Comments about this Report

Because Jeddah is the port of Makkah, it is more cosmopolitan than other Saudi cities; visitors of every nationality are commonplace. There is little in the way of entertainment; there are no theaters, and women are not allowed to attend football (soccer) games. Two major football teams are based in Jeddah, but the major recreation involves hanging around malls and boating. (Wonderful coral reefs for diving, and women as well as men belong to diving clubs.) Another popular activity is camping in the desert. Jeddah has a relatively low crime rate, as it attracts religious Muslims both as visitors and as residents. Jeddah is very hot in the summer, but mild, even cool, in mid-winter. Almost every room in the city is air-conditined; few are equipped with heaters. Many western residents live in housing compounds, some of which are very well equipped; life in these areas is not widely different from living in the West. Jeddah has a number of excellent English and American k-12 schools, for both Muslims and non-Muslims. There are several colleges. The university is generally open only to Saudi students; most foreigners send their children abroad for post-secondeay education. Jeddah is a beautiful, modern city, built almost entirely in the last forty years. It's important for non-Muslim visitors to note that dress is very conservative, and that alcohol is absolutely forbidden throughout the country.