged infrastructure.  Today this oil-rich Gulf State is among the richest countries in the world, with a GNI per capita of $33,000.  Over 70% of its population made up of non-citizen guest workers from Egypt, India, Pakistan, and many other nations.

Travel Blog Kuwait – Things to do:

If you travel to Kuwait, I can recommend a one day walking/cab tour that will get you to the few interesting cultural sites of the city.  There isn’t much to see.  The city has no real historical sights, as Kuwait City was nothing but a small port town of shipping merchants until 1950.  All the buildings are new and modern.  It has the feel of a newly rich city constantly under construction.  There are dozens of high-rise office buildings, luxury hotels, and multi-lane highways, but little of cultural interest.

Start by getting dropped off by taxi at the northeastern tip of the city, at Kuwait’s most iconic site.

The Kuwait Towers

The Towers are the most internationally recognizable symbol of Kuwait.   For 3 Dinar ($10) you can go up an elevator into the 614 foot tallest tower with a rotating main sphere, providing a panoramic view of the city.  Open 8am to 11pm.  Also, nearby the Towers is the Kuwaiti Maritime Museum and the Trapped Inn – Escape Game.

After you’ve had your fill of the Kuwait Towers, walk southwest along the oceanfront sidewalk.  You’ll pass coffee shops on a couple of pebbly beaches covered in cigarette butts and plastic trash.  This is as good a place as any for a break to sit, have a drink, and gaze at the Persian Gulf.

After you continue on, you’ll see a giant mall on your right across a lagoon.  This is the Sultan Center-Souq Sharq.  If you need some Starbucks or all the American fast-food you could ever imagine, it’s in here.  Continuing southwest, after about 15 minutes you’ll see a huge building on your left.

The Grand Mosque

This mosque is the largest mosque in Kuwait.  It can hold 11,000 people for prayers.  Tourists can visit the mosque every weekday morning at 9.00am and can have a guided tour free of charge.  

After viewing the Mosque, turn your back to the ocean and head inland on Mubarak Al Kabeer street.  You’ll quickly reach a large intersection.  Ahead to your right is the Souk Al Mubarakiya.  

Souk Al Mubarakiya

Wander into the souk and allow yourself to get lost in the passageways.  Walking its shaded lanes is one of the best things to do in Kuwait City.  Have lunch or dinner here at 12 Chutneys. 

This marketplace is probably the most interesting cultural destination in Kuwait city.  This traditional yet modern souk has alley after alley of shops.  Spices, jewelry, clothes, restaurants, electronics, all kinds of things to look at in an attractive Arabian setting.   A great place for people watching.  I spent a couple of hours here.

If you have time left in our Kuwait Travel blog tour, you could either exit the souk and continue your walk northeast on Ahmed Al Jaber street, which will take you through the nondescript downtown business section of the city.  Or, you can jump in a cab for the 15 minute, 8 mile drive to The Avenues.

The Avenues Shopping Mall

Do you like shopping malls?  Really, really, like shopping malls?  If so, you are in luck.  Shopping malls are practically the only things to do in Kuwait.  There are dozens of malls.  The most popular destination in all of Kuwait is The Avenues mall.  It is the second largest mall in all of the Middle East.  It holds more than 800 stores and a parking lot that fits more than 10,000 cars.  Restaurants, movie theaters, Prada stores.  Open daily 10am to 10pm.  If this mall isn’t enough for you, you could also try the 360 Mall, or the Marina Mall, or the Alhamra Mall, or….

Travel Blog Kuwait: The Worst Place in the World to work as an Expat?

In a recent Expat Insider Inter-Nations Survey on “Best Places to Work as an Expat”, Kuwait ranked dead last out of 67 countries.  It couldn’t even surpass such desirable vacation destinations as Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.  Here are several reasons listed:

There is NOTHING to do in Kuwait City.

There is no nightlife.  No interesting activities.  No sports teams.  Kuwaitis main pursuits are eating and shopping.  They are among the fattest and richest people in the world.  (source: List of countries by body mass index,  List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita )

The roads are scary.

You can ride the bus or take a taxi, but if you want to drive, you are taking your life in your hands.  Kuwaitis drive recklessly, speed, get road-rage easily, pay little attention to other road users, switch lanes without warning, run red lights, and use mobile phones while driving.  Kuwait has 80% more road fatalities per capita than the US.  If you get into an accident, as a foreigner, it WILL be your fault.

