dr issue 27

SAUDI BACKPACKERS

MONA THE EXPLORERmade it to the top

ISSUE 27 MAY 2015

Contouring Tips and Kits

Riyadh’s Bakeries

NATURAL MARVELS OF THE WORLD

FITNESS CENTERS WORLDWIDE

DOWNLOAD

DISCOVER

INTERACT

Hover on the cover

DESTINATIONRYD.COM 1

F R O M T H E E D I T O R

Editor-in-Chief Enas HashaniManaging Editor Maria MahdalyExecutive Editor Bassma Al Toaimi

Regional Editorial Manager Jou PabalateRegional Editor Johara Al MogbelAssociate Editor/Photographer Mohammed Deghaishm

Editors Sahrish AliSohila El SaadanyContributing WritersFaris Al YahyaRob SeagreenSaud AlDreesWided KhadraouiZareen Muzaffar

Art Director Reem Al Assal Studio Manager Mohamed FawzyGraphic DesignersMohammed Rashad Jalila Alharith PhotographersJou PabalateMohammed Deghaishm Paul AbrahamReem Al Assal Online Editor Mohammed MirzaSocial Media Hurreia BalouchWeb Admin/Associate Editor Swalah Eshki

Editorial [email protected] Public Relations and [email protected]

Sales & Advertising [email protected]

Riyadh Office: Mob: +966-509752274 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)Jeddah Office:Tel: +966-12-6060291 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)Mob: +966-563578291 (9 a.m. - 10 p.m.)

Distribution [email protected]

General [email protected]

Visit Us Onlinewww.destinationryd.com

PUBLISHERDestination MagazineUK, Coventry, CV14DHN5719

*Destination Riyadh Magazine is a Rumman Company Publication.

License No. 7862-8/8/1431Mob: +966-509752274P.O. Box 4113 Jeddah 21491

Enas Hashani Editor-in-Chief

GET LOST!

After a month of sandstorms, we welcome the clear skies of summer with open arms.

Speaking of summer, it’s that time of the year when you start thinking of where you’ll be spending your holidays. Whether you’re up for a family vacation or a staycation, this issue is your must-have companion.

This wanderlust edition was made to drive you out of your comfort zone and get lost! Be inspired by real-life explorers. Join Mona Shahab, a mountaineer on her journey to the top of the world or tag along around Japan with the Saudi backpackers. For a more relaxing but equally memorable trip, get on board the Maharaja express train and discover majestic India.

Let the adventurer in you take over and put our recommended natural marvels of the world in your bucket list or discover the Kingdom like never before through our story on the wonders of KSA.

The great JRR Tolkien once said, “Not all who wander are lost,” and we agree, in the same way we believe that not all who stay in Riyadh over the summer are bored. Admittedly, we have enough sojourns in these pages to keep you out and about all year long – but also, we’ve packed it with enough of Riyadh to let you enjoy being city bound.

A true Riyadhi will tell you that their hometown is like any other – sometimes you want to just pack your bags and leave but the moment you’re elsewhere, you start missing everything about it. At Destination, our job is to tug at your heartstrings for the city right here and now. Riyadh is a giant adventure on its own if you have DR as your local tour guide.

Till next time, dear readers… Live curiously, travel deeply and love generously.


DESTINATION RIYADH MAY 2015 2

Spirituality• Backbiting • What it Means to be Blessed

Dining Around Town• Dining Scoop - Big Smoke Burger- Alreef Al Iraqi • Riyadh’s Bakeries• Eating Halal for Dummies

56

Healthy Living• Fitness Centers Worldwide• Avoid Getting Sick While Traveling

Travel Trends• Travel News:- Doha’s Banana Island Resort- Bahrain Visa Updates - Al Ahsa’s Touristic Project• Explore With Attar Travel Agency• Maharaja's Express Train

Explore KSA• Wonders of KSA• Historic Saudi: The Legendary Hatem Al Tai

82

74

70

40Arts & Entertainment

• TheRemedy• Artist’s Corner: Ali Alabbas

Style & Shopping• Your Summer in Style• Contouring Tips

48

Special Features• Mona Shahab, Female Mountaineer• Saudi Backpackers• Natural Marvels Worldwide

24

Business• The Saudi Women Council • Tourism in Saudi• Jobs for Travel Junkies

16 66

F E AT U R E D C O N T E N T

40

78

56

Destination sat down with TheRemedy and got the scoop on their debut album, Indifferent Hearts.

Buy Me From

Danube and Sasco Palm

for Only SR 10

Mona taking high challenges on p. 24

DESTINATIONRYD

DESTINATIONKSA

The Saudi Backpackers

Tour Japan p. 32


+974 4035 5555 | [email protected] | kempinski.com/marsamalaz

Rising from the horizon, upon a private island in the heart of The Pearl, a magnificent palace steeped in European heritage and adorned with Arabian grandeur awaits. Embrace the vivacious spirit of our enchanting retreat and feast on masterpieces at our eleven restaurants and lounges. Celebrate momentous occasions in our ballrooms or simply let waves of bliss wash over you on the private beach.

Be the first to experience Doha’s new premier destination.

For reservations and more information, please contact:

Luxury starts here.

150414_MMK_DestRiyadh_240x166.indd 1 04/14/15 10:57 AM


C O M M U N I T Y

If you've got something to say,

send it our way! [email protected]

New Training Opportunities for Students

HalalTrip: An all Around App for the Avid Muslim Traveler

The Human Resources Development Fund just launched a summer training program for students looking for a summer job. Fully aware of how difficult the search might be for a high school or college student, their system enables business owners and corporations to connect with these students to provide them with a decent- and paid- learning experience they can then use in the future when it’s time to enter the workforce. All a student has to do is sign up on hrdf.org.sa, look around for a convenient training opportunity, and then register for it! For more information, check out @HRDFnews or try the help hotline 920000713

CrescentRating and Halaltrip, sister companies in the travel industry, launched a new app to make traveling easier on Muslims, combining prayer time and qibla guidance with halal foodspotting and reviewing in a bevy of locations. Our favorite feature happens to be the inflight prayer time calculator, which would make salat on a plane a lot more accurate than when we use our, er, guesstimation technique. Travel on, cohorts!


First Saudi Think-Tank Aims to Provide Useful Analytics to Citizens

Thumbs up to Traffic Laws Texting While Driving is Officially a High Level Crime Traffic laws have recently changed to include driving while using a handheld phone into a felony that affects public safety in the traffic laws and regulations. The other legal infractions drafted in the same category include driving under an influence, cutting red lights and drifting. Ergo, chronic cell phone users: Be a decent human being and save that text for later. That way, everyone around you is kept safe from your inattention and you don’t incur a fine that starts at SR 500 and the possibility of getting your vehicle impounded! It’s a win-win situation.

@DESTINATIONRYD

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE:

The Gahwa AppCaffeine-lovers and not-morning-people, rejoice! A new app to order coffee on the go has just

debuted from the clever minds of an innovative group of girls studying in PSU. With options to pre-order and pre-pay for your cup of joe, the app is set to make your life easier. And you get to track your coffee being made, too! The app is launching this month and will include a number of known coffee shops around town.

The Kingdom’s first specialized, research-oriented entity to focus on governance and public sector innovation has recently been founded. An initiative of PSU, the center aims to provide powerful solutions to improve government performance, as well as producing and publishing original research on different governmental sectors for interested parties to study. Their most useful feature, however, is an interactive map of the Saudi government, from 1925 to the present. Students looking to research ministries? The days of trawling forums, official websites, and old newspaper clippings has passed! Technology has made it easy on you to do that Ministry of Agriculture research paper. You’re quite welcome. Web: innovativegov.orgGuess what?


E V E N T S A N D H A P P E N I N G S

EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

1. NUYU Gym opens Third Fitness Center at AlWahaThe first female fitness boutique franchise in Riyadh opened another center. Their latest AlWaha center is the biggest one yet with a 1,600 square meter workout space. The center offers favorite group exercise classes, a climbing wall, RAW studio and more.

3. Narcissus Spa OpeningNarcissus unveiled its new trademark spa with facilities for both women and men, as well as a gym and signature ‘spa rooms’ where guests can enjoy being pampered in the relative privacy of their own suite. Narcissus plans to introduce a new style of hotel luxury in the city.

2. Marriot Holds an Eventful Night The Marriot hosted two separate events on March 31. The first one, the #Courtyard1000, celebrated the opening of the 1000th Courtyard by Marriot Hotels in Washington. The second event was a Thank You dinner party to the top business clients of the Marriott Hotels in Riyadh that was also complimented by the support of the hotel brand’s media partners, and is an annual offering conducted by the Marriott Hotels in Riyadh to its top business partners.


3.

2.

1.


5.

4.

4. Arts and Heritage ForumIn honor of the Saudi Preservation and Heritage Society Chairwoman, Princess Adela bint Abdullah, a four day forum was held in Riyadh to coincide with the World Heritage Day, April 18. It included various activities such as theatrical performances, sessions and workshops for children.

7. Riyadh Travel Fair 2015April 14 saw the opening of Riyadh Travel Fair at the Four Seasons. And with over 200 travel-related participants from over 50 countries, the fair was heavily attended, as Riyadhis plotted on what country to flood next. There also was significant presence by local and governmental tourism sectors, in accordance with the country's new aim to promote local tourism.

5. Resense Spa Unveiled at Kempinski Burj RafalReknowned Saudi Kempinski Burj Rafal launched the first hotel spa with an all female open-air pool. Inspired by Europe, the spa aims to add class and luxury to the typical relaxation experience. The opening included a wonderful juice bar for added health benefit.

Don't miss out! To stay updated on all the latest events, follow us @destinationryd

6.

7.

6. World Health DayA healthy food symposium was held on April 7 at Al Habib Hospital, in collaboration with Boecker, the Diet Center, Almarai, Cleanse and Glow, Sierra Nutrition, the Ministry of Health and the General Department of Nutrition. The aim of the event was to highlight the importance of safe nutrition and the effect food has on general health, with #safefood as the highlight term.



GLOWORK: A STEP AHEADA step ahead in the right direction: Riyadh’s biggest women’s career expo.By Johara Al Mogbel and Jou Pabalate

The Prince Sultan Ballroom at the Faisaliah Hotel surged with empowering energy on April 1 – 3. Some were sashaying through the aisles of potential employers while others took on a more assertive stance and were approaching booths left and right. Either way, the message was clear for us — these Saudi women want jobs and this year, they come bearing a go-getter attitude, determined to leave the career fair employed or at least, have a bunch of interviews to go to after.

of successful women and international experts providing their insights, stories and advice through the different panel discussions.

One of the dilemmas faced by job-seeking women is how to fill the gap in work experience. A lot of Saudi women feel disheartened to pursue a career of their choice right after graduation, with companies in

the past demanding for ample professional experience. This career fair encouraged women by sharing success stories of their ilk who forged on despite the challenges and have earned their seat in the corporate world. Furthermore, another direction that A Step Ahead offered was towards taking a more entrepreneurial path.

For most of the female job seekers in the Kingdom, it was really just a matter of bridging the gap between them and employers, and A Step Ahead slicked the way ahead for both the attendees and corporations to do so, in a light hearted approach. Moreover, the fair also celebrated International Women’s Day, with Femi9 distributing scarves in support and a special booth with information on women who have made their mark on the world.

The event was under the patronage of Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Province.

Panel of speakers.

And with over 90 organizations – both local and multinational – offering over 3,000 job opportunities in attendance, they were bound to get at least a foot in the job industry. And to gently guide those who need help reaching their goals, applicants were given the chance to attend pep talks to get their enthusiasm up to speed, with a variety

Prince Faisal bin Bandar

Said Baaghil and Shahad Al Tamami



INTRODUCING CHANGE IN THE CITY

It all started with a simple idea by five young and curious Saudi female professionals from different backgrounds, who were thirsty to work ‘Together for a Fitter KSA.’ The team’s passion to live a healthy and active lifestyle and more importantly give back to the community encouraged Mashael (IT Guru), Dena (Creative Guru), Noura (Media Guru), Mona (Fitness Fanatic) and Hala (Law and Order) to bring what they have to the table, and that’s how The Empowerment Hub (TEH) was born.

In March 2014, TEH brought Change to Riyadh. A fun- filled outdoor day where some

the best female gyms in the country. Whether you wanted to challenge yourself at CrossFit, boot camp or a 60 minute spinning class, or lounge and relax at the spa and shop at the food and beverage and retail booths, Change promised you never a dull moment.

By joining hands with supportive sponsors, partners, booth renters and volunteers, Change 2014 was able to help raise funds for six non-profit organizations in the Kingdom and that’s when the team decided Change will be an annual event in Riyadh.

