Thorn Tree Travel Forum

15

What do I need to know about visas for Kuwait?

A number of people have expressed an interest in knowing which countries the Kuwaitis have 'open' entry visas for upon arrival at the Kuwait City International Airport. They are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, The Netherlands/Holland, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The United States of America, The United Kingdom, The Vatican.

The restrictions on these entry visas are: The standard visa-on-arrival for Kuwait is valid for 3 months not 30 days. Should have a round-trip ticket, but not a hard, fast requirement. Visa is not transferrable to any other type of visa (i.e. work visa, dependent visa, etc).
(Updated with info from george5, June 08).

Edited by: Irene_Adler

16

What is there to do in Qatar?

Ok, so who's saying Qatar is the most boring place on Earth??? It might not be a hot spot, but there ARE some things to see. Here are places you can go to enjoy your stay in Qatar:

Doha
Qatar National Museum: Visit to this museum is must. The museum is divided into three parts: 1) the exhibition, which has displays about the history & culture of the Gulf, particularly pertaining to Qatar Peninsula. 2) architecture of the building - the museum was previously used as a resident of Sheikh rule in the early 20th century. The palace is decorated with white and detailed designs on the walls. 3) lagoon - the area which is surrounded by huge dhows which were used to navigate the sea. There is also an aquarium by the lagoon. The exhibition was under renovation in the end of 2003, should be finished by now.

Doha Fort: One of the oldest monuments in Doha, placed in the middle of busy souq area. The fort has an exhibition of life-style of Qatari people in the past.

Ethnigraphic Museum: A traditional house, which talks about the life before the oil boom and how life used to be like (according to Lonely Planet. Was under renovation in Dec 2003, but should be finished by now).

Corniche: One of the best and most beautiful corniche in the Gulf. There is a huge paved pathways near Sheraton hotel, which would be a good place to take a stroll (though not in the summer, make sure to go in the evening because the temp. could soar upto 45C!). In the evening there are many locals hanging out with family.

Traditional Qatari Restaurant: Was recommended by one of the royal family members of ruling sheikh. It's near the dhow dock to Palm Tree Island, serves really good traditional buffet. Can choose to eat inside or outside, either ways have a great view over the bay. Try Harees....a porridge from wheat, has a simple taste but it's a specialty to this part of the region.

Palm Tree Island: An island that has all the entertainment stuffs (i.e.ferris wheel, theme park, etc)...great place to bring kids. Catch up a dhow boat to get there, few miles south of Sheraton Hotel.

Diplomatic Quarter: Where all the cool modern buildings lie. Many of the sky-scrapers are newly built and all have unique designs.

Doha City Centre: The largest mall in the Middle East!!!!! Two words to describe - HUGE & GORGEUS! Has all the top desginers shops, super-market, many starbucks, food court....oh, and also an ice-skate link! They're also trying to build a cinema hall there.

Also other extravagant malls scattered around the city.

Transportation in Doha:
Taxis are relatively cheap. They start from QAR 2 and goes up around at the rate of few dirhams per kilometer (i.e. downtown to City Centre Mall: QAR 6-8). From the airport, expected to pay from QAR 20+ even though it's only 2 kms away from the city.

Accomodation (Cheap) in Doha:
Plenty around downtown.....expected to pay around QAR 100 (make sure to negotiate the price) and onwards for a 2-3 star hotels. Doha Palace is nice and clean, has TV, big room, fridge, and attached bath. For better ones (4-5 stars) try Movenpick....good deal for a nice room, starting around QAR 270.

Visa Info:
Travellers of following nationalities do not need a pre-arranged visa to enter Qatar:

USA, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea

A 14-day (possible to extend) Visa can be obtained at Doha International Airport for QR 55. For other nationalities, you can arrange through hotels.

Al Mafjar
An abandoned village in the north. To get there, it's recommended to take a tour.....it lies near Ruweis, and has to take unpaved road to get there. Some houses made of corals.

Zubara Fort
The oldest fort in the country, and a symbol of Qatar.

Inland Sea
Strongly recommend to visit with 4WD....where white sand dunes drop into the sea.

(for 3 & 4 I haven't been so can't say much)

Have a safe trip to the Heart of Gulf!

Edited by: Irene_Adler

17

What is there to do in Kuwait?

Kuwait City:

1- Souq Almubarakiya (the old Kuwaiti bazar in Kuwait city, divided into several sections: women's market, Cloak and carpet market, Gold market)

2- Museum of Modern Art (opposite Sharq waterfront mall)

3- Memorial Museum (next to the new oil sector building) basically informatoin regarding The Gulf war in 1990.