Some Kuwaitis are rude and racist.

In Kuwait it is a completely acceptable attitude that foreigners are to be treated as second-class citizens.  Only 30% of the people in Kuwait are citizens born in Kuwait.  The 70% majority are guest workers.  Kuwaitis blame any crime and problems in the country on guest workers.  They may cut in front of you in line, or just refuse service to you.  Police are known for mistreating expats.  Recently the Kuwaiti government pledged to start deporting foreigners at a rate of 100,000 a year.  They literally do not want you there.

Health care is lacking.

If you go to the government hospitals, you could wait a long time for substandard care.  Private health insurance is expensive.

Garbage Everywhere.

Trash gets thrown out of car windows, apartment windows, and dumped on beaches.  Kuwaitis do not care about the cleanliness of public spaces.

Lack of Work/Life balance.

The workweek is generally 6 days and 48 hours.  Corporations regularly break labor laws and go unpunished.

Travel Blog Kuwait – Travel Tips to Know Before You Go:

Backpacker Daily Budget (Hostel bed, three cheap meals, three beers, two public transport rides, one tourist activity):

$100.  The cheapest hotel is $48.  Three meals should cost around $20.  No beers available, so substitute one shisha pipe as your nightly “entertainment” for $10.  Two short cab rides will run you $12.  Entrance to the Kuwait Towers is $10.  That adds up to $100.  Not exactly a backpacker paradise eh?

Cheap Beer index:

One MILLLLLLION Dollars.  Kuwait is a dry country, as alcohol in Kuwait is completely banned.  By law, no alcohol is sold anywhere in the country, or allowed in the country.  The acts of buying and/or selling alcohol, bringing alcohol to a public place, or being intoxicated in a public area, are all serious crimes.

What is Kuwait City weather like?

Kuwait City weather is HOT.  In the summertime; really, really hot! The average high in July and August is 116.  That’s just the AVERAGE!!  It gets over 120!  If you go during these months, you will need to spend all of your time inside an air-conditioned mall or hotel.  You should also avoid visiting during Ramadan.  Many restaurants and coffee shops are closed during daylight hours.  People are fasting, and the few available activities may be shut down.  Kuwait City weather is at its best in March and November with highs of 80 and lows of 58.  April and October are hot, but acceptable at highs of 95 and lows of 68.

What languages are spoken in Kuwait?

Kuwaiti Arabic is the common language.  English is the de facto business language and widely understood.

Do you need a visa to travel to Kuwait?

No Kuwait visa is needed for a Kuwait tourism visit.  Nationals of USA, UK, AUS, and CAN can apply for a free Kuwait tourist visa-upon-arrival at the airport for a visit of up to 30 days.  You must have a departing flight booking and be travelling for tourism purposes.  If you have a passport stamp from Israel, you may be denied entry to Kuwait.

If you need a Kuwait work visa, you’ll need to arrange that in advance through your employer and the Kuwait embassy.  A travel agency in Kuwait may be able to assist.

How to Get to Kuwait:

Flights to Kuwait– You will almost certainly arrive via Kuwait International Airport (KWI).  Many airlines fly here from all over the Middle East and Asia, mostly from other gulf countries.  European flights include:

• British Airways has flights to London-Heathrow
• KLM has flights to Amsterdam
• Kuwait Airways flies to Frankfurt, Geneva, London-Heathrow, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome
• Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt

From the airport: The airport is 10 miles south of the city.  To get into the city from the airport:  Bus #501 runs every 30 minutes 0530-2100 to the main bus terminal off Al-Hilali Street. It costs just 250 fils (82 cents), and will take 30 minutes.   The bus leaves from the arrivals level downstairs, to the left as you come out the arrivals exit.  From the bus station, you can get a much cheaper cab ride to your hotel.  Or get an airport taxi for a 20 minute ride to the city.  My cab ride cost me $26.

By Land from Saudi Arabia – There are two highways and border crossings with Saudi Arabia; Al-Nuwaisib and Al-Salmy.  You’ll need to already have a Kuwaiti visa to get in, as there is no visa-on-arrival at land borders.  Bus services operated by the Saudi bus company SAPTCO, run between Kuwait and Dammam in Saudi Arabia.  The trip takes about 6 hours.