Later that year, Zahra Breast Cancer Association came knocking on TEH’s door with a cause that hit too close to home for many. October 2014 was around the corner and Zahra wanted to venture out to the Eastern Province to raise breast cancer awareness. TEH succeeded in becoming an official entity prior to the event, and organized 3alba7ar, its second fitness event in

of the country’s health and fitness experts came together to support the awareness of women’s health in Saudi Arabia, while giving back to the community.

Working under the umbrella of Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City, the all women event was held at AlReem International Circuit where Saudi Arabia’s first ever Color Run took place, along with several outdoor fitness classes organized by some of

COU

RTES

Y PH

OTO


2014. 3alba7ar was held at The Sunset Beach Resort and once again with joint efforts, TEH was able to raise funds for Zahra.

Thirsty for more, and knowing that 70 percent of the population in Saudi is below 30 years of age, and with the skyrocketing numbers of people diagnosed with diabetes in the Kingdom, TEH decided to expand and target the country’s youth community. Change Kids was held April 3, where boys and girls enjoyed a full day of fitness classes and activities which included a 1-kilometer Junior Color Run, spinning, ballet, karate, yoga, zip-lining and more at AlReem International Circuit. Arts and crafts classes were offered where children ages 2-4 created touching letters for our Saudi troops.

Change 2015, held on April 4, was honored to host the first Electric Run in the GCC. Hundreds of women participated in a 5-kilometer race in bright neon lights and accessories.

The day was also filled with a variety of the best fitness classes such as anti-gravity fitness, piloxing, CrossFit, bodyART, Konga, Jagua, UGI, karate and more. Change donated a certain percentage to Bunyan Charitable Foundation in support of one of their programs, To Build

a Productive Family, which helps unprivileged families own homes by offering zero-interest loans.

We owe it our sponsors and partners who believed

in us frvom day one, our booth renters who set the bar high and never failed to impress, to our

“Movers and Shakers” aka “The Future” for we could not have done it without our volunteers, and our

phenomenal participants who showered us all with

smiles and contagious energy. We thank each

and every one of you who made Change a success!

— TEH Team



MAY 26 – 28 DIAA 2015The Second Saudi international exhibition for people with disability requirements.

Location: Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition CenterTel: +966-11-4661670Web: diaaexhibition.comEmail: [email protected]

VISIT www.destinationryd.com

for more events and happenings

around town.

41MAY 1 – 2 GAMERS DAY A fun-filled two day event that brings together gamers, families and the community through video games.

Location: AlFaisal UniversityFacebook: alfaisalSDC

MAY 11 – 13 SAUDI POWERAn annual trade exhibition for power, solar, water and lighting sectors.

Time: 4 – 10 p.m. Location: Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition CenterWeb: saudi-energy.com

MAY 4 – 6 SAUDI WOMENAn exhibition that enhances the role of women in building Saudi society.

Location: Four Seasons HotelTel: 92000615Web: saudiwomens.comEmail: [email protected]

@saudiwomenshow

MAY 10 – 13 HR LEADERS SAUDI 2015Listen to the experts talk about their experiences in HR.

Location: Burj Rafal KempinskiWeb: hrleaderssaudi.comEmail: [email protected]

MAY 31 – JUNE 2 SAUDI HEALTH FINANCE AND INVESTMENT FORUMDiscussing how technology can improve healthcare in ways never imagined before.

3126

11

DR magazine is not responsiblefor any event cancelation.

MAY

MAY

MAYMAY

MAY

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

JUNE

2015

To add your event here, contact us at [email protected]



MAY 21 – JULY 31 THEMAR RAMADANA seasonal shopping event that aims to provide a fashionable cultural experience.

Location: Maison BoM Galleries, Nujoud MallEmail: [email protected]: @maisonbom

MAY 18 – 20 SAUDI HEALTH EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCEInforma Life Sciences Exhibitions and Riyadh Exhibition Company collaborate to launch the largest international healthcare event in Saudi Arabia.

Location: Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition CenterWeb: saudihealthexhibition.comEmail: [email protected]

MAY 6 – 12 SAUDI DESIGN WEEKEncouraging participants to explore the notion of identity through design and the role that culture plays in design as well as the design process.

Tel: +966-11-273444Web: saudidesignweek.comEmail: [email protected]

saudidesignweek

JUNE 7 – 10 SOMOW SHOPPING FESTIVALShopping Festival specializing in the beauty and elegance of Arab Women.

Location: Four SeasonsWeb: somow.com.saEmail: [email protected]

JUNE 21 – 23FAWANEES EXHIBITION Bringing together designers from Saudi and the GCC to show their collections.

Location: Al Khozama HallEmail: [email protected]

JUNE 27 – 28 SIXTH LADIES WORLD FESTIVALAn exhibition helping to create investment opportunities for women.

Location: Riyadh Festivities PalaceWeb: zowarevents.comEmail: [email protected]

MAY 5 – 6 THIRD ANNUAL DIGITAL GRIDS AND SMART CITIES SUMMITA summit on city development and revamping of digital grids.

Location: Burj Rafal Kempinski HotelWeb: energy.fleminggulf.comEmail: [email protected]

MAY 12 – 13 SECOND ANNUAL KINGDOM CYBER SECURITY FORUMA forum on improving the state of cyber security on both a domestic and international level.

Web: security.fleminggulf.comEmail: [email protected]

MAY 10 – 11 FIFTH ANNUAL KINGDOM E-GOVERNMENT SUMMITA summit on building awareness and accelerating the integration of e-government and what it offers for businesses and citizens.

Web: kingdomegovsummit.comEmail: [email protected]

7 21 27

18 2112

65 10

MAY MAYMAY

MAYMAY MAY

JUNE JUNE JUNE

JUNE

2015

NEXTMONTH

DESTINATION RIYADH MAY 201516

B U S I N E S S

By Sohila El Saadany

SAUDI WOMEN COUNCILHELPING BUSINESS GROW The Saudi Women Council facilitates the venture into the Kingdom’s business world and aspires to solve pressing work issues.

STA

FF P

HO

TO/M

OH

AM

ED F

AWZY

Saudi Women Council was established in January and aims at finding solutions to business issues in the Kingdom. It also assists in supplying young entrepreneurs with the necessary tools to develop their businesses. The

council encourages small and medium business endeavors and supports women who work from home as well. Saudi Women Council, headed by AlAnoud Al Ramah, is under the umbrella of Prince Sultan’s Fund for Women’s Development, which is part of Prince Mohammad bin Fahd’s projects. In order to achieve the council’s goals, Prince Mohammad bin Fahd provided it with a million riyals while Saoud bin Fahd did the same with half a million riyals.

The council enjoyed an eventful two-day visit to Jeddah. On their first day they convened for a meeting at Maria Mahdaly's office, Rumman Co. Mahdaly is the president of the Saudi Women Council's Jeddah region. The council members then headed to The Courtyard for lunch and visited Flat 6 Lab after that. They then visited Abazeer, Ahazeej and some home based businesses. The next day, they proceeded to Al Rawdah Showroom where they met the founders of Lomar. They also met with Sulafa Batarji, CEO of Doroob Al Baraka.



Al Rammah explained that the council has four major programs:

Hulool (Solutions): It is mainly concerned

with meeting the specialized entities to discuss obstacles

female entrepreneurs face and come up with

solutions for them. It aims at improving the status of small to

medium projects.

Wesal (Connections): This program works

at connecting female entrepreneurs from

all over the Kingdom together. It also sets

up meetings between entrepreneurs and

institutions that would help them in their fields.

Nemow (Growth): Nemow is responsible

for nurturing talents and enriching interpersonal

skills. It assembles workshops and arranges

meetings with guests so participants can benefit as much as

possible from different experiences.

Rawabet (Bonds): The program arranges

partnerships with specialized institutions, universities and other establishments that will open pathways for cooperation and

improve business relationships.

Even though the council has only recently been inaugurated, it has already started with its plan to help those working from home. Al Rammah assured, “We have presented a study about business from home to the minister of commerce. We have founded

this study after examining different mechanisms from various countries in the Gulf and the West. We are striving to implement the structures that would facilitate work opportunities from home here in the Kingdom.”

During the council’s visit to Jeddah, Al Rammah shared her insight about their goals. She said, “The council consists of 50 members from the main regions of the Kingdom such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, the Eastern Province and a lot of other locations. Our main goal is to achieve what’s best for young businesswomen and men. We try to resolve the obstacles they face and present our solutions to the people in charge.”

She continued, “Among our objectives is activating a higher body specialized in small to medium projects. We discussed that with the minister of commerce as we are in need of an institution that is under his leadership and is solely for those projects. Hopefully, we will hear good news about that soon.”

Louai and Mona, Founders of Lomar

During the visit to Flat 6 Lab.

The council women at A&A boutique.

Sulafa Batarji, CEO of Doroob Al Baraka


B U S I N E S S

The Tourism Industry of Saudi ArabiaLonely Planet’s travel guide to Saudi Arabia starts with the sentence “Saudi Arabia could be one of the great travel destinations of the Middle East.”By Mohammed Mirza

Saudi Arabia is blessed with a combination of natural beauty, opulent history and rich heritage. Recognizing these, Saudi Arabia is focused on developing tourism as part of its overall economic diversification strategy.

As per the UNWTO, over 1.138 billion tourists traveled abroad in 2014 and almost every region showed an increase in the number of tourists received; the Middle East saw a 4 percent increase in the number of international tourists.

Role of the SCTAThe Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) is state-run organization founded in 2000. Its activities are devoted for developing the tourism sector of Saudi Arabia with a particular focus on encouraging and supporting domestic tourism.

The SCTA is also involved with the preservation of antiquities and archaeological sites to increase their contribution in the cultural and economical development.

PHO

TO/

TOP

LEFT

: PA

UL

ABR

AH

AM

In 2014, Saudi Arabia was the 16th most visited country in the world, with around 17.5 million visitors, most of whom were religious pilgrims.


Domestic TourismIn order to encourage domestic tourism in the country, the SCTA has been supporting a number of festivals in different parts of the country that include Riyadh, Najran, Buraydah, Jizan, Qurayat, Al Jouf, Taif and Tabouk, as well as organizing Souq Okaz. The festivals across the Kingdom offer recreational, cultural, social and heritage activities.

The last year also saw Saudi Arabian Airlines participating in the domestic festival scene for the first time, targeting tourists by introducing a number of holiday packages for different parts of the Kingdom.

In light of the growing domestic tourism industry, president of the SCTA, Prince Sultan bin Salman, said “the number of hotels has almost doubled in various regions in the past years.”

International TouristsWith most international tourists to the country being religious pilgrims, different organizations from the public and private sectors have organized exhibitions and cultural programs for Umrah pilgrims to promote tourism to other parts of the country as well.

An increasing number of religious pilgrims from various countries have been taken on Jeddah tours where they go to the Balad district, Jeddah Corniche and other places around the city with their tour operators.

In addition to that, a new tour program called Umrah Plus was developed by the SCTA through which pilgrims can visit the Kingdom’s tourist resorts.

Employment OpportunitiesThe tourism sector is expected to create over 400,000 employment opportunities to in the next five years. An official from the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) said in a press statement, “all-out efforts are being made to train Saudis for these jobs.”

There are currently more than 1.1 million people employed in this lucrative sector and the number of Saudis employed in tourism and hospitality is expected to exceed the 1.7 million mark by 2020, as per the president of the SCTA.

STA

FF P

HO

TO M

OSQ

UE/

MO

HA

MM

ED M

IRZA

• TO

P RI

GH

T: Y

ASM

IN O

UF

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO /

TRA

DIT

ION

AL

OU

TFIT

: UN

DER

THEA

BAYA

.CO

M

Floating Mosque, Jeddah


EconomyTourism is a major contributor to the Saudi economy and is expected to account for as much as 6.1 percent of overall GDP by 2017.

Currently in the Kingdom there are 11.6$ billion worth of tourism projects underway, which well help further increase domestic and religious tourism. A good chunk of the tourism projects are hotel investments, with around 77 percent of them being based in Makkah and Madinah.

Tourism industry observers believe that Saudi travel and

tourism stood at SR 170 billion in 2014

SR 70 billion came from

domestic tourism

SR 100 billion from inbound

tourismFuture plansThere are plans to issue tourist visas in the near future, while in the meantime the focus of the SCTA as per a statement published in Um Al Qura, will be on “completing the infrastructure and providing proper services for local tourism needs only.”

It is believed that an estimated 1.5 million people a year would come to the country on these tourist visas, providing the national economy with about SR 35 billion over five years. This was based on an estimate of each tourist spending about SR 5,000 in the country.

STA

FF P

HO

TO/

HO

RSES

: MO

HA

MM

ED D

EGH

AIS

HM

• G

ALL

ERY

T: Y

ASM

IN O

UF

• UKH

DO

OD

: MO

HA

MM

ED M

IRZA

Ancient glyphs found at Ukhdood near Najran.

