'''Kuwait''' is a country in the Middle East. It is located at the head of the Arabian Gulf, with Iraq to the north and west, and Saudi Arabia to the southwest.

Regions

Kuwait is divided into six governorates (provinces):

  • Al Ahmadi
  • Al Farwaniyah
  • Al 'Asimah
  • Al Jahra'
  • Hawalli
  • Mubarak Al Kabeer
  • Cities

  • Kuwait City - the capital
  • Jahrah - 30 minutes northwest of Kuwait City by car
  • Other destinations

    Understand

    History

    The Kuwaitis trace their roots to the Al-Anisa and the Al-Utub tribe from the Najd province, in modern Saudi Arabia. They moved to Qatar and then to Al-Qurain (The word 'Kuwait' is derived from Koot, the Arabic word for fortress), which is in modern day Kuwait bay around 1710. By 1752, the long term residents of Al-Qurain decided that the instability of the region, caused by warring tribes, called for the establishment of a stable government. The Al-Sabah tribe was chosen to rule, and the first Sheikh was Sabah ibn Jaber, who ruled as Sabah I, from 1752 to 1756. The Sabah's were skillful diplomats, and weathered out religious and tribal strifes successfully. They dealt with the Ottomans, the Egyptians and the Europeans. Mubarak I signed an agreement with the British making Kuwait a British Protectorate in 1899. The British were in Kuwait for quite a while by then, and as early as the 1770's Abdullah I had a contract with the British to deliver mail for them up to Allepo in Syria. The agreement gave the British control of the Kuwaiti foreign policy in exchange for military protection. In the 20's and the 30's, the chief source of revenue was pearls. But around that time the Japanese started flooding the international market with cultured pearls and this source of income was in decline. In 1938, oil was first struck at the Burgan oil field in Kuwait, and by 1946, they started exporting it. In 1961, Kuwait nullified the treaty of 1899, and became an independent nation. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated Kuwait in four days; February 26 is celebrated as Liberation Day. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. It is currently ruled by Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad AL Jaber Al Sabah after the demise of Sheikh Jaber al Ahmed al Jaber al Sabah in January 2006.

    Climate

    Dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters. ''Natural hazards'' : sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring heavy rain which can, in some rare cases, damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August.

    Terrain

    Flat to slightly undulating desert plain. Highest point: 306 meters high.

    Get in

    The nationals of 35 countries, including the US and most of Western Europe, are eligible of visas on arrival at Kuwait's airport and land borders. The on-arrival visa is valid for a single entry of up to 3 months and costs KD 3, plus KD 3 for a "stamping" fee (not required for US, UK citizens, Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Qatar and KSA). Those 35 nations include: The United States of America, The United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia, NewZealand, Japan, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, The Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Brunei Singapore, Malaysia, HongKong, South Korea, China, and Poland.[http://www.kuwait-airport.com.kw/Index_e.htm Kuwait Airport]

    All other nationals need advance visas, which require an invitation from a sponsor in Kuwait. Kuwait Airways offices and major hotels can provide invitations, but the process can take up to a week and may require a fee. The Embassy of Kuwait in Japan [http://kuwait-embassy.or.jp/english/k-j/visa.html] has some information.

    Israeli citizens are banned by the Kuwait government from entering the country, and you may also be refused entry if your passport has Israeli entry stamps.

    Alcohol and pork are not legal and may not be imported into the country. Your bags will be X-rayed and/or hand-searched on arrival.

    By plane

    '''Kuwait International Airport''' ({{IATA|KWI}}) [http://www.q8airport.com/home.html] is Kuwait's only airport and is served by several airlines, mostly flying within the Middle East. The national airline, '''Kuwait Airways''' [http://www.kuwaitairways.com/], serves New York City via London, as well as several European and Asian destinations, but is best avoided: a government monopoly of the worst kind, its planes are beaten up, delays are frequent and the staff couldn't care less. For regional flights, semi-low-cost carrier '''Jazeera Airways''' [http://www.jazeeraairways.com/] provides a welcome alternative. Alternatives for long-haul flights include Delta Airlines from {(Atlanta)} United Airlines from Washington, D.C. and Thai from Bangkok, plus connections through other large Gulf hubs (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, etc). Note that many flights, especially those from western Europe, arrive late in the evening.