By Land from Iraq – The border with Iraq is often closed by the Kuwaiti government.  Be prepared for delays, or to be turned back. Kuwaiti officials are extremely sensitive about  travel to and from Iraq, and may detain you for questioning or deny you entry into the country.

By Sea – There is a speedboat service between Kuwait and Bahrain which costs $150, the trip takes around 5 hours. The Combined Shipping Company operate a service that runs twice a week from Kuwait into Iran, tickets cost approximately 70 USD one way and 140 USD return.

Getting around Kuwait:

• Bus  The Kuwait Public Transport Company (KPTC) and City Bus networks are air-conditioned, cheap and efficient, though the network was designed to get locals to work, not get tourists to sights.  You may have to walk a way to get where you want to be.  Fares are around 200 fils (66 cents).
• Q8 Taxi – is an app based transport like Uber.
• Careem – is another app based transport like Uber.
• Taxis are available.  Meters are rarely used, so you’ll have to agree to a price before setting off.  Orange street taxis, which you can hail just about anywhere, are cheaper than radio taxis called by hotels.  Drivers may try to increase your fare, blaming traffic or poor instructions on your part.
• Rental Car – Be aware that driving in Kuwait is extremely hazardous due to excessive speeding, distracted driving, road rage, lax enforcement of traffic regulations, and a high volume of traffic.  Not recommended.
• Walking is unpleasant.  The city is quite spread out, so you’ll walk a lot if you want to get to anything.  It can be extremely hot, with no shade.

Kuwaiti currency and how to get it:

Kuwait’s currency is the Kuwaiti Dinar (0.30 KWD=$1 USD) available at numerous ATM’s.  The Kuwaiti Dinar holds the distinction of being the world’s most valuable currency per unit.  One Dinar is worth $3.29 US Dollars.  The Kuwaiti dinar (KD) is divided into 1,000 fils. Coins are of 10, 20, 50 and 100 fils, and notes are in denominations of KD 0.25, 0.5, 1, 5, 10 and 20 Dinars.  Cash is more popular than credit cards in Kuwait, so it’s a good idea to get some Dinars out of the ATM on arrival.  For more info on your cash-versus-credit card options when travelling, check out my post on How to Access your Money in Foreign Countries.

Stay connected: 

There are three telecom operators in Kuwait:

• Zain (formerly MTC) leads in coverage, speed and subscribers.  Their prepaid product is called “eeZee”. Starters are sold in their stores for KD 4 with KD 4 credit ($13.20)
• Ooredoo (formerly Watanya) is based in Qatar is the 2nd provider in Kuwait. It rivals Zain and has equally good coverage and speed.  Their XPress starter costs a one time activation fee of KD 5 and gives KD 5 credit valid for 30 days ($16.50)
• Viva is a distant third in subscribers, and offers a starter pack called allo for KD 2 with KD2 credit loaded. ($6.30)

Kuwait City Hotels:

There are NO hostels in Kuwait.  Hotels are expensive.  Following are the cheapest hotels in Kuwait City:

• Royal Inn Hotel (Sky Hotel) gets poor reviews, and is 6.3 miles outside the center of the city, but has rooms for $48.
• Continental Hawally Hotel is 2.8 miles out of the center, has mediocre reviews, and rooms with free breakfast for $53
• City Tower Hotel gets good reviews, is in the heart of downtown, has a pool and a gym, and has rooms for $76

Where to eat:

• 12 Chutneys – I had some excellent Indian food at this restaurant located in the Souk Al Mubarakiya.  If you just have a short stay, choose this spot.

Kuwait Nightlife: 

Ha, Ha, Ha.  Please re-read the Cheap Beer Index.  Kuwait has no alcohol and there is no such thing as Kuwait nightlife.  Unless you count Kuwaiti men hanging out with each other at a shisha bar, smoking and drinking tea.  Expats in Kuwait head to the airport for nightlife.  The bars and nightclubs of Bahrain are just 70 minutes away, and Dubai is just under two hours away.

Get a Kuwait guidebook:  

Lonely Planet Oman, UAE and the Arabian Peninsula is the best guide available on Kuwait.

What to Pack: 

As a man, you can wear just about whatever you’d normally wear.  Shorts are unacceptable, as is any shirt showing the midsection.