Gallery in Jeddah

Equestrian Club in Riyadh

2,865 SRCorner


B U S I N E S S

BEST JOBS FOR TRAVEL JUNKIES

Who wouldn’t want to be paid to see the world? We’ve gathered the top jobs that make this possible.By Jou Pabalate

TRAVEL WRITERS AND BLOGGERS Getting paid to travel, dine and chill. These are but the perks. Pair that with being able to pursue your passion and just write. DISCLAIMER Not everyone gets paid for writing about their travels; in fact, full-time travel writing jobs are sparse and usually come after funding your own trips and developing your portfolio.

CRUISE LINE EMPLOYEEFrom trainers, entertainers, translators and even on-board HR personnel, luxury cruise ships are always looking for on-board people. You’ll get to travel widely and have port stops, which gives you the time to really take in a place. Being in the front line, you’ll be sure to meet fascinating people from all over.REALITY CHECK Be prepared for long legs of seafaring.

PILOTOh those uniforms alone are enough to convince us! How many people get to spend their 9-5 straddling on different time zones? REALITY CHECK Becoming a pilot takes time – a lot of flying time. Commercial pilots have the most hoops to get through. Luckily, there are two in the Kingdom for those wanting to get a commercial license. SAFA and the Saudi Airlines Aviation Academy.


CONSULTANTSConsultants or industry analysts are mysterious mythical business beings. No one knows exactly what they do. Consultants collect miles and their business trips are usually billed to the client or paid for by their company.REALITY CHECK Your trips can end up being a hotel-client-hotel routine. If you need to be further disillusioned, watch George Clooney’s movie “Up in the Air.”

DIPLOMATSOne of the surefire ways to be a global citizen is to get into foreign service. You get to represent your country, learn the ins and outs of cultures and carry a cool passport and immunity, which we hope you’d never have to use. With your assignments lasting five years at a time, there’s a good chance you’ll be uprooting your family every couple of years.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS AND ENGINEERSThis is most applicable for engineers who specialize in infrastructures, urban development and road projects. The pay is apparently really good and you get to move on to different projects one after the other every couple of years. PERKS The great thing about being asked to relocate is they usually provide you with free housing and everything else. Just ask the engineers working on the Riyadh metro.

How to get the job: Be amazingly good/specialized

in the corporate domain – auditing,

organizational management,

strategy and all those big words

that get thrown around the

meeting room all too often.

How to get the job:

You have to pass the examination

through the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs (or whichever country you’re

hailing from). Don’t expect to be an

Ambassador to country X on your

first assignment; it usually takes

time and going through the ranks.

And need we say it; you have to be

politically correct all the time.

BE A WWOOFERWWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, an organization that matches volunteers with farms across the globe in need of the extra hand. In exchange, your WWOOF hosts provide you with free food and lodging. It’s a great way to travel deeply while being on a budget. Be prepared though, there’s nothing touristy about being a WWOOFer, it’s tough laborious work but promises to be a rewarding experience.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

ABO

UT.

ME

• SH

OO

TFO

RTH

ESTA

RWA

RS.T

UM

BLR.

CO

M •

BU

LLFA

X.C

OM

• C

RUIS

EMAT

ES.C

OM

• G

LOBE

DIP

LOM

ATS.

CO

M •

TH

ROW

THES

HRI

MP.C

OM

• T

REN

DIN

G.N

L


HOW ONE INTREPID SAUDI MADE IT TO THE TOPA self-professed fitness addict, adventurer and social advocate, Mona Shahab tells us why being in Saudi Arabia is no excuse to test your limits and be part of the change you want to see in the world.

M O N A T H E E X P L O R E R

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E S

By Jou Pabalate

Who is Mona Shahab?A child clinical psychologist by profession and an adventurer by birth. I was born the year of the monkey to parents whose love for road trips rubbed off on me a little. When I’m not on a mountain, I’m probably planning and training for my next mountain…yes, I’m a mountain junkie at heart. Also, a tennis addict, fitness fanatic and book lover who not only enjoys running, but also finds it rather therapeutic.

COU

RTES

Y PH

OTO

Every journey is an encyclopedia on its own.


What got you into mountaineering? It all started with an e-mail in 2006 from a good friend of mine telling me that him and his wife were attempting Mount Kilimanjaro early 2007. I fired back an e-mail saying, “I’m in!” Little did I know that my working visa in the US would not be ready and therefore, it would be impossible for me to join. To cheer myself up, I made a pact to myself that I would climb Kilimanjaro for a cause one day.

Fast forward to 2010, my friends and I are sitting in India by the sea as our feet played “Catch me if you can” with the waves and out of the blue I ask, “Kilimanjaro early 2012, who’s in?” Six mountains and counting since!

What training does climbing usually involve? Discipline is key. I worked hard on my stamina and endurance. I continued running and spinning. I increased my interval training and Bikram Yoga practice. The treadmill became my best friend, more like the treadmill and I exchanged vows. We were committed to one another till post climb do us part. I spent three to four hours, four to five times a week on the treadmill on the highest incline, in my trekking boots and carrying a backpack filled with a few liters of water and books.

It was the perfect excuse to catch up on all the documentaries, movies and shows I wanted to watch. For that was the only way I

survived on the treadmill for so long. I must say though, it definitely paid off.

What is your most memorable climb thus far?A very tough question that I struggle to answer. Every journey is an encyclopedia on its own. I owe so much to the mountains for they continue to teach me lessons no textbook can. I owe it to the guides, porters and Sherpa whose permanent heartfelt smiles keep me going throughout any trip. I’ve crossed paths with some of the most inspirational people who breathe motivation, determination and passion.

I made a pact to myself that each mountaintop would be dedicated to a cause. Aconcagua4Marwa is special on so many levels. I decided to climb it in memory of my friend and mountain sister Marwa Fayed. Right after trekking to Everest Base Camp together, we decided to climb Aconcagua the following year (2013). Marwa left us for a better place three days after she gave birth to beautiful Teela.

Attempting a peak in memory of an inspirational friend is on a category of it’s own so imagine having to turn around because the guide tells you “I know you can make it up, but I don’t think you can make it back down.” Those were probably the harshest words I heard in a long time. Going against my gut feeling, something I rarely do, I turned around at 6,700 meters, just 260 meters away from summit.


From being the executive manager for intercultural initiatives at Al Waleed Philanthropies to being part of the Empowerment Hub and climbing for certain causes; it seems you’re an all around social advocate. What’s your motivation? In simple words…I owe it to my country, my parents and myself. Nothing comes in between a person and spreading smiles and sprinkling some “kindness” confetti here and there. As Gandhi so eloquently said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

As a child, when people asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I’d shrug my shoulders and say, “I don’t know but I want to save the world.” (I was obsessed with MJ’s song, Heal the World, so you see where this is coming

from). My world came tumbling down when an older lady told me “dear you need to be a little more realistic.” After endless “whys” to my poor parents, I decided to do whatever is in my hands to make a difference however big or small, and that, I owe to my parents.

What made you and your co-founders decide to put together the Empowerment Hub? A commitment, passion and need are, in my humble opinion, our drive. We owe it to our country, community and people. We’ve been called the “Kingdom of Humanity” for a reason and we hope we own up to that.

Thinking caps on, we found ourselves combining our passion for fitness, health and the outdoors with giving back to the community. That’s how the Empowerment Hub was

born. We strive to reach the mass and work hand in hand with governmental entities on female physical education in the public system. We have many ideas cooking and we look forward to sharing them with you all soon. Keep an eye (and ear) out for The Empowerment Hub!


Each and every one of us has a peak, a goal and a

passion. Step out of your comfort zone and shoot

for the stars. You may face obstacles and challenges,

we all do. However, rest assured that you will have people cheering you on

and supporting you all the way…I sure will.

What advice would you give other Saudis who want to be as adventurous as you but don’t feel empowered to do so?It’s what we make out of the opportunities that come our way. Toss the excuses out the window please! Many of us say, “I live in Saudi, there is not much I can do.” Scratch that out for you and I both know “When there’s a will, there’s a way.”

My mountaineering addiction and The Empowerment Hub chapter did not kick off when I was living in Boston for nine years. Both chapters in addition to a few others began when I returned to Saudi.

@monakshahab

monakshahab

The Empowerment HubWeb: theempowermenthub.com

empowermenthub

@theempowermenthub


In 1939, two scientists at the Shell Oil Company laboratory struck a friendly wager over who can create a car that could travel the farthest on the same amount of fuel. From a simple bet came a noble innovative contest with a long-standing legacy, spanning multiple continents. Its original

NOT ALL CHAMPS

By Jou Pabalate

CO

URT

ESY

PHO

TO


What started out with two students building a prototype car with a leaf blower engine turned into an inspiring story that teaches us what it truly means to be a champion of innovation.

challenge remaining intact, the Shell Eco-Marathon is a unique competition that challenges students around the world to design, build and drive the most energy-efficient car.

The Shell Eco-Marathon is every engineering student’s dream. Hence, when Rashid Shahid and Abdulmohsen Al Babtain heard of it, they immediately presented the idea of participating through their alma mater, Al Faisal University. To make a strong case for the endeavor, they first went and created their very first car prototype, using nothing but recycled parts in a garage a friend offered for them to use.

“Our first prototype looked terrible,” Rashid laughs, “but it works and our university said, ‘if they can do something like this on their own, imagine what they can do with our support.’”

The Al Faisal team was put together after the university signed a mutual agreement with Shell Corporation, who gave the students $10,000 to fund their project. The

university built a workshop for the Al Faisal team and they

proceeded to create their prototype named Faith.

It took an entire year for the students to create their eco-friendly model. Oddly enough, despite having the latest

FINISH FIRST


Range Rovers and customized Bugattis cruising our streets, the city is scarce when it comes to spare parts. It took the Al Faisal team months to gather all the materials they needed.

Finally, the month of the competition came. All those months of grueling hard work boiled down to the five days they spent in Manila, Philippines. Team Al Faisal arrived in the capital of the Philippines all hyped, pumped up to get their car ready for the races.

Then the first disaster in their series of unfortunate events strikes; Faith wasn’t there yet. In fact, it didn’t arrive until the third day of the competition.

“It was like being doused with a bucket of ice cold water sort of panic,” Shahid describes, “but we didn’t go all the way there to give up.”

Team Al Faisal made use of their time prepping up and helping competing teams with their cars.

“By the time the car arrived, we were on full-on critical mode. The race actually begins on the fourth day but before that each car needs to go through different tests and a trial run on the course.”

It would be nice to say that once the car was in their pit stop, all went well for the Al Faisal team but unfortunately, it didn’t. Their engine blew out twice. They had to call a local vendor at some point that had to drive three hours into the city to give them a spare engine, which they ended up giving to another team in need.The Al Faisal Team managed to pass the car inspections and were a few seconds away from the starting line when a loud horn blew, which was replaced in the young men’s ear with a silent ringing as the world stopped for a few seconds and they stood still in shock.

TWENTY SECONDS. THEY FAILED TO REACH THE STARTING LINE BY 20 SECONDS AND AS SUCH, DIDN’T GET TO RACE.


Due to the good will they had shown towards the other teams and the perseverance others have witnessed from this first time Saudi team no one expected; people shook their hands nonetheless for putting up a good fight.

Apparently, the Eco-Shell Marathon organizers felt the same way too and were quite moved by the values they witnessed from the Al Faisal Team. So moved perhaps that they gave the team an unexpected happy ending to their trip.

True to their car’s name, Faith, the team kept on believing and going even when the odds were stacked against them.

They showed great resilience and managed to share what they have with other teams amidst their own crises. Hence, when they won the only off-track award, Perseverance and Spirit of the Event, everyone knew it was well deserved and all the other participants celebrated their victory.


It’s the stuff of Oscar movies: four young Saudi men packing up their things and taking off on a trip that saw them walking 350 kilometers from one major city in Japan to another, with everything they needed on their backs. Backpacking, being a rarity with Saudis, the gumption of these trailblazers to forego traditional travel is a feat on its own.

We sat down with two innovative gentlemen, Abdulrahman Baadheem and Yusuf Jamal, to get the details of their incredible journeys.

By Johara Al Mogbel

COU

RTES

Y PH

OTO


Is this your first experience backpacking?No, it’s our third experience. We’ve had another experience prior to this one, where we trekked from the north of Japan to the south, passing by every province in the country (47 prefectures in all). Why did you do the walk? What first brought about the idea?We did the walk from Tokyo to Nagoya to test our endurance and increase our experiences in

Saudi Backpackers

Augmented Reality enabled here

TO SEE THEM IN

ACTION!