    If you need a visa on arrival at the airport, do ''not'' head down to Arrivals, instead look for the "Visa Issuing" desks. Fill out a form, queue up once to submit and pay (dollars, euros, pounds and GCC currencies accepted), then pick up your stamped passport at the other end. As of January 2009, the visa issue desks now have signs indicating that payment is only accepted in Kuwati dinars (3 dinars for a tourist visa). You can exchange currencies at several places in the arrival terminal; the best rates appear to be for U.S. dollars and Euros. You'll also get an A4-sized sheet entirely in Arabic, '''which you must keep''' -- this is your visa! You can now proceed straight through immigration without queuing, just show your visa form and they'll let you through. All this can take over an hour at a busy time, so it may be worth it to reserve the meet-and-greet service from '''Hala''' [https://www.halaservices.com/]; for KD 8 extra, they'll whisk you through the queues in under 10 minutes.

    Taxis can be found outside arrivals, with the fare to most points in the city being KD 5. Most hotels can arrange a transfer for the same price, which is probably a more comfortable option.

    By car

    Kuwait shares its borders with only 2 nations - Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The political situation in Iraq is volatile currently, so it's advisable not to use that route. There are long-distance bus services to Dammam and other points in Saudi, but you will of course need to have a valid Saudi visa.

    By bus

    Kuwait National Public Transport Company operates a nationwide service which is both reliable and inexpensive and there are City Bus and KGL which which are private companies.

    KPTC had last year changed all their buses to new ones. KGL like KPTC has good buses but Citybus by far has substandard buses. Citybus used to have good busesin the past, but all the buses they've bought in the last 3 -4 years are substandard and the better buses of theirs are all old KPTC and KGLs buses arebetter and the only disadvantage with KGL is they dont have buses on all the routes and are less frequen

    By boat

    Scheduled ferries to and from Iran are handled by Kuwait-Iran Shipping Company, phone +965 2410498, fax +965 2429508. The ferries go three times a week from Ash Shuwayk in Kuwait to Bushehr in Iran. One-way tickets from KD37.

    Speedboats also go between Ash Shuwayk and Manama in Bahrain. A ticket is KD45.

    Ports and harbors:

  • Ash Shu'aybah
  • Ash Shuwaykh
  • Kuwait City
  • Mina' 'Abd Allah
  • Mina' al Ahmadi
  • Mina' Su'ud
  • Get around

    Kuwait has a good road system. All signs are in English and Arabic.

    '''Public Transport''': Kuwait's public transport is adequate with three companies (KPTC, City Bus and KGL) running dozens of routes in every major city. Waiting times for buses range from one minute for most frequent routes to fifteen minutes for less used routes. All buses are equipped with air-conditioners and usually one can find a seat without much trouble. Although, during peak hours (7-9AM, 2-4PM, 8-9PM)most routes are packed and public transport should be avoided for those seeking comfortable traveling. It must also be noted that although areas with expatriates majority are covered with many routes, Kuwaiti residence areas are scarcely connected with public transport buses and are reachable mostly by taxis only.

    '''Taxi''': These are recognizable by red license plates and may be hired by the day, in which case fares should be agreed beforehand. Most taxis are metered although one has to inform the driver in advance if one wishes to pay by the meter as drivers. For those who are familiar with local rates and distances, it is more advisable to negotiate the fare in advance. Share-taxis are also available. Hailing taxis from the road is the most practical approach. However some sources have reported it was not advisable, particularly for females, and they recommend that taxis are booked in advance by telephone from a reputable taxi company.

    A standard rate is applicable in most taxis, but those at hotel ranks are more expensive. Tipping is not expected, however you should negotiate fares before boarding the taxi.

    '''Car hire''': Self-drive is available. If you produce an International Driving Permit, the rental company will, at the customer's expense, be able to arrange the statutory temporary insurance, which is drawn on the driver's visa. If you arrive at Kuwait International Airport, you will find the car hiring companies located at your left after you exit from the baggage claiming area. You can find international companies such as AVIS and BUDGET among others.

    However, it should be noted that driving in Kuwait, especially when new to driving in the country, can be extremely chaotic and frightening. Turn signals and lane divisions are effectively optional, speeding and aggressive driving is commonplace, and there is little active enforcement of traffic laws.

    Talk

    Arabic (official). Although in schools the classical version of Arabic is taught; and just like everywhere in the Arab world, Kuwaiti_fs use the Kuwaiti dialect in everyday conversation. English is widely used and spoken. Most of the traffic signs in Kuwait are bilingual. English is taught as a second language in schools in Kuwait beginning at the first grade. Many Kuwaiti's speak English fluently as there are lots of private English and American schools and universities where all subject are taught in English and Arabic is taken as a subject. A lot of Kuwaitis are enrolling their children in these schools.

    See

    See Kuwait City for listings of attractions in the city.