4- Grand Mosque

5- Dixon's house

6- National Museum (although not fully occupied since the gulf war, it does have a nice cultural museum)

7- Beit Alsadu (an old Kuwaiti house converted into a museum for bedouin weaving). Next to this is beit Albadr another old Kuwaiti house open for public; both are in the vicinity of the national museum)

8- Many old mosques that have been renovated since the gulf war are quite nice.

9- Best thing to do is take a walk on the corniche along the gulf road starting at the Oil sector building and make your stops along those old houses and museums.

10- Kuwait towers

Jahra city:

1- Nothing much here other than the Red fort and alot of desert.

2- There should be some excavations dating to 4000BC but still not open to public.

Failaka Island:

1- A ferry ride from Ras Assalmiya (Alsalmiya area) to Failaka island, a small greek temple, lots of old abandoned houses.

Salmiya:

1- About 20 minutes ride from Kuwait city, its shopping district, check out the cafes and restaurants in the marina

Jabriya:
A neighbourhood between Kuwait city and Salmiya . Tareq rajab museum is located here; its a museum of islamic artefacts and is worth a visit.

Beaches? try messila beach, or go down south towards bneider and Kheiran. Nice snorkling spots in Jaber Alhmed's marine reserve.

- There is a ferry service between Kuwait - Bahrain and Kuwait - Abadan ( in Iran)
- There is a bus service connecting Kuwait with egypt, Jordan, and Syria (i think a company called KGL)


Added by Glubsch:
Read LtWharf's kept thread.

Edited by: Irene_Adler

18

How do I get from Egypt to Jordan (and vice versa) by ferry?
Nuweiba to Aqaba - ferries

The fast boat (a hydrofoil) usually leaves at 3pm, the slower boat at 3.30. It is well worth taking the fast boat, the trip takes one hour instead of 3 (in theory) and since there are fewer passengers the immigration procedures go much more quickly. I should perhaps warn you, that it is not unusual for the "slow boat" to take ten or twelve hours to make the crossing - it has been known to take three days!

There is now (October 2003) a ferry service between Sharm el Sheikh and Aqaba. It runs twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays, leaving Aqaba at 1pm and returning from Sharm at 4pm. This is a hydrofoil service run by Arab Bridge Maritime in Aqaba (phone 03.201.3240). The return fare is 85USD and the single fare "about" 55USD.

You can get a visa without any problem when you arrive in Aqaba. What happens is that all the passports are collected by an official on the boat, and everybody makes their way to a series of waiting rooms. They deal with the "easy" cases first, ie Jordanians, and the nationalities not needing a visa, then the groups, then nationalities for whom the visa is free and those tourists already having a visa. After that, YOU! The visa for Jordan is the same price as when you come from Israel via the Arava crossing (10JD).

Going the other way

From Aqaba, the fast boat leaves at midday during the summer and the slow boat at 3pm. They are noticeably cheaper in this direction : last I heard the fast boat cost 21JD and the slow boat 16 - tickets to be paid in Jordanian dinars this way round. Although you can obtain tickets for these ferries at almost any travel agency in Jordan, I advise you to wait until you are in Aqaba. It can and does happen that the fast boat is cancelled for some reason, in that case you would be stuck with a fairly expensive ticket, and with the choice of the slow boat, which amply merits its name, or the land route. In Aqaba, the travel agencies are aware of the vagaries of the schedules and you are fairly sure of being informed. But as ferries go, this service is actually pretty reliable. Incidentally, do not rely on any information given to you by your hotel. It might be correct, and it might not be! If you want right up to date information, the name of the company running the ferries is "Arab Bridge Maritime" and their telephone number from outside Jordan is +962.3.201.3240 or 03.201.3240 if you are already in the country.

Note that there is a Jordanian exit tax of 5JD unless you have been in the country for less than 24 hours, in which case you are considered as being "in transit".

Edited by: Irene_Adler

19

What is there to do in Iran?

For all those who can't get enough of old stone fire temples and Mosques take a look on the website of the Iranian Cultural Heritage News Agency.

Everything you where dying to know about the Sasanians can also be found on the internet.

Added by Estonian:
Websites about Iran

Iran Caravan - lots of info about Iran, all provinces and thousands of sites around Iran.
Iran Chamber Society - tens of articles about different aspects of Iranian culture (architecture, music, religion etc), history and sites

IranAir
Iran Aseman Airline
Mahan Air

Valfajre-8 Shipping Company - ferries on Persian Gulf

Golestan Palace in Tehran
Yazd Touring&Tourism Organization
Kish Free Zone
Masooleh - village near Rasht
Niavaran Palace in Tehran
Shiraz
Tehran Avenue - online magazine about town and events etc
Isfahan
Tochal Complex - telecabin in Tehran

Edited by: Irene_Adler

20

Can anyone suggest some good books about the Middle East?

You can refer to these threads:

Book on the Middle East

Background reading; this one is about Turkey only

Feel free to add your favorites books!

