Category: Islamic Travel
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The Brutal Truth About Batha Umrah Bus Packages: Prices, Scams, & Survival Guide
For millions of expatriates living and working in Riyadh, the opportunity to perform Umrah is one of the greatest spiritual blessings of residing in Saudi Arabia. Because domestic flights and high-speed trains can quickly drain a monthly salary, the vast majority of budget-conscious expats turn to the bustling streets of the Batha district to book…
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The Best Custom-Fit Car Sun Shades in Saudi Arabia: Stop Burning Your Hands
There is a unique kind of dread that sets in when you finish a long day at the office in Riyadh or Jeddah, walk out to the open parking lot in the middle of July, and see your car baking in the direct sunlight. When you open the door, a physical wall of heat hits…
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The Best Heat-Resistant Car Jump Starters in Saudi Arabia: Never Get Stranded
Picture this: You have just finished a massive grocery run at Tamimi or Lulu Hypermarket in the middle of July. You push your cart out into the blinding 48°C (118°F) afternoon sun, load your bags into the trunk, sit in the driver’s seat, and turn the key. Instead of the engine roaring to life, you…
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The Best Heat-Resistant Dash Cams for Saudi Drivers: Stop Buying Melting Cameras
Opening your car door in Riyadh or Jeddah in the middle of July is an experience every expat remembers. As that 50°C (122°F) wave of heat hits your face, you sit on a burning seat, touch a scalding steering wheel, and crank the AC to maximum. While you might be able to survive the extreme…
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The Best Cooling Mattress Toppers in Saudi Arabia: Sleep Without Sweating
Sleeping comfortably through a Saudi Arabian summer is a uniquely frustrating challenge. Even when the sun goes down in Riyadh or Jeddah, the ambient temperature rarely drops enough to provide relief. This leads to the classic expat “AC dilemma.” You set your bedroom split AC unit to a freezing 18°C (64°F) just to fall asleep.…
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The Best Under-Sink Water Filters in Saudi Arabia: Stop Buying Bottled Water
Take a look around your kitchen right now. Chances are, there is a massive blue 19-liter water bottle sitting on a dispenser, and two or three empty bottles stacked awkwardly in the corner waiting to be exchanged. For decades, the standard procedure for expats and locals in Saudi Arabia has been to rely entirely on…
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The Best Humidifiers for Saudi Arabia: Fix Dry AC Air
Surviving the intense Saudi Arabian summer means keeping your apartment’s air conditioning running almost constantly. While the AC keeps you cool, it also acts as a massive dehumidifier, aggressively stripping all the natural moisture out of your indoor air. If you have been waking up with a dry, scratchy throat, chapped lips, irritated sinuses, or…
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The Best Robot Vacuums for Saudi Arabia: Stop Sweeping Desert Sand
If there is one universal truth about living in Saudi Arabia, it is that the dust never stops. Whether you live in a high-rise in Riyadh or a villa in Jeddah, the fine desert sand always finds a way inside. Because the vast majority of apartments in the Kingdom use hard ceramic or marble tiles…
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The Best VPN Routers for Saudi Apartments: Stream Your Home Country’s Netflix
You have finally set up your new apartment in Saudi Arabia, bought a massive Smart TV, and sat down on the couch to watch your favorite shows from back home. But when you open Netflix, the library is completely different. When you try to open Hulu, BBC iPlayer, or HBO Max, you get an error…
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The Best Thermal Blackout Curtains for Saudi Apartments (Lower Your AC Bill)
Summer in Saudi Arabia is uncompromising. When the outside temperature hits 45°C (113°F) and the intense Middle Eastern sun beats directly against your apartment windows, your air conditioning unit has to work twice as hard just to keep the room livable. Many expats move into their new apartments, hang up standard decorative curtains from their…