    A port with many old dhows, Failaka Island can be reached by regular ferry services. There are also some Bronze Age and Greek archaeological sites well worth viewing, including the island's Greek temple. Failaka Island was named Ikarus by the Greeks who, under Alexander the Great, established an outpost in the island. Traditional-style boums and sambuks (boats) are still built in Al Jahrah, although, nowadays, vessels are destined to work as pleasure boats rather than pearl fishing or trading vessels. Mina Al Ahmadi, lying 19km (12 miles) south of Kuwait City, is an oil port with immense jetties for supertanker traffic. The Oil Display Centre pays homage to the work of the Kuwait Oil Company.

    Do

    Many of Kuwait's sea clubs offer a wide variety of facilities and activities such as indoor and outdoor swimming pools, beaches, tennis courts, gymnasiums, bowling and even karate.

    Sailing and scuba diving are available. Powerboating is a Kuwaiti passion. Contact any of the hotels located on the beach and they can arrange a trip for you. The best beach front hotels are the Hilton Resort, Movenpick Resort, Marina Hotel and the Radisson SAS. The Radisson SAS also houses the largest wooden ship in the world the AL-Hashemi II which is a real beauty. Next to the ship is a museum for the history of ship-building in Kuwait.

    Horse riding clubs flourish in the winter. The Hunting and Equestrian Club is located on the 6th ring road near Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah Armed Forces Hospital.

    The Equestrian Club is located near Kuwait's new golf club,the Sahara Club, which also houses a five star restaurant and spa.

    The largest mall in Kuwait is The Avenues part of which is still under construction as of March 2008. It is one of the largest malls in whole middle-east and offers the best cinematic experience in Kuwait with VIP theatres with massaging reclining seats and a personal butler. Other popular malls include Marina Mall (Salmiya), Souq Sharq (Sharq) and Al-Kout Mall (Fahaheel) which is famous for its orchestra musical fountains.

    Kuwait Towers are also an icon in Kuwait. One of the towers has a 360 degree rotating restaurant and a viewing deck from which you can view the spectacular cityscape of Kuwait City and the Gulf.

    Buy

    The national currency is the '''Kuwaiti dinar''' (KD, KWD). At around US$3.50 to one dinar (January 2009), the dinar is '''the highest valued currency unit in the world''', and prices can thus take some getting used to: a 50-dinar hotel room comes out to almost US$200/night.

    The dinar is divided into 1000 fils. Notes are available in denominations of KD 20, 10, 5, 1, ? and ?, while 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 fils coins are also available. While notes have Latin numerals on one side, the coins are entirely in Arabic.

    Notes issued '''before 1994''', many of which were stolen during the Iraqi occupation, are not considered legal tender. You're unlikely to see these in Kuwait (the designs are clearly different), but unscrupulous dealers elsewhere have been known to try to pass them off. See the '''Central Bank of Kuwait''' [http://www.cbk.gov.kw/www/gallery_issues.html] for pictures.

    Exchanging money can be difficult and exchanging travelers cheques even more so. Stick to ATMs, which are ubiquitous and work fine. Higher-end establishments accept credit cards.

    Costs

    Although Kuwait is a tax haven 0% VAT and 0% income tax It would be hard to manage on under US$80 per day, and you can very easily spend US$200 just on an ordinary hotel room.

    Tipping is generally not necessary. A 12% service charge is tacked onto your bill in expensive hotels and restaurants, but if you want some of the money to actually go to the staff, leave a little extra.

    Prices on common expenses (January 2009):

  • Burger combo meal: KD 1.25 - 1.75 (Hardee's)
  • Hotel breakfast: KD 5.00 - 6.25 (depending on how new the hotel is!)
  • Bunch of Bananas (~1 kg): 450 fils
  • Single-tall latte with an add-shot at Starbucks: KD 1.25
  • Petrol prices are one of the cheapest in the world and most of the time are cheaper than water, literally!

    Don't forget to retain your exit fee of KWD 2 (a little more than USD 7). Retain the two "KD" in Kuwaiti currency as you don't want to go to the currency exchange just for that on your way out of the country.

    Shopping

    Kuwait is a tax free country. Custom-made items, imported items, and shipping out of the country can be expensive, so shop wisely.

    Eat

    There is a huge array of restaurants in Kuwait. Because the nightlife is non-existant, people go out to restaurants and malls. Almost every cuisine is available in high-end restaurants. Kuwait is known for its culinary specialties and catering services. Restaurants can be found in food courts in malls, and alternatively many international restaurants are grouped together in certain areas in Kuwait, namely: Behind the Roman Catholic Church in Kuwait City Outside the Movenpick Resort in Salmiya In the Marina Crescent Just ask any local where the "Restaurants Road" is and they will guide you to a road in Salmiya packed end-to-end with local restaurants serving a wide array of specialty sandwiches, juices and snacks. There are few restaurants that serve traditional Kuwaiti food. Al-Marsa restaurant in Le Meridien Hotel (Bneid Al Gar location) has some traditional Kuwaiti seafood but with a relatively high price tag. A better option is the quaint Shati Alwatia restaurant at the Behbehani Villa compound in the Qibla area of Kuwait City (behind the Mosques)and another Kuwaiti restaurant is Ferij Suwailih in salmiya area.