Edited by: Irene_Adler

Visit my photo gallery about Iran and Istanbul. Cherchez le chat.

21

Where can I go to learn Arabic?
For those asking about language schools in the middle east well here is a link
http://www.al-bab.com/arab/language/learn.htm

Edited by: Irene_Adler

22

So what's the deal with Ramadan?

According to many of the country pages on this web site, Ramadan (the muslim fasting month) is in December or January. This information is out of date.

For more, see Wikipedia article on Ramadan

Most non-muslims may not find travel that easy during Ramadan. Many restaurants may be shut and other businesses may be slower as well. People may also not appreciate seeing people eating and drinking in public, especially if you yourself look like a local. On the other hand, after sunset there will invariably be large, bustling food markets and a festive atmosphere.

Edited by: Irene_Adler

--
WillSmith
EU Citizen currently living in Malaysia

23

What's the deal with the Dubai/Oman joint visa?

1. The Dubai/ Oman joint visa facility. Dubai has agreed with Oman that visas/ entry permits issued to foreigners entering the emirate of Dubai for tourism will also be valid for the sultanate of Oman. For a list of the eligible nationalities, see the Royal Oman Police site. Note that this is good only for people entering the emirates at Dubai (so if you fly into Sharjah or Abu Dhabi you're not eligible) and entering Oman from Dubai (either air Dubai ->Muscat/ Salalah, or overland at al-Wajaja/ Hatta). Dubai residents still have to get visas though (normally OR6 at the border).

2. Border crossings. The UAE border posts are manned, and the Omanis will not allow you to enter Oman without a UAE exit stamp. The UAE exit posts are not obvious though - the one at Hatta is in the grounds of the Hatta Fort Hotel.


Can I get from Oman to Yemen overland?

There is now a bus service linking Salalah in Oman with Yemen. How long it will last is anyone's guess, and it's a long and dusty trip, not for the faint-hearted! Salalah itself is a day overland from Muscat.

Edited by: Irene_Adler

24

What do I need to know about working in the Middle East?

General:
There's a forum here with expats living in the Middle East that are always willing to help too!
Living in the Middle East Forum
Hope it helps some!

Turkey:
Added by JoeViaAnadolu:
Turkish work permit regulations are detailed here

UAE:
Added by leighbutler:
A helpful site if you contemplate moving to the UAE

http://dwc.hct.ac.ae/expatinfo/index.htm

Everywhere else:
Added by Dantedubai:
Living and working in Dubai
Living and working in Abu Dhabi
Living and working in Oman
Living and working in Bahrain
Living and working in Qatar
Living and working in Kuwait

Edited by: Irene_Adler

Matt
Canuck Abroad - for the Canadian backpacker abroad or on the way.
Eurail Pass Info - Eurail-Info.com

25

How do I get around Israel?

I just found a relatively new Israel Government web site with a wealth of useful information on land border crossings to Egypt and Jordan: link

By bus:
Israel's major national passenger bus carrier, Egged, now has an English site which works and gives information on bus schedules and fares, despite the fact that the rest of the site is still "Under Construction". I should also mention that Israel's second bus company, Dan (which serves the Greater Tel Aviv area - mostly, but not exclusively, local lines) has an English site as well. Both have Russian sites too.

Egged English site
Dan English site

Egged Russian site
Dan Russian site

Edited by: Irene_Adler

26

What do I need to know about visas for Lebanon?

Visa info from the Lebanese goverment can be found on the following website in Arabic, English & French:

http://www.surete-generale.gov.lb/index2.htm

Added by Metropolitan:
Visas on arrival in Lebanon for British Passport Holders - this question has been asked a lot over the last few months. Yes it is possible to get visas on arrival in Lebanon (this has been the case since around May 2004). Transit visa of 48 hours is issued free, a 15 day single entry visa is US$17 and a 30 day single entry visa is US$34. However, if you want a multiple entry visa you have to apply through the Lebanese embassy.

Added by george5:
Lebanon now issues free 1 month visas to most westerners

Edited by: Irene_Adler

27

What can I do when I'm in Israel?

Israel Nature Reserves & National Parks
--------------------------------------------------

For all relevant information (including opening hours and entrance fees), please see their English web site.

Edited by: Irene_Adler

28

What are the ultimate and unique souvenirs from the Middle East?

Check out the suggestions on this thread.

Edited by: Irene_Adler

"If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it." – Lyndon Baines Johnson

29

What can you tell me about visas for Iran?

Everyone can get a visa to Iran. There are the usual types of visa but in here only the single entry tourist visa will be discussed.