Hover on the page

DOWNLOAD • DISCOVER • INTERACT


Saudi Backpackers at Nagoya finish line.

backpacking. We were walking aimlessly in the streets one day and then a friend of ours, Salman, on a whim said: “How about we walk from Tokyo to Nagoya during the holidays?” There was no reason we couldn’t, so we did. What kind of equipment did you pack? In retrospect, is there anything you would have left or added?Flashlight, knife, journal, pen, Canon 5d Mark II, two Go-Pros, an instant camera, chargers for all the electronics, ropes, first aid kit, an Indian stick for yoga, ukulele, a small ball, walk aids, kettle, thermos/water bottle, speakers, cooking utensils and books to read. We wouldn’t add anything, but there are a couple of things we should’ve left out, like the ukulele, the books and the utensils (there wasn’t any time to cook).

Between the two of you, you’ve also been to the Czech Republic and Estonia on volunteer programs. Would you recommend other people do it as well?The thing about volunteering is that the volunteer gets a lot out of it as well. For us, embracing nature and going back to the basics opened a new juncture in our lives. We shepherded animals, helped with farming, took care of a forest, learned how to be independent and lived without electricity. The experience carried on

to our daily lives, where we started implementing the things we learned from those trips. We’d be doing a great injustice if we merely advise other people to go on a trip themselves. It’s an experience everyone should have, if they aren’t living that life already.

What kind of research did you have to do before your trip around Japan?To be frank, we didn’t plan anything, aside from the main goal of visiting all 47 prefectures in two months. Each day was planned in the night that preceded it, before we went to sleep. The spontaneity of the trip was one



Nagoya, Tokyo

Volunteer trip

of the most beautiful aspects of it, because we ended up living each moment as it happened. What are you wcurrently doing?We’re expat students in Japan. Yusuf is in his third year of college studying MIS while Abdulrahman is a second year community and social psychology student.

Was it hard to adapt to Japanese culture?The vast difference between the environment we grew up in and the Japanese environment and the cultural subtleties were a shock to us at first and we faced a number of difficulties trying to adapt, but as soon as we made an effort to understand the mentality and culture, everything became easier.

What's your favorite part about Japan?The peace and calmness of the country, and the ready availability of all the resources you’d need to fulfill your ideas.

What's the most dangerous thing you had to face during your trip? Accidentally taking the wrong road in our trip from Tokyo to Nagoya took us past an animal safari we had to walk by. It was in the middle of the night and it was raining. The sounds of the animals, the spots of blood and the sound of gunpowder made us push on without resting until we cleared the place.

What was it like reaching the end of your 350-kilometer trip to Nagoya? It was as if we’d experienced

an entire human’s life in that trip. We lived through the weak person, the strong person, the sad one and the happy one, the brave challenger and the remorseful human filled with regrets. It was incredible knowing the limit of our endurance and finding out that we were much more capable of dealing with hardships than we thought.

Were your families supportive of your travels?Our families were worried about the experience and concerned for our safety, but at the same time they were encouraging and active with the updates we gave them.

What would be your advice to other Saudis who'd like to have the same experience?

To set yourself free and just do it. Backpacking has a special sort of enjoyment to it that you’ll start to feel as early as the packing stage.

Do you have any future plans? Other countries you’d like to visit?We’ve starting working on a new project together called Futari Jin. Futari Jin revolves around the lifestyle we’re living right now including health, fitness, religion, our journeys, art, our social interactions and the experiences we have. We have a trip planned for the summer. We’re not sure where we’re going yet, but we have high expectations for what we’ll get out of it.

@futari.jin



NATURAL WONDERS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF10

RAINBOW MOUNTAINS, CHINAThis technicolor wonder seems like it was made of sweeping pastel brush strokes on nature’s canvas. Colors of blue, red, white, brown, yellow and orange on curvaceous cliffs and unusual rock formations form this unique landform. These polychrome peaks have been formed from different layers of sandstone compressed together over 24 million years. Located in Gansu Province, this distinct landform known as the Danxia formation is found only in China.

Our world is full of wonders and no matter how much of it you’ve seen, it continues to present something new, unlike anything you could’ve ever cerebrated. Our list is surely going to cater to all your nature cravings.

By Mohammed Mirza

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/C

OM

MU

NIT

YTA

BLE.

CO

M •

BIO

DAT

AO

FDRV

HP.B

LOG

SPO

T.C

OM

• E

LITE

TOPL

ISTS

.CO

M •

HU

FFIN

GTO

NPO

ST.C

O.U

K •

LOVE

THES

EPIC

TURE

.WO

RDPR

ESS.

CO

M




a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes. The crust of the flat serves as a source of salt and covers a pool of brine exceptionally rich in lithium, which according to some estimates accounts for close to 70 percent of the world’s lithium reserves. On top of that, within the vast plains of the salt flat, a hotel made entirely from salt accommodates tourists.

GRAN SALAR DE UYUNI, BOLIVIA – A SEA OF SALTThe Gran Salar de Uyuni features far-flung plains of shimmering white salt. The landscape is entirely oblate bar for a few small islands, which only accentuates its hypnagogic beauty. Located in the southwest of Bolivia near the crest of the Andes, this salt flat spans an area of 10,582 square kilometers making it the worlds largest. The salt flat was formed as

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

PHO

TOG

RAPH

Y.N

ATIO

NA

LGEO

GRA

PHIC

.CO

M •

SH

ILIN

-STO

NE-

FORE

ST-C

HIN

A •

GO

EATG

IVE.

CO

M •

MET

EOW

EB.E

U •

MIR

UTA

DEL

ASE

DA

.CO

M

DARVAZA GAS CRATER, TURKMENISTANDeep in the Karakum desert an open pit of fire 75 meters at its widest point lights up the night sky. The burning spectacle was actually a result of drilling blunder back in 1971. A drilling rig was made when gas was found on the site, but the rig eventually collapsed and large amounts of methane gas began to be released. Considering the poisonous gas as a threat to nearby villages, scientists decided that the most efficient way to solve the problem would be to burn off the poisonous gases - it was expected that all of the gas in the crater would be burnt off within days. But it never stopped and to this very day the gas continues to burn.


JEITA GROTTO, LEBANON Located 20 kilometers north of metropolitan Beirut, this 9,000-meter long compound of crystallized grotto boasts countless stalactites and stalagmites. The grotto also provides an escape route for an underground river on which today boats filled with tourists flow. These marvelous set of caves houses one of the biggest stalactites in the world measuring 8.2 meters and accommodates a huge hall totaling 108 meters from the ceiling till the water level.

TO EXPLORE

THEM MORE

Hover on the page


EYE OF THE SAHARA, MAURITANIASometimes, the most stunning of structures can be found in the vast plains of the empty desert. The stupefying Eye of the Sahara is no exception. The bare rock peeks of the geological wonder spring out from a sea of sand, forming a beautiful landmark in the barren Sahara. Initially interpreted as an asteroid impact because of its high degree of circularity, it is now argued to be a highly symmetrical and deeply eroded geologic dome laid bare by erosion. This ecological dome measures a massive 40 kilometers in diameter and can be seen from space.

STONE FOREST, CHINASpread over an area of 300 square kilometers, the stone forest is a prodigious landscape of limestone formations over 270 million years old. The Stone Forest displays unprecedented karst features and landscapes seen nowhere else in the world. Over the millennia seismic activity and water and wind erosion have carved the present-day limestone formations. Since almost all the typical pinnacle karst types can be identified in the Stone Forest, the park is acclaimed internationally the "Museum of Stone Forest Karst."

CAVE OF CRYSTALS, MEXICO Discovered rather recently in the year 2000 close to the country’s famous Naica mine, this limestone cavern crammed with crystals of outlandish sizes became an international phenomenon. For millennia these crystals were submerged in water and only when the chamber had been pumped free of its waters for mining operations were these glittering beams found. A thousand feet below the earth’s surface within a hot and humid chamber these pillars of light thrive. This place is surely a geology enthusiast’s dream.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/P

AN

ORA

MIO

.CO

M •

TO

MA

RCH

ERPH

OTO

.CO

.UK

• TO

URI

SMO

NTH

EED

GE.

CO

M •

GO

OD

WP.C

OM

• A

DVE

NTU

REC

LIC

KNBL

OG

.CO

M •

BO

OM

SBEA

T.C

OM

• IN

NA

MA

G.C

OM




VALLEY OF FLOWERS, INDIAThe contrast of colorful flowers on nature’s canvas is like an impressionist painting. At a height of over 3,000 meters above sea level, the valley is famous for its kaleidoscopic meadows of endemic alpine flowers and miscellany of flora. The equable landscape of the Valley of Flowers complements the craggy mountainous region of Nanda Devi National Park to the east. Together, they encompass a transition zone between the lower mountain ranges and the Great Himalaya.

WAITOMO GLOWWORM CAVES, NEW ZEALANDNew Zealand boasts an abundance of limestone caves but the Glowworm caves are in a league of their own. In this set of caves a natural starry wonderland lights up the ceiling. The light is given off by Glowworms - tiny bioluminescent creatures that are exclusively found in New Zealand. A boat ride in the Waitomo River through this miniature galaxy of tiny living lights is mesmerizing.

HILLIER LAKE, AUSTRALIASituated on Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago, this preternatural pink lake continues to flummox onlookers. Giving the image of a large bowl of sharbat (drinks), the picturesque lake is surrounded by a rim of sand and dense forest of paper bark and eucalyptus trees. Separated from the southern ocean by a slender strip of shore, it makes the lake look even more exceptional. The color of the lake is permanent and does not change when the water is taken in a container. And to this day, the source of the pink color has not been definitively proven.


TO EXPLORE

THEM MORE

Hover on the page


STA

FF P

HO

TO/

MO

HA

MM

ED A

L D

EGH

AIS

HIM

THER E M E D YTheRemedy is on a mission to raise the bar in the local music industry and teach everyone a thing or two about DIY success regardless of when and where you start.



A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T


Ahmed Hakeem

James Paul


Web: the-remedy.me

TheRemedy

@theremedytweet

By Jou Pabalate

At first glance, Ahmed Hakeem, Ehab Medhat and James Paul look like your typical accomplished band of gentlemen. Coming from different cultural backgrounds and influences, the three found a common ground in their love for music and their desire to share it with the world.

Hakeem, who is the lead vocals and songwriter of the group, was in a musical hiatus when he came across Medhat, drummer qua producer and Paul the bassist in a local function.

They decided to do a jam session and it revealed a strong chemistry that catapulted them to independently produce their debut album, Indifferent Hearts.

The road towards creating a self-produced title is tedious at best for emerging artists these days. Imagine if you’re a band who have nine to five jobs and are happily married.

Indifferent Hearts plays like a mix tape. It leaves an “I can’t quite put a finger on it” feeling when you listen to it for the first time. All 11 tracks can fall under different genres but are still able to come together to bring the album’s title to light.

“In life, literature or even movies, you always get to see this battle between good and evil. So as it is, you always have this notion of people who have good hearts and bad ones. However, we think there’s a third kind, which is far more dangerous, indifferent hearts—those who don’t make their intentions known, those who are apathetic and live emotionless. This album reveals this or the victimization that comes out of it.”

It’s no secret that the local music industry in Riyadh is yet to be fully developed. Hence, TheRemedy achieved an amazing feat for recording their album exclusively in Saudi Arabia. One would not think that the songs were crafted in a small studio the group fondly call the Happy Ending Machine.

With sheer spunk, the band was able to tap world-renowned desk gurus Paul Pavao and Ben

Grosse at The Mix Room to have the album mixed in Los Angeles, and mastered by the great Scott Hull at Masterdisk in New York City.

And truly, when Indifferent Hearts was released in February, it was a clear indication that the TheRemedy has set the bar high for other artists in the country. Instead of going the mainstream route of signing up with a record label, the band chose to independently produce their album.

When asked where they plan to go from here on out, the band confidently replied, “We’re planning to release six more albums, all of them sounding different from each other. Our aim is to go international in promoting the album. We’ve even contacted Ellen and the late night shows!”

Bands like TheRemedy deserve a pat on the back for pushing the limits and attempting to go beyond their immediate territory.

Their message is simple yet profound: “We want to show that together, above all things, we can do something great if we focus on what’s common.”

TO HEAR

THEM SING

Hover on the page

Ehab Medhat


NAME: Ali Alabbas

AGE: 25

MEDIUM: Sharpies, Nerd candy, everything awesome.

PHO

TO /

REE

M R

IFA

IE

Why do you do art? I do art to make people smile, to make myself smile sometimes. It’s just very self relieving.

Is your work the result of sudden inspiration or long-term planning? How do you think up your concepts?Some of my work is almost long-term planning like the pieces I do with coffee or the Nerds candy. The other pieces I do are results of everyday life situations, music, conversation with friends, cartoons that I like or simply how I feel at the time I’m drawing.

What is, in your opinion, the best thing you’ve ever created and why?I don’t necessarily have a favorite piece, but I would say that I love the moments when I first started to reveal my work to the public through social media. I was getting so much positive reviews that kept me going to this day. I thank Allah everyday for my talent.