    Drink

    Alcohol is '''illegal''' in Kuwait: it may not be imported, manufactured or served. However, some expat-geared restaurants have been known to offer "special" tea, and newspapers regularly report busts of illegal distilleries.

    Tap water is drinkable, although most of it is desalinated and not particularly tasty, and in summertime, you may have a hard time telling apart the hot and cold taps. Bottled water is available everywhere for a few hundred fils.

    Sleep

    Hotels in Kuwait are expensive, but major Western chains are well represented. See Kuwait City for hotel listings. Light sleepers should bring ear plugs as public announced prayers are broadcast at 4:30am, again at 5:00am and several times during the day.

    Chalets and other weekend accommodation can be rented in many places along the southern part of the coast.

  • '''Khiran Resort'''. Chalets and studio flats, a yacht club and a 240-berth fully serviced marina, swimming pools, playgrounds, sports and health facilities, shops, a supermarket and coffee shops.
  • Work

    IO Centers [http://www.iocenters.com/] is the only premium serviced office provider in the country. They offer flexible terms and all business related services and are located in two locations: on the 28th and 29th floors of the Arraya Center in the same tower as the Marriott Courtyard hotel and in the new Dar Alawadi Center.

    Stay safe

    The crime threat in Kuwait is assessed as low. Violent crimes against foreigners are rare, but do occur. Physical and verbal harassment of women are continuing problems. Kuwaiti drivers can also be quite reckless.

    Respect

    Kuwait adopts a live-and-let-live policy for clothing, and you'll see a wide range of styles: women wear anything ranging from daring designer fashions to head-to-toe black abayas with headscarves and veils, while men can be seen both in T-shirts and shorts or the traditional dazzling white ''dishdashah''. To avoid unnecessary attention, though, women will want to steer clear of short skirts or low necklines. Bikinis are fine at the hotel pool, but not on public beaches.

    Do not eat in public during the holy month of Ramadan, you may be fined or even go to jail. The fine is 100 KD or more than $300

    Do not get into coversations concerning the Royal Family. Although Kuwait is a relatively democratic country the Royal Family is a red line.

    Do not take pictures of people or govermental buildings. Do not take pictures near the Iraq border fence.

    Alcohol is prohibited in Kuwait and possessing alcohol will get you into a lot of trouble and ''never'' drink and drive.

    Stay healthy

    Public health is entirely supported by the government at local clinics and hospitals, with a 5KD fee paid by foreigners visiting Kuwait and 2KD for expats with a resident visa. Private non-governmental clinics are available as well, but charge much more at 30KD and upwards. You will be entitled for free treatment in case of an Accident or Emergency. In case of an emergency call''' 777'''.

    Contact

    Phone

    The country code for Kuwait is '''965'''. Local phone numbers are 8 digits long. The numbering system is as follows: Numbers starting with 2 are landline telephones. Numbers starting with 5 are mobile telephones for the VIVA Mobile Operator. Numbers starting with 6 are mobile telephones for the WATANIYA Mobile Operator. Numbers starting with 9 are mobile telephones for the ZAIN Mobile Operator. Numbers starting with 1 are service numbers. To dial outside the country from Kuwait, prefix the country code with 00. E.g a US number would be dialed as 00-1-555-555-5555.

    Mobile

    Kuwait uses GSM and mobile phones are widely available. Major operators include '''Zain''', '''Wataniya Telecom''', and '''Viva'''. As roaming charges can be very steep, it makes sense to get a local SIM card: prepaid starter kits are available for around KD 5, including some call time.

    Internet

    Internet kiosks are everywhere. The biggest ISPs in Kuwait are QualityNet and KEMS. High speed internet is available via DSL subscription (upto 4Mbps) although prices are higher than usual. A 512k DSL connection costs about 34KD for monthly subscription. ISPs are forced to censor internet access by the government, but this is easily bypassed by using either a proxy or a VPN service.

    Telephone

    Kuwait has high international call rates. Although calling overseas is also very cheap if you use the many booths that advertise 'Net2Phone' service, which is illegal. Basically it is calling over the Internet. For home usage, Phoneserve cards are available (mostly in Hawally) that can be used for cheap calls worldwide. Users with credit cards use Skype and Yahoo Voice for communication as well.But skype website was banned now.