Women will be expected to dress somewhat modestly but nothing too extreme.  Western women are not expected to conform to Kuwaiti women’s standard of dress.  Jeans and t-shirts are fine.  Shorts that go to the knee are ok.  Cleavage is a no-no.  Short shorts or short skirts are unacceptable.  There is no need to cover your hair.

To learn how to pack light and be prepared for anything, check out my post The Worldwide Travel Packing List.

Travel Blog Kuwait – Is Kuwait Safe?

Yes.  This is a BIG question for every visitor to the Middle East.  Kuwait is one of the safest countries in the region.  Crime is very low in Kuwait.  Such things as petty theft, car break-ins, and harassment or sexual assault of women traveling alone are possible, but rare.  Kuwait’s heavy-handed legal system puts a stop to most crime.

All of the strife you read about in the Middle East is not happening in Kuwait.  The streets are quiet, peaceful and safe.  There has been only one terrorist incident in the last 15 years, a bomb blast at a mosque by ISIS killed 27 people in 2015.  It is much safer than America with its monthly school shootings.

There are high levels of robberies in the Jleeb Al Shuyoukh area, which you are unlikely to visit.  Conservative neighborhoods such as Jahra should be avoided as there have been disturbances involving firearms.

The biggest danger you face in Kuwait comes from the draconian and ridiculous Kuwaiti legal system rather than from criminals.  Kuwait has many medieval sexist/homophobic/religious laws that you must ensure you have information about.

Kuwait Travel Advice – you can be arrested for any of the following:

• Being caught with alcohol or under the influence of alcohol.  Some expat-geared restaurants offer “special” tea, but be careful of who is watching you.
• Being caught with drugs.  Convictions for drug trafficking may include the death penalty.  Don’t even think about bringing weed into Kuwait.
• “Humiliating or insulting any person verbally or through obscene gestures in a public place”.  So don’t go handing out middle fingers or “F*^k You’s” to Kuwaitis.  There is no such thing as free speech here.
• Challenging the authority of the Emir or insulting him – whether by speech, writing, drawing or any other means of expression.  Again, no free speech here.  Don’t get into an argument with anyone about anything.
• Taking pictures or video of ANY person without the subject’s knowledge or consent.  Ask for permission before photographing people. Some women find being photographed offensive and may report the incident to local police.
• Having unpaid debts.
• Driving without a Kuwait driver’s license after obtaining a residence permit.
• Eating, drinking, or smoking in public in the daytime during Ramadan.  Islam may not be your religion, but you’ll have to play along anyway, and eat your food in hiding during Ramadan.
• Gambling.
• Prostitution.
• Pork.  Really.  Got a ham sandwich and bag of pork rinds in your carry-on bag?  Better dump it on the plane.
• Public displays of affection are illegal in Kuwait, and forgetting this can lead to arrest.  No kisses people.
• Being caught in possession of pornography.  Porn sites are generally blocked by the government.  Better get a VPN.
• Proselytizing any religion except Islam.  This is not the place to be a missionary.
• Sexual relations outside of marriage.  Not that there is any possible way to meet the opposite sex anyway, but just so you know.
• Co-habiting of unmarried partners. You should be ok for sharing a hotel room with your boyfriend/girlfriend on a visit here, but forget renting an apartment together.
• Giving birth to a child if you are unmarried!  The Kuwaiti government will refuse to create a birth certificate for such a child, and may choose to prosecute you instead.
• Consensual same-sex sexual conduct between men.  The law punishes consensual same-sex sexual activity between men older than 21 with imprisonment of up of to seven years; those engaging in consensual same-sex sexual activity with men younger than 21 may be imprisoned for as long as 10 years. No laws criminalize sexual behavior between women.  Perhaps Kuwait doesn’t believe in the existence of lesbians?
• Cross-dressing / Being transgender.  The law imposes a fine of 1,059 dinars ($3,495) and imprisonment for one to three years for persons imitating the appearance of the opposite sex in public. Transgender persons reported harassment, detention, and abuse by security forces.
• Photographing government buildings, military installations, and oil-related infrastructure.

In addition to all that, visiting Kuwait as a woman requires special precautions to deter sexual harassment:

• Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees.
• Do not engage in “small talk” with taxi drivers (as that can be interpreted as interest).
• Avoid sustained eye contact.
• Be cautious when using public transportation.
• Maintain a low profile in public.

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