What do you think of the art scene in Riyadh? Anything you’d like to see changed?I think there is so much more art in Saudi Arabia than people actually realize. But I see art more recognized in Riyadh than anywhere in the country, which is good. What I’d like to change if I could? Probably older people’s perception of art here. I feel like art is a little bit underrated in our country.

Who are your role models?My role model is my father and the good I see coming from other people.

What does being creative mean to you? Creativity is not a word we can look up in the dictionary and we’d understand what it really means. Being creative can be

By Johara Al Mogbel

It’s the golden age for the art scene in Saudi Arabia so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to uncover some of the hidden gems and present them to the world! Or, well, Riyadh to begin with.

MEET THIS MONTH’S EMERGING ARTIST

ARTIST’S CORNER


as simple as a kid looking up to the sky telling you "Look at that cloud! It looks like a smiley face." To me that thought is creative. Being creative could mean: to create something that would make a person think or to spark somebody’s mind to do something positive.

Favorite piece of artwork by someone else.I don’t have a favorite art piece but when I was little I saw the Mona Lisa painting and it was one of my favorite experiences in my life. I also love Abdullah Jaber’s comics and sketches.

@i_3liii

CO

URT

ESY

PHO

TO


By Wided KhadraouiThis space is a modest attempt to help further cultivate, develop and engage with the art scene in Riyadh. It will be my regular compilation of the thoughtful, complex, beautiful and infuriating. This comes from a genuine spirit of inquiry.

STA

FF P

HO

TO /

MO

HA

MM

ED D

EGH

AIS

HM

MARWAH AL MUGAIT'S S I G H E X H I B I T I O N


Marwah Al Mugait’s short film, “Oudah” is the crux of the entire exhibition, Sigh. “Oudah” commands a viewer’s attention without relying on normal narrative devices. The video embodies the exhibition’s complex and multilayered exploration of reconciliation and healing.

The installation piece showcases sequences of an individual floating underwater; disconnection from the blurry footage forces the audience to examine the human body’s aesthetic dimensions.

The video, projected in a water tank set up in the empty and dimly lit gallery space provides a vaguely ominous context for the entire exhibition’s tone.

Raha Moharrak, the first Saudi woman to scale Mount Everest, is featured in the video. The womb-like sound track in the video installation helps fortify the exhibition’s almost foreboding tone. Moharrak is a metaphor for healing in the film; out of focus but still unavoidable. The atmospheric video appeals to the concept of the exhibition of exploration and healing.


What’s Art Critiquing?It is in essence an act of translation from the visual to the

linguistic. While it is true that artistic taste is relative, there are certain characteristics of artwork that can be assessed as means of measuring the artist's success at conveying

the intended message. This is the fine line this article will attempt to navigate. Critiquing art is finicky and subjective, but I leave you with this: if something speaks to you, makes sense to you in any way, ignore everything anyone else says

and love it unabashedly without any reservation.

For any recommendations on up and coming artists, exhibitions, coupons for pizza or anything else you think I should pay attention to, send me a note.

Email: [email protected]

Al Mugait’s work is reminiscent of the Japanese artist, Tadasu Takamine, whose artwork Water Level and Organ Sound is currently on display in the Yokohama Museum of Art. Takamine’s work is notoriously strong with controversial statements. Al Mugait’s muted video installation utilizes the same medium in a more subtle way, to evocatively play with fragility, finding its potency in its starkness.

Stills of captured motions from “Oudah” make up another component of the exhibition. Eight acrylic prints of stills taken from the video are mounted on

the wall. The prints highlight the element of obscurity in the video and further the concept of anonymity. “It will be ok, it will be ok;” with the human figure lifelessly floating in the water, the edges of the figure are murky, evoking an ephemeral sense of sentimentality.

Despite the technical complexity of the water tank piece, the mirror artwork, Secrets to God, in its overall simplicity is arguably the most dramatic piece. It takes over an entire gallery wall, measuring more than 300 centimeters across and 250 centimeters up. The mirror piece, whose embodiment of self-reflection is both blasé as well as confronting, is stupefying in its enormous scale.

The art pieces are organized sparsely, taking advantage of the gallery’s white space to force the viewer’s full concentration. Also dispersed throughout the gallery is inclusion of the artist’s own poetic texts, which also act as exhibited objects. It is Al Mugait’s straddling of not only two worlds but also two different modes of communicating: verbal and visual. The poetic texts are a superfluous diversion but the exposed vulnerability is an appreciated element to the overall exhibition. Experimental and avant-garde art in the Middle East is still relatively new and Sigh is a contemporary manifestation of the art form.

“Embrace it... embrace it all” captivates as its title suggests.

“I Surrender” sentimentality invoked amidst anonymity.

ART.PIZZA.RESPECT



ADVERTORIAL

TO LOOK OUT FOR!ALBUMS

GAMESNow That’s What I

Call Music 90Ministry of Sound The Annual 2015

BBC Radio 6 Music’s Alternative JukeboxBBC Radio 6 Music is an interactive digital radio station for people who are passionate about music. Its award-winning presenters are constantly bringing a wealth of fresh tracks to the airwaves from both new and established artists. This album is perfect to discover unforgettable tracks.

Become Edward Kenway, a charismatic yet brutal pirate captain trained by Assassins. Edward can effortlessly switch between the Hidden Blade of the Assassin’s Order and all new weaponry including four flintlock pistols and dual cutlass swords.Available on PS4, SR 199

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag

by Big Hass of Re-Volt

Yesterday - Sandhill

Lost Notes - Moh Flow

BISA - Blitz the Ambassador, Nneka & TY

The Crew Limited Edition

Available on PS4, SR 279

Lego: Marvel Super Heroes Available on XBox ONE, SR 279

DESTINATIONRYD.COM 47ADVERTORIAL

BOOKS

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

MOVIES

This book is your indispensable guide to this beautiful part of the world. The fully updated guide includes 3-D cutaway illustrations, floor plans, and reconstructions of the must-see sights, plus street-by-street maps of major cities and towns. This new, expanded edition also is packed with photographs and illustrations leading you straight to the best attractions Thailand has to offer.

brought to you by

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Thailand SR 114

SIGNS SOMEONE FAMOUS IS AT YOUR HOTEL

If you’ve ever looked across a crowded hotel lobby and could have sworn that a woman wearing sunglasses was Jessica Alba, don’t be so quick to doubt your eyesight.

1. Start in the parking lot. Look out forblack cars, SUVs, long buses or other unusual vehicles.

2. Watch out for men in black standing in the halls.

3. Keep your ears open. Think the valet is talking kind of funny? He or she may be speaking in code.

4. Don’t expect hotel staff to answer your questions.

NEW ON DVD

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

Interstellar

Dive the Red Sea By Guy Buckles SR 75

This definitive guide features detailed coverage of more than 125 dive and snorkel sites along the length of the Red Sea.

501 Must Visit Islands By Emma BeareSR 64

If you like taking tropical vacation trips this is a good guide to show you many places you may didn’t know existed.


Chloe, SR 15,000Melissa Odabash, SR 1,298

Aquazurra, SR 1,732

Miu Miu, SR 990

Hammamas, SR 577

Maison Michel, SR 1,413

Roberto Cavalli, SR 2,800

Chic Beach

S T Y L E & S H O P P I N G

Spend your

Summer in Style

Lavett and Chin, SR 93

By Iman Linjawi


Dolly (beach towel fabric Abaya)

Mark Cross, SR 6,880

Tory Burch, SR 1,562

Christian Louboutin, SR 3,778

Marysia, SR 1,012

Aurelie Biderman, SR 2,381

Kenneth Jay Lane, SR 217

Sophie Hulme, SR 3,679

Etro, SR 1,298

@dollybrand


Saint Laurent SR 3,030

Armando Cabral SR 856Valentino SR 1,987

Oliver Spencer SR 905

Dolce and Gabbana SR 1,092Orlebar Brown SR 1,244

Steven Alan SR 391 Missoni SR 728Junya Watanabe SR 1,123

Illesteva SR 660

Paul Smith SR 440

Raf Simons SR 489

Missoni SR 1,124

Master and Dynamic SR 1,955

Aesop SR 196

Summer Calling



Pierre Hardy SR 4,400

Cecilia MA SR 1,000

Cecilia MA SR 980

Fendi SR 4,700

Anya Hindmarch SR 6,950

Arm Candies

Chloe SR 4,600

M2Malletier SR 5,900

Charlotte Olympia SR 5,000

Iman Linjawi Law graduate from London but fashion addict at heart. Travels the world and gets inspiration from street

markets to runways. Studied design and styling with London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martin.

Email: [email protected]



By Zareen Muzaffar

Prep Your Skin Never forget to moisturize. On certain humid days you can replace the moisturizer with a primer and create the perfect canvas to work on. Primer helps ease out any lines on the face and serves as a buffer between your skin and makeup application.

CONTOURING TIPSYou don't need to splurge on contouring kits in order to get "the look." Chances are you already have all you need, so here's how to get started.

Apply the contouring powder or

cream along the edges of

your forehead, under the

cheekbones and edges of the nose line.

INFO

RMAT

ION

SO

URC

E/ B

EAU

TY B

LEN

DER

SPO

NG

E: D

IARY

OFA

LIFE

LOVE

R.C

OM

• BL

OG

DA

PAU

LIN

HA

.CO

M.B

R





Contouring Kit Contouring kits will contain shades a tone or two darker than your foundation. You will be applying the contouring powder or cream along the edges of your forehead, under the cheekbones and edges of the nose line. Although there are many contour-ing kits available, Makeup Forever’s sculpting kit and WOW by Wujooh’s contouring palette will definitely give you the desired effect. MAC has also got a variety of contouring creams available. If you want to opt for a powder kit, Marc Jacobs has one called the Light Filtering Contour Powder Kit. • Makeup Forever and Marc Jacob’s (Available at Sephora)

• Mac Store (Riyadh Gallery, Kingdom Mall, Sahara Mall and Al Qasr)

Contouring Basics and Tools The basics you need for contouring include a concealer, foundation (if needed), highlighter, illuminating cream and good quality brushes (I recommend Sigma or Real Technique brushes). And then there’s the Beauty Blender sponge which is great for blending. But some of us are comfortable and proficient using fingertips so go ahead by all means.

Foundation People choose different foundations based on their needs (full coverage, sheer or medium coverage). During the day it’s best to opt for a sheer natural look, especially in hot and humid weather conditions. • Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15 • Dior’s Diorskin Nude Skin-Glowing Makeup SPF 15 (Available at Sephora)

APPLY LOOSE POWDERS

FLAWLESS FINISH

COVER DARK CIRCLES

BLEND CONCEALER

Concealer Application Don’t think concealer is just for under eyes. While preparing your skin for contouring, make sure you apply the concealer liberally. After using it under the eyes, dab and pat it around the nose, any blemishes on the skin, between the eyebrows and a little on the eyelids to neutralize the complexion. • Dior Skin Flash Radiance Booster Pen• Makeup Forever’s HD Invisible Cover Concealer (Available at Sephora)

Illuminating Powder or Cream This is the magic ingredient that provides the glowing effect so make sure you apply it in all the places you want to accentuate. For a youthful effect, apply the cream liner (in off-white, silver or golden) to the inner corner of the eyes, cupids brow (just above the lips), bridge of the nose and chin. Blend well for the right effect and glowing complexion. For the highlighter, you can’t go wrong with Benefit’s High Beam that will give the dewy natural afterglow and Makeup Forever’s Uplight Luminizer Gel that contains 70 percent water for a fresh lightweight texture. Apply on the apple of your cheeks for a radiant glow.

• Makeup Forever and Benefit products (Available at Sephora)

Available at Whites, Wujooh, Maison BoM


FOR A CONTOUR

TOUR

Hover Here


Grendizer 9-Inch Vinyl Figure SR 370

Created by legendary anime producer Go Nagai, the Grendizer featured on the classic 1970’s anime series UFO Robo Grendizer. This Grendizer features multiple articulation points and can assume a variety of poses. This is one super-robot that no fan of the genre will want to miss.

Polaprints Magnetic Frames SR 89.99

With the Polaprints, you will be able to give any of your photos a trendy style. These magnetic photo frames follow the latest trends. Jazz up your fridge decor while showing off your favorite snapshots with a set of fun, brightly magnetic frames.

brought to you by


Tea Buttons Set SR 34.99

Keep your tea bag from falling into your hot cup of tea. These silicone tea buttons stick on to your mug with a strong suction cup and allow you to wrap your tea bag string around it. Set of 6 red buttons.

ADVERTORIAL


Keynote Key Hanger SR 89.99

Whether you’re a rocker or a bass-hunter, adjust the dials to your favorite tune and make sure you’ll never get those keys mixed up again. Splendid. Six magnetic, moveable dials stick to the easy-hang backplate.

Keychain & Bottle Opener SR 27.99

Now this is one crazy opening act, keychain doubling as bottle opener, shaped as a vinyl turntable deck. Includes small metal chain for ease of use. Silicone body with metal opener. Assorted red and yellow.