Americans
First of all. Americans have to be on a guided tour to get the visa. There is apparently no way of getting around this restriction. It is possible that with months of bureaucracy at the Iranian interest section in the Pakistani embassy, you might get something, but don't hold your breath. Knowing someone in Iran might help but they would probably have to take great risks and be liable for you the whole time. European companies working in Iran might also be able to arrange business visas, but this process might take months and is unrealistic for most purposes.

Basic process for nationals of all other countries than the US
All other nationals can get the tourist visa through the Iranian embassy in their country (see below for nationals of countries that do not have an Iranian embassy). There are two ways of doing that. First you can apply directly at the consulate. The time this takes depends on the consulate you talk to and your nationality. Some take only a few days and some up to two months. The risk of being denied a visa is there but low if you have your documents in order. The documents needed are normally the application, 2-4 photos (women wearing the headscarf) and a receipt of payment, usually from a local bank. The payment varies wildly with your nationality. This procedure is the simplest and slowest and will probably only work in your home country or a few others (Experiences have been good for example in Ankara, Turkey).

An easier way, and most of the time quicker is to use an agency. The two most widely usead (and cheap) are:
key2persia.com
IranianVisa.com

There are very good instructions on both sites but these agents contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and get you a reference number (The consulates also get a reference number but often take much longer, hence the shorter time this method takes). That reference number is an approval for the visa so you can pick up your visa at a chosen consulate (has to be chosen in advance, but IranianVisa can change from the predeclared embassy for an extra fee). The process of getting the visa after having the reference number should just take a few moments, max. 2 days, but you also have to pay the consulate fee and fill out applications. Both agencies charge around $35 for this service. Both agencies also ask for a full itinerary, but you shouldn't worry about having to follow that, just give a general idea of where you'll be going and use hotels from LP.

A few people have reported their first requests at these agencies gone astray so if you haven't got any e-mail 3 days from the request you should probably restate it. Put your e-mail address in the "message" field on key2persia if you're applying for more than one person. If you're short on time you should mention that, they will try their best to help. If you don't get any response the second time you send the request you should e-mail the agency with the information asked for in the web forms. It might be possible but to avoid looking suspicious you should not try both agencies at the same time.

Validity of the visa
The visa you get must be used within three months (overlanders should use the above agents and have the authorization delivered to the embassy of the last country before Iran, where they should give it 2-3 days to process). It is most commonly valid for 30 days after entry but many have reported only 14 days. The visas are easily extendable in many towns so that is not the biggest issue, see LP for the easiest places.

The 14 day (previously 7 day) visa on arrival (updated by george5, June 08)
Nationals of some countries can now get 14 day visas upon arrival if arriving through air. The service is available at Tehran, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz and Isfahan. This service costs $50 and is not for people who have been denied visa before. The countries are the following: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azarbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, China (People’s Republic), Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland (Rep.), Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Peru, Phillippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia (KSA), Singapore, Slovak (Rep.), Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia Fed. Rep.

The process of the 14 day visa is unknown, but bring a few photos and be ready for some bureaucracy. Also be noted that some airlines might not let you on board without a visa. State clearly to the check-in agents that you plan to get the visa at the airport and preferably have some printed material stating that (iranianvisa.comfor example). If at all possible, use a normal visa if possible until the process is clearer.

Nationals of countries with no Iranian representation
If you don't live in a country with Iranian representation there is still a rather easy way of obtaining your visa. You will need a major credit card.
1. Apply through one of the above agencies and designate the consulate in London as the embassy where you will pick up your visa.
2. Enlist the help of someone in London, have that person go to the post office and buy a prepaid registered airmail envelope that can be sent to your country (The service is calld Royal Mail international signed for or airsure within Europe). Have that person mail the envelope to you (inside another envelope of course!). Some people on this board will probably be happy to do this. This will be your return envelope. Write down its tracking number.
3. Go to the embassy website http://www.iran-embassy.org.uk/visa/index.html and download the application (two copies for each applicant) and the credit card payment form. READ the instructions.
4. Fill out the applications and the credit card form with the relevant details and pasted photos (Check that everything is perfect here), put it in an envelope along with your passport, the return envelope with your address written on it and a polite, professionally laid out letter that emphasizes your visa reference number.
5. Mail this in registered mail to the consular section in London (Kensington Court address, NOT Princes Gate).

This should work, it worked for me and I got my visa less than a month after I first contacted the agent.

On the whole most people should get through the visa process in 1-2 months. Reports are that it can take longer so plan ahead (but not too far, no use being stuck with a visa that has expired when you travel). Some embassies might deny your application for no apparent reason, then try the agencies.

This information was current in october 2005 but rules can always change. For major changes in rules (Which might be on their way, because the government has publicly stated that they want to increase tourism) check the Iranianvisa.com web page or the ministry of foreign affairs in Tehran. The rules seem to be going in the direction of easing up so watch out for some interesting developments. I might post major changes to this thread.

Edited by: Irene_Adler