ADVERTORIAL


D I N I N G A R O U N D T O W N

DINING SCOOP

MCDONALD’S LAUNCHES ‘YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW’McDonald’s has a new interactive platform that enables customers to ask McDonald’s anything they would like to know, from their brand to their food.

Big Smoke Burger

Service: 4/5 They were on time (I had a timer on to check).

Presentation: 2.5/5 The burgers looked as if they were ashamed of them. They were covered in big lettuce and sauce.

Price: 3/5 3-ounce: SR 19 - 29 6-ounce: SR 29 - 45 Sides: SR 10 - 32 Drinks: SR 7 - 15 Milkshakes: SR 19

Taste: 3/5 The Spicy Burger had hints of spiciness but that’s about the end of it. We liked the caramelized onions, but didn’t really dig the “spicy” chipotle

mayonnaise with the onions. In my humble opinion, they should’ve gone with either the caramelized onions or the mayonnaise, not both.

The Crazy Burger turned out to be spicier than the Spicy Burger with a lot of sauce dripping on the plate.

Both Burgers had a problem with the buns; they were too small. The beef patty was good and light for both burgers.

Overall: 3.1/5 Comparing them to others within the same range, Big Smoke Burger is an average burger joint.

Is there truth to the hype? Or is it just another burger joint?

THE CANADIAN POUTINE, which is fries with gravy and cheese curds, was good at the top. But it gets really boring and extremely soggy midway through the plate.

I went and tried Big Smoke Burger even though I went there with extremely low expectations based on my family and friends who tried it before and compared it to frozen beef patties.

They offer 6-ounce burgers and a double up, as well as 3-ounce burgers. All their burgers come in either chicken or beef and also have a veggie option. They have 13 burgers, which makes choosing the correct one for your own taste a bit of an adventure. We settled on the Crazy Beef Burger, the Spicy Beef Burger and the Canadian Poutine as a side.

By Saud Aldrees


Tucked AwayAlreef Al Iraqi

I ate so many dry kababs in my lifetime in Riyadh that this hidden place with their special handmade kabab rejuvenated my love for the dish. The way they prepare it is so simple: All they add is salt, onions and red bell peppers mixed in with meat fat. That’s it. They rely on the quality of the lamb meat and the way they cook it.

We decided to try Clair Desserts this month. We tried the 2-kilo and a half tray of mixed desserts (around 48 pieces). The ordering system was confusing but delivery was prompt. The tray looked presentable,

and the decoration was professional. We liked the Oreo cheesecake, the basboosa, the chocolate cheesecake and the halqoum. The date cake, strawberry cheesecake and cinnamon balls in cream cheese were very mundane.

Bottom line? It’s too pricey for the quality presented. And we hated that they made you pay for the rental

of the tray. Also, you’re responsible for delivering the tray back.

By Faris Al Yahya

Served in a plate with grilled onions, tomatoes and parsley with raw onions and pickled goods, it’s accompanied with fresh saj bread.

I personally like to eat this kabab in particular on its own with my hand. It tastes much better. They also have good megalgal. The place has barely lit shabby floor seating and an interesting sign that says “May Allah not let any bachelor leave this place without marriage in his near future.” Um... Thanks but I just came here to eat.

INST

AGRAM PICK OF THE MONTH

Note: The business owner’s house is in Rabwah.

REALITY

expectations

Price: SR 390 (SR 300 desserts + SR 20 rental fee + SR 70 insurance) Delivery: SR 50 Rating Overall: 2.5 Instagram: @clair10000


Who needs a hot air balloon or a train to go everywhere? Just eat your way through the globe!

AROUND THE WORLD IN RIYADH’S BAKERIES

By Johara Al Mogbel

We’re kind of lucky, us Riyadhians. We get the whole world delivered to our city. Best Lebanese food? We have it. Buckets of Italian food? Yes. Indian? Yes. Chinese? Yes. Indonesian? Japanese? Korean? American? Armenian? Filipino? Brazilian? Yes, yes, and yes. As it is, you can stay in Riyadh and still eat your way around the globe.

BREAD TALKIf there’s one thing Hong Kongians know how to do, it’s making carbs. There’s nothing better than to sit at a ‘dairy company’ in Tsim Sha Tsui and eat a breakfast comprised of fried toast soaked in condensed milk, trust us. Luckily, Bread Talk opened up recently to fulfill our cotton-soft cheesecake and honey milk bun cravings. And they even have spicy floss buns! (Although we recommend you stay away from those). Overall, Bread Talk is a most excellent substitute for anyone suffering from a case of HK carb withdrawal. Plus, they have rainbow toast. Here’s to more options opening up in the city! Because we really need condensed milk French toast, okay? Don’t judge.Location: Othman bin Affan Rd., Alta’awun Neighborhood

Extra Recommendations: None. It’s a work-in-process… We’re looking at you, Toastbox.



PIDEThe Turkish carb scene is definitely one to follow. Add in the Turkish propensity for fresh cheese and you have winning combination. And newcomer Pide is pretty much capitalizing on all of that. With a fresh outlook in terms of design and packaging, it’s pretty much become the new it place for Turkish pastries. Try the cheese pide for standard comfort, or -if you’re feeling a little wild- the four seasons pide.Location: Khaleejiah Plaza, Izdihar Dist., off Othman bin Afan St., Exit 7

BLUE RIBBON BAKESHOPWith a whole street in Al Suleimaniah dedicated to Filipino food, we’re kind of not surprised there’s a bakery as well. It’s cheap, very cheap. It’s basically your go to place for cheap Filipino bread. And since Filipinos have a very colorful background, it’s like a crossbreed of Spanish and Chinese delicacies. Try the Spanish bread, which is basically dough wrapped in sugar with a coconut filling. The ensaymada is also awesome. They also have egg pies! And Chinese empanadas. Location: Al Suleimaniah, near National Guard Military Hospital

LULU HYPERMARKETOh, boy. The mother load of them all. We don’t even know where to start. Lulu’s isn’t just the representative of one country; it’s somehow managed to be a representative of them all. Except maybe Vietnam. And Russia. And Bolivia. And possibly a few other countries. Bottom line is, Lulu’s bakery is a melting pot of cultures, and the best place to get most types of South Asian foods in a pinch. Hankering for some gulab jamun? Lulu’s. Punjabi samosa? Lulu’s. Paneer paratha? Lulu’s. Cherry Pies? Lul- no, we’re just pulling your leg, don’t go for the cherry pies. Stick to the gulab jamun. Gulab jamun is glorious.

Location: Prince Faisal bin Turki St., Almurabaa Neighborhood


FRENCH CORNERLook. We get that it’s almost impossible to capture the exact brilliance of Paris’s boulangeries, okay? But it hasn’t stopped the city from trying and we have a dozen French bread makers in town. Our favorite for both flavor and price has got to be French Corner. Practically vintage, French Corner has been around for a while and offers most patisserie favorites, from baguettes to éclairs. We particularly love the éclairs, there isn’t a hint of French delicateness in them but you’ll be hard pressed to find a more satisfying chocolate cream filling for three riyals anywhere in the country. Location: Prince Abdulaziz Ibn Musaid Ibn Jalawi St., Sulaimaniyah

Extra Recommendations: French Bakery (general atmosphere), Fauchon (la-di-dah éclairs), Paul (galette du fromage).

CHIMNEY CAKEBudapest is a city of art, culture, history… and kürtőskalács. What are kürtőskalács, you ask us? Marvelous little pieces of awesome sauce that induce happiness and prosperity and- er, they’re a traditional Hungarian pastry made from sweet yeast dough that is wrapped around a baking spit and then baked over charcoal. The original is only covered by sugar, but other toppings can be added, like cinnamon or chocolate. And, Riyadhis, they’re now in the city! Seems like the guys behind Chimney Cake were as equally impressed as we were, as they’ve opened a shop dedicated to this amazing dessert. A little Hungary never hurt anyone, eh?Location: Exit 15 on Sa’ad Bin Abdulrahman Alawal St.

ALKA’AKI BAKERYAlka’aki isn’t just a bakery. It’s practically an institution. One of the oldest Lebanese eateries in town, it’s the first place to come to mind if you ask anyone about Beirut-inspired food. Almost everything is recommended, but the cheese pies and the regular samooli especially so. The bakery has been updating their menu now and offer trending sweets like mini kitkat or bounty cakes, but as we always say with traditional food: Stick to the basics. You’ll never go wrong with what the bakery has been making for years. Location: Sultan bin Abdulaziz St., towards the old airport

Extra Recommendations: Wooden Bakery’s spinach fatayer are marvelous.


For some odd reason, there are a number of misconceptions regarding what Muslims can or cannot eat while traveling, and a lot of the confusion happens over very clear-cut matters.

Mostly it happens because in Saudi Arabia, we never really have to worry at all, so our

EATING HALAL FOR DUMMIES


Your guide to eating halal on your trips

abroad.

By Johara Al Mogbel

knowledge of the subject gets kind of rusty. But food is a pretty large part of enjoying a trip abroad, and all it takes is a few special precautions to merrily eat your way through any city you visit! Here’s a simple guide to, well, guide you on your way to a sin-free meal.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO /

FRA

NC

ESC

OTO

NEL

LI.C

OM

Don’t automatically assume all baked goods are Halal. A lot of non-halal ingredients find their way into those foods. Read more at

halaltrip.com


1- Know What Is or Isn’t HalalFor most countries where the religion is predominately Christian or Jewish, then you’re given a free ticket, because Islam permits Muslims to eat from the meat of ‘Ahl Alkitab’, or the People of the Book. Ostensibly, it’s because their religions ask them to slaughter livestock in a manner similar to ours. Should you be in a restaurant that advertises the fact that it only uses meat killed by the inhumane method of stunning them, then all bets are off the table and we’d recommend passing on the steak.

2- Do Your Research Beforehand If you find yourself in a country where religions follow idolism, or one that is expressedly atheist, this is where you’ll need to be very careful. This includes countries like India, Thailand, or China, for example. Coupled with the fact that a lot of Far East countries make a habit of using lard or pig fat while cooking, we recommend that you make a list of halal, seafood, or vegetarian restaurants before you embark on your trip, and schedule your tours around them. It will save you a mountain of trouble and this way, you won’t miss out on authentic food you’d love to try but can’t. And with the recent surge in vegetarianism, you’re guaranteed at least one very good meal.

Any other tips or tricks we might have missed? Drop us a line at @destinationryd on twitter and Instagram and let us know!

its contents. Especially when it comes to long-term travels. The added plus to this is that you’ll save tons of money, on both accommodations as apartments can be usually found for cheaper, and food since cooking your own meal might end up cheaper than restaurants.

Tip: Most monasteries that are considered tourist havens have some type of vegetarian eatery nearby.

3- Follow Muslim Food BloggersNothing’s better than getting firsthand experience. Most Muslims living abroad adhere to an only-halal direction, and with the new wave of both young bloggers who love to experiment and the modern restaurants that are now opening to cater to them, the halal food scene in a lot of major cities is getting a much needed facelift. Not to mention, these bloggers are usually knowledgeable about which hole in the walls have Muslim owners who, as a personal preference, choose to serve halal food but don’t advertise it.

4- Cook YourselfYes, we know vacations are normally seen as a break from chores, but every once in a while, you might find yourself wanting to eat a very hearty meal without worrying about

Our favorite blog: halalgirlabouttown.com


H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

By Rob Seagreen, Fitness Director at Arena MMA and Fitness Center

Summer is always a great time of year to get away but it usually means that you lose ground on your fitness regime and come back with excess baggage.

CHOBE HEALTH CLUB AND SPA UGANDAChobe Safari Lodge is located in Murchison Falls National Park, North-Western Uganda,

overlooking the Victoria Nile. The Chobe Health Club and Spa promises to be the ideal world of relaxation and revitalization.

Web: chobelodgeuganda.com

CROSSFIT 5TH AVE NEW YORK CITY, USAReebok CrossFit 5th Ave is a world-class CrossFit box located between Bryant Park and the Empire State Building. They offer a broad training program suitable for any level of fitness.

Web: reebokcrossfit5thave.comDownload

this app and

get active

abroad!

FITNESS CENTERS To visit on your travels

That doesn’t have to be the case. Here’s a list of health clubs and gyms worldwide to help you stay in shape while you’re away.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

SPO

RTSE

TTER

BLO

G.C

OM

• U

PFIT

NES

S.C

OM

.ES

• JES

LIA

O.C

OM

• TI

GER

MU

AYTH

AI.C

OM

• FI

RSTW

ORL

DTO

URS

.CO

M •

CH

OBE

LOD

GEU

GA

ND

A.C

OM

• ST

APL

EGAY

LIFE

STYL

E.C

OM

• ES

CA

PEFI

TNES

S.C

OM

SportSetter


TIGER MUAY THAI AND MMA TRAINING CAMPPHUKET, THAILANDWorld-renowned Tiger Muay Thai and MMA training camp is the globe’s biggest and most recognized Muay Thai training facility, professional fighters and fitness enthusiasts from across the world travel here to develop their skills and to change their lives.

Web: tigermuaythai.com

VIRGIN ACTIVE BARBICAN LONDON, UKWith many to choose from in London, I have to highlight the Barbican. It boasts a large gym floor complimented by a 160-meter running track around it with a 20-meter swimming pool at the center of it all.

Web: virginactive.co.uk/clubs/barbican

ULTIMATE PERFORMANCEMARBELLA, SPAINUltimate Performance (UP) is a 20,000 square feet exercise paradise! The 5,000 square foot first floor interior gym is dedicated to resistance training in the manner that you’d expect of anything UP related. That’s in addition to a roof terrace with a 360 degree panoramic view of Marbella’s famous La Concha mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.

Web: upfitness.com.es


H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

By Mohammed Mirza

FIVE WAYS TO AVOID GETTING SICK WHILE TRAVELINGNothing can make holidays worse than getting sick while traveling.

Bottled WaterIf you are traveling abroad especially to developing or underdeveloped countries, remember to drink only bottled water. This can drastically reduce your chances of catching traveler's diarrhea.

Carry Vitamin Supplements With YouDuring travel your diet significantly alters and many times you fail to meet the required intake of vitamins. So it’s always a good idea to bring vitamin supplements to help keep your immunity strong.

Wash Your Hands FrequentlyThis doesn’t only have to be limited to after eating or using the restroom. You may have to wash your hands more than you deem necessary. Keep a hand sanitizer in your backpack as well.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

TOD

AYSP

ARE

NT.

CO

M •

FED

ERA

LEM

PLO

YEED

ISC

OU

NTS

.CO

M •

WA

SHIN

GTO

N.E

DU

• TO

RTU

GA

BAC

KPA

CKS

.CO

M

1

2 3


Don’t Forget to ExerciseAt times during a holiday you will find yourself with loads of spare time. Use it wisely and try to fit in physical exercise by any means possible during your travel.

Don’t Cram Your Itinerary At the end of the day you travel not only to discover and experience new things or places, you also use it to de-stress. And by cramming your itinerary with things to do or see, you miss out on the chance to unwind and relax. You may even end up feeling fatigued by the end of your travel.

4

5


S P I R I T U A L I T Y

By Sobia Javed

O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (Qur’an, chapter 49, verse 12)

So, what exactly is backbiting? The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said in a hadith: “It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike.” Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him.” (Source: Saheeh Muslim)

Backbiting is now so common that it is sometimes the only topic of conversation in a gathering. It is now used as an avenue for people to vent anger, frustrations and jealousy. It may seem like harmless banter, but in SO

URC

E PH

OTO

/ W

OM

ENW

ORK

ING

.CO

M

One of the most common excuses that backbiters will use is “Well, I’m not saying anything that I wouldn’t say to his/her face,” but that’s a futile argument, as it just highlights the backbiter’s feebleness for having to backbite in the first place.

The Prophet (pbuh) also said: “The best of the Muslims is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe.” (Source: Saheeh Muslim)

The sin of backbiting.

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT!

reality, backbiting has far reaching consequences.

It causes disquiet, enmity and distrust amongst family members and if someone finds out they are being talked about behind their back, it’s very hard to forgive and forget. Try to imagine you are the one being talked about behind your back, with others pointing out your faults and laughing at you. Not so harmless now huh?


Backbiting is a big sin and it’s something everyone must avoid. But how can this be done when it’s so prevalent in our daily lives?

It’s no good saying you dislike backbiting but then taking no action to prevent it. When you feel a conversation is steering into dangerous territory, change the subject, or if you can’t, then just be honest and say that you don’t feel comfortable talking about this person when they’re not there. You may get strange

looks at first, but if you stick to your resolve, you will find that people will respect you and admire your strength in standing up for your beliefs. Even better, if you can defend the person being gossiped about then know that this is an honorable thing and is not looked upon lightly.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whoever defends the honor of his brother in his absence, will be entitled to Allah's protection from the Fire." (Related by Ahmad)

No doubt it will be difficult at first, especially if you haven’t spoken up against it before. It’s likely that you will also become a target for backbiting, but this should simply highlight your real friendships from those that are built solely on malicious gossip.

Another thing to note is that when someone constantly comes to you backbiting and complaining about others, you can almost guarantee that they are probably backbiting and complaining about you to someone else! Try to focus on occupying your mind with good thoughts, and if nothing else, then remember that silence is golden.

The Prophet (pbuh) also said: “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent.” (Source: Saheeh Muslim)


By Dina Mohamed Basiony

Contemplating on Qur’anic verses and Prophetic ahadith clearly establishes one fact about blessings: they are a test. Being healthy, wealthy or popular is not necessarily the ultimate success. Losing that, also, is not the ultimate failure.

Blessings may be a means that absorb people in their worldly life, divert them away from the remembrance of Allah or make them greedy in pursuit of more. People may also live in constant worry over the loss of that which they have been given.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

GA

LLER

YHIP

.CO

M

The verses clearly indicate that there is one common element in blessings and hardships. They are both a trial since they reinforce the fact that what may look like good fortune from the outside is not necessarily the source of success and vice versa. You must realize that facing some sort of trial or difficulty might in fact carry in its folds far better and deeper lessons and blessings that you wouldn’t have learned or earned otherwise.

S P I R I T U A L I T Y

Similarly, true affliction is also not necessarily a disease or loss of wealth and status, because these same conditions may be the spark that directs people to seek Allah more passionately and constantly to strengthen their bond, connection and reliance on Him.

Allah says in Surat Al Fajr:“And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, “My Lord has honored me.” But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, “My Lord has humiliated me.” No!” [Qur’an: Chapter 89, Verses 15-17]

What comes to mind when you hear the word blessings? Many of us get an image of material possessions or material physical aspects or worldly goods.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BLESSED?

Blessings are a Test

Just like an amethyst rock that does not look appealing from the outside, but is exquisite from the inside, an

ordeal may beget a wonderful life lesson.



SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

FAC

EBO

OK:

@ZE

INA

GA

BRIE

L PH

OTO

GRA

PHY

/ProductiveMuslim

@AbuProductive

Some people might look at this and think, “Patience? Really? What do I do with that? Where do I cash it?” Why is patience the best blessing?

1. Patience keeps you in the company of Allah in this world.Unlike blessings that can be consumed and completely used up in this life, patience is a limitless gift that allows you to remain in the company of Allah, growing more intimately connected to Him. Allah specifically assures us that He will be in the company of the patient and reward them immeasurably:

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”[Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 153]

2. Patience helps you reach Al Firdaus.Just like being patient keeps you in Allah’s company in this world, you will remain closely in His company in the Hereafter and in the closes paradise to Him too.

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who struggle in His cause and made evident those who are patient?”[Qur’an: Chapter 3, Verse 142]

If you are in a state of difficulty that has no other solution but for you to be patient and turn to Allah, then don’t panic. Sooner or later it will be over, and if you really attained patience through it, then you have in fact been given an opportunity for a never-ending reward.

The Incredible Blessing: Patience


Doha’s Banana Island Resort The recently opened Banana Island Resort in Doha offers a luxurious setting for relaxation. On this scenic island, guests will not only revel in beauty but also enjoy water activities along with golf and other fun facilities.

T R A V E L T R E N D S

TRAVEL NEWS

Bahrain Eases Visa Regime The government of Bahrain announced its visa updates, which will allow business visitors and tourists to spend longer periods of time in the country. The move

Emirates Airline will launch a daily service route to Orlando, Florida from the first of September. Orlando will be the tenth US destination Emirates Airline serves.

EMIRATES AIRLINE’S ROUTE TO ORLANDO

also facilitates access for GCC residents and visa holders. GCC residents of any nationality may be eligible to receive multi-entry visas on arrival or online.

Rosewood Jeddah Offer Rates start at SR 1,630Break away from stress and spend a luxurious weekend in Rosewood Jeddah. With acclaimed restaurants, a location in Jeddah’s fashionable northern Corniche area and a -24hour butler service, you will definitely relax and unwind.


The five-star hotel even includes Arabic TV channels and daily Arabic newspapers. The Middle East traveller will be able to enjoy the Discover with You promotion with rates starting at SR 1,185.

Ritz-Carlton BerlinRitz-Carlton Berlin is offering new customized services for its Middle East guests. It provides an oriental ambience along with a Qur’an and prayer rugs in the rooms.

EURO ESCAPE TOUR from SR 1,005

The Euro Escape is a 4-day action-packed tour.

It starts in London

with a guide who will take visitors to Amsterdam for a wonderful experience.

From there they will head to Belgium to spend time in Bruges and Brussels.

Next comes a stop in the City of Lights, Paris.

This is a Euro trip to remember.

More info: expatexplore.com

Al Ahsa’s Touristic Project Chairman of the National Tourism Committee at the Council of Saudi Chambers, Abdulateef Al Afaleq, announced the commencement of Al Ahsa tourism project. The project, which will take up an area of two million square meters, is set to have touristic and recreational services. Al Uqair beach in the region will witness investment opportunities to become a touristic front as well.

More Tourism at Al Bujairi District King Salman inaugurated Al Bujairi district developmental project. The district is the gateway to the historical area of Diriyah. The project aims at enriching tourism as visitors experience the location’s cultural value. The project will encompass a center for activities and commercial services. Taif district will also be connected to the area by an overpass.

Explore exotic India and visit New Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Immerse yourself in the amazing culture for five nights. You will even experience

the rush of riding an elephant at Fort Amer.

India in Real Life from SR 1,292

More info: Makemytrip.com

The Second Alila Resort in the Middle East

Alila Hotels and Resorts have announced the signing of the second luxury resort development in Mirbat, east of Salalah, Oman. The new resort is set to launch in 2017. It will be comprised of 100 suites, 25 villas, fine dining restaurants and a spa. The resort will be the perfect combination of innovation and culture.




ADVERTORIAL

In recognition of its services, Attar Travel won the award for Saudi Arabia’s Leading Travel Agency at the World Travel Awards twice in a row, in 2013 and 2014. While recently, Sarah Fareed, an employee of Attar Travel, won the Agent of the Month Award in March 2015.

ATTAR TRAVEL We love it… We do it

Consistently setting new benchmarks for travel related services across the Kingdom, the journey of Attar Travel began when two brothers, Saddik and Mohammed Attar, founded the Saddik and Mohammed Attar Company in the 1940s. It became one the first registered companies in Jeddah and a founding member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.Operating in Saudi Arabia for over 70 years, Attar Travel is one of the most prominent travel agencies in the region.

In the early days, the company’s primary business was to provide services for pilgrims traveling to Makkah and Madinah. And from one travel office in Jeddah in 1952, the company has now expanded to more than 42 offices throughout the country.

Attar agency is a pioneer in the tourism industry of the country, born out of a passion for travel and facilitating tourism related services in the Kingdom.

With a mission to manifest, enhance and maximize the benefits of travel and tourism and a focus of developing a long-term relationship with customers, Attar Travel is all set to become the number one full-service travel agency in KSA.

To expand their reach internationally and provide more services, Attar Travel entered into a partnership with Lufthansa City Centre International (LCCI), the world’s leading travel management company

with over 600 offices in 77 countries. The company also entered into a strategic partnership with FCm Travel Solutions, which specializes in managing and organizing travel programs for some of the world’s leading corporate brands.

Additionally, the long established Attar Travel’s technological partner is Amadeus, a leading provider of IT related solutions to the global tourism and travel industry.

DESTINATIONRYD.COM 77ADVERTORIAL

Proud of its experienced and erudite team of employees, customers can have their vacation planned with just one call, whilst corporates can expect unrivalled professional services irrespective of their size.Visit their website for the latest travel packages and special offers.

Tel: 920017775Web: attartravel.com

attartravel.sa attartravel attartraveltv

Now Attar Travel has developed into a one-stop specialist travel agency that provides a range of services for corporate and leisure air travel, group travel, cruises, tours, hotel accommodation, car rentals, airport transfers, visa services, international driving license, travel insurance, weddings and honeymoon packages and much more.

STA

FF P

HO

TO/R

EEM

ALA

SSA

L

Destinations Starting from

Australia SR 9,165

Germany SR 7,700

Greece SR 3,705

Hong Kong SR 6,700

Malaysia SR 2,975

Prague Relaxing Week SR 3,615

Prague, Vienna, Budapest SR 4,885

Singapore City SR 2,240

Sri Lanka SR 3,040

Destinations Honeymoon Package Starting from

Vienna – Salzburg – Zell am See - Kaprun – Vienna SR 8,690

Destinations Weekends May 2015 Starting from

Abu Dhabi SR 500

Amman SR 540

Beirut SR 640

Doha SR 880

Dubai SR 440

Kuwait SR 690

Manama SR 550

Muscat SR 1,170

Sharm Elsheikh SR 620

medical

15 Days

14 Days

4 Nights Athens - 3 Nights Cruise

8 Days

8 Days

8 Days

8 Days

14 Days

11 Days

DRAW YOUR WORLD IN THE SUMMER

15 Days


By Johara Al Mogbel

India has been on my bucket list since forever. Every year, when we’d decide what country we’d grace during the holidays, I’d Google all the different options in the South Asian country, and then close all the tabs when we, as usual, finally settled on some part of Europe. But then this year came along. And again, I started my fruitless research when, somehow, we said yes to India. It was a magical moment, let me tell you. Where in the vast and colorful country of India could we visit in four to five days, though? There were so many places we wanted to visit. Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, Goa, Lucknow, Taj Mahal, Jodhpur, aaand…Taj Mahal. We really wanted to go to the Taj Mahal.

ON BOARD MAHARAJAS’ EXPRESS TRAIN


A magical journey in a mystical place.A few research attempts and frantic emails later and my brilliant mother had the solution. A luxury train that takes you around a tour of Rajasthan with cabins you can sleep in! Basically, an Agatha Christie novel but without the dead bodies. We hoped.

There were a number of itineraries and the Gems of India suited us the most. Leaving from Delhi, it passed by Agra, Ranthambore, and Jaipur and then back to Delhi once again. Here’s a full account of our trip, with all the highs and lows.Day 1We were limited with time, yes, but what was the point of going to Delhi and not seeing the amazing Mughal history in it? Boarding the train was at 8 p.m., so we booked a hotel room at The Lodhi, slept the night, then embarked on an

epic non-stop car trip starting with Lodhi Gardens and ending with Khan Market. It was a day spent in history and it was beautiful. By 8 p.m. we were in Khan Market and off to the Safdarjung train station we went! It was the optimal foreigner-in-India experience, with women in saris dressing you in flower necklaces and musicians lauding your entrance. A nice man then escorted us to set up chairs and explained the entire train to us. Then, it was off to the cabins. A bit small and basic, but decent, and the bathrooms were super clean. A ‘butler’ helped us with our baggage, we had a marvelous four-course dinner in one of train’s restaurants, then it was time to sleep.

DELHI TIP If you want to take in history

and relax, Lodhi Gardens is free, quiet, full of history and most importantly, not overrun with

crowds.




Day 2A 6:30 a.m. wake up call, a cup of hot masala chai and an impromptu music show (as we stepped off the train) later, off we went on the arranged tour bus to the heart of Agra. We were getting closer to the Taj Mahal, and I was getting excited enough that not even the stringent security measures put me off. And then we were there. The Taj Mahal was in front of us. The train arranged the tours to be at 7 a.m. so that we could capture the monument’s reflection in the fountains properly, and look at that picture. Just look! Shah Jahan’s labor of love was even prettier in person.

Then came 9:45 a.m. and we were reluctantly dragged away from the Taj Mahal’s masjids

India's answer to a real life postcard.

Drummers are always the friendliest.

TO GET ON

BOARD!

Hover on the page


and the river Yamuna to breakfast. There was a lovely set up with more music and a great view of the monument from a pavilion the train had set up for us, with a live station that made fresh dosa and had the best ginger bread pudding we had ever tried.

On from breakfast, we were taken to a marble inlay factory that services the Taj Mahal now. They show you how the intricate designs are made and teach you about all the different kinds of gems and stones used.

We were exhausted by then. It was time to freshen up at our temporary home, have lunch, and then set out to Agra Fort, where Shah Jahan was incarcerated by his son in his final days. If we were to choose between either the Red Fort or Agra Fort for a visit? We’d definitely go for Agra Fort.

Then it was time to retire once again to our beds. That were in a train. Did I mention that?

Day 3Ranthambore National Park, ah, how we loved you. We got onto an actual safari boat jeep thing and went around the large nature reserve, spotting everything from Bambi to crocs and a peacock.

Our next stop was Jaipur and it takes about 3 to 4 hours for the train to reach it. The amazing

TRAIN TIP Expect to forego sleep your first night. The train jostles about a

bit and the other train horns take a while to get accustomed to.

staff made sure we had snacks while we played card games and a non-ending stream of beverages was made of available. Then… it was time to embark for the pink city.

The Maharaja Express offers optional excursions at a charge, but up until now we hadn’t found a reason for it.

Archways at the Diwan-i-Aam, Red Fort

The gorgeous interior of the open Jama Masjid.

Water Palace, Jaipur



JAIPUR TIP Don’t be afraid to bargain in the

markets, but at the same time don’t push for too much. The

prices are cheap as it is.

Up until we realized we only had half a day in Jaipur, and with so much to see and buy and visit, we opted for our own guide and car. Our guide was, again, top notch. We started off in Amber Fort. Okay. So. Amber Fort… It’s gorgeous. Built by the Rajputs and one of the few forts left largely intact, there is so much beauty in that palace, it’s a must see.

Jaipur is most famous for its tchiktchok markets, where you can find saris, leather sandals and bangles at their absolute cheapest. We’re weak when it comes to shopping. Weak.

The Maharaja Express had arranged for a dinner at the City Palace, an estate in Jaipur that doubles as both the current maharaja’s living space and a museum in the daytime. There were elephants (sad ones), horses, camels, a flutist and lots of bananas. And pre-dinner, there was more

dancing. There’s something about traditional dances that makes colors come sharper into focus, there’s so much beauty into it.

After too short of a period, it was time to spend the last day in our creaking but beloved train cabin. Last breakfast, last goodbye to the staff, last card game, last everything, and we left, feeling like we spent a lifetime and at the same time feeling like we hadn’t spent any time at all.

Bottom line? Take a trip to India. It’s one of the few places in the world where you see in technicolor.

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

Jaipur welcoming committee, the best of them all.

Rang Mahal restaurant on board

Poor elephants still had paint on them and didn't look too happy.


TO GET ON

BOARD!

Hover on the page


E X P L O R E K S A

The 7 wonders of S A U D I A R A B I A

VOTEfor the

SAUDIWONDERSwww.destinationryd.com

MesmerizingSaudi Arabia

in all itsGlory!

To present the best Saudi Arabia has to offer to the world, we conducted a nationwide campaign of picking the wonders of Saudi Arabia. And now through your votes we have the final seven.1. Masjid Al Haram, Makkah – The Holiest Site in Islam

In the city of the birthplace of Islam is the largest mosque in the world. Muslims face in the direction of the Kaaba, which is housed within Masjid Al Haram, while performing their daily obligatory prayers. During Hajj (annual pilgrimage) the mosque holds one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world with Muslims flocking to it from all corners of the globe. Also housed within the premises is the Zamzam well, which has been gushing forth water for over 1,400 years from the middle of the desert.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

UM

RAH

HA

JIKU

.WO

RDPR

ESS.

CO

M •

QU

RAN

SURA

T.C

OM

• F

LIC

KR.C

OM



2. Masjid Al Nabawi, Madinah – The Prophet’s Mosque

Situated in the city of Madinah this mosque was established and originally built by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is the second largest mosque in the world and the holiest site in Islam after Masjid Al Haram in Makkah. It was also the first place in the entire Arabian Peninsula to be provided with electrical lights.

4. Madain Saleh – Prophet Saleh’s Doomed City

Mentioned in the Holy Quran, today this infamous city stands deserted amid a series of interlocking mountains and rocky cliffs. Over 2,000 years ago this was the home of the once flourishing Nabataen Kingdom. In 2008 it became the country’s first World Heritage Site for its well-preserved remains from late antiquity, especially the 131 rock-cut monumental tombs, with their elaborately ornamented façades, strikingly similar to the celebrated city of Petra in Jordan.

3. King Fahd Fountain, Jeddah – The Tallest Fountain in the World

Every single day a magnanimous jet of water graces Jeddah’s skyline, a view of such breathtaking beauty that it dominates the city skyline. It lofts about seven tons of water into the air at any one moment at a nozzle speed of around 200 kilometers per hour. The plume with a height of over 260 meters surpasses the renowned Jet d’Eau’s height of 90 meters by a significant margin.


5. Historic Balad, Jeddah – The Epitome of Hijazi Architecture

For over a thousand years Jeddah has been a major port of trade and served as a gateway for Muslim pilgrims traveling to Makkah and Madinah who arrived by sea. Through the constant influx of foreigners, the city became a multicultural center and overtime developed a unique architecture that we now refer to as Hijazi architecture. The historic Balad area is the epitome of Hijazi architecture and is where some of the last remnants of architecture can be found.

6. Habalah, Abha – The Hanging Village

Sitting halfway down a cliff face about 63 kilometers southeast of Abha, this village is easily one of the most captivating places the Kingdom has to offer. When the village was inhabited the only way to reach it was by means of a rope (habel), thus the name ‘Habalah’. Remarkably it remained inhabited until about 1980, when the villagers were shifted to King Faisal village a few kilometers away from the original village.

7. Madyan, Al Bad – Prophet Shoaib’s Legendary City

Located in the northwest of the Kingdom, the caves at Madyan continue to be shrouded in mystery. Many believe that this was the very same place that Prophet Shoaib was sent. Many of the fascinating rock cut dwellings at Madyan remain unexplored.

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

EN.W

IKIP

EDIA

.ORG

• T

RIPL

ES1-

2.BL

OG

SPO

T.C

OM



E X P L O R E K S A

Renowned across the Middle East and South Asia for his extreme generosity, tales of this Arabian poet have been part of many movies, TV shows and books. By Mohammed Mirza

SOU

RCE

PHO

TO/

FLIC

KR.C

OM

. SH

DA

DEE

N2.

CO

M

HISTORIC SAUDI: ARABIA’S LEGENDARY ALMSGIVER HATEM AL TAI

There are many such stories associated with Hatem, which have been passed down from generation to generation. Eventually his legend made its way to the famed ‘Arabian Nights.’

His son Adi Ibn Hatem was a companion of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and was also acknowledged for his generosity. Today Hatem’s legend lives on and in recognition of his largesse and munificence, a street in Jeddah is named after him.

House of the poet, Jabr Al Omran

The poet’s grave.

Although he was considered a well-established poet in his time, today he is mostly famous for his altruism. So much so that amongst Arabs an encomium given to a generous man is to say that he or she is “more generous than Hatem.”

Hatem lived in the sixth century in the central Arabian region of Hail and belonged to the Al Tai tribe. It is believed the he lost his father when he was young and was raised by his grandfather. Hatem's habit of giving away whatever happened to be in his hands to friends and strangers was a source of pride and even boasting for his grandfather at first; but as the years passed, the habit remained and his grandfather's resources decreased and so did the boasting,


KING SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD

PRINCE MUQRIN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD


COMING SOON

FLORISTS

AL GABA FLOWERSOrouba St.Mob: +966-502017058

ARAWLAMusaed Al Angari St.Mob: +966-508085546

LAMARSafwa CenterMob: +966-555505441

NARDEENMob: +966-507976733

SPRING ROSETel: +966-11-2167777

SPRING’S WEDDINGMusaed Al Angari St.Tel: +966-11-2791024

STYLE FLOWERMusaed Al Angari St.Mob: +966-504237071

FURNITURE

@ ROOMTel: +966-11-2298457 King Abdulaziz Rd. North

AYARTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4612757 Tahliah St. Intersection, Takhassusi St.

CITIESCentria MallTel: +966-11-2180007

DAR AL HADAYAOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-2155550

HOSHAN FURNITURE Tahlia St.Tel: +966-11-2933939

IKEAEast Ring Rd. Exit 16Tel: +966-11-2442233

JAZIRA INTERIORSKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-4632631

JAZIRA PROJECTSKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-4632631

KA INTERNATIONALKing Fahad Rd.Tel: 920001216

MILADORA FURNITUREKing Fahad Rd.Tel: 920003277

RAZIN

CUSTOM THOBES

AJLAN & BROSOlaya Dist. Tel: +966-11-4665555www.ajlanbros.com LOMAR THOBELocalizer MallTel: +966-11-2170094www.lomarthobe.com

BRIDAL & EVENING DRESSES

AL FALAHTel: 920001678 AIREBARCELONA Orouba St. www.airbarcelona.com

BDBATel: +966-11-2884807 Olaya St and Gernada Mall http://www.bdba.com

BASMA AL JAZAERYOrouba St. Tel:+966-11-2790276 Tel:+966-11-4622670

PRONOVIASOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-4163410

ROSA CLARA Olaya St. Tel: +966-11-4652677

SILVER DEW Orouba St.Tel: +966-11-4197153

SHOPPING MALLS

AL FAISALIYAH MALLOlaya Dist.Tel: +966-11-2730000www.alfaisaliahmall.com

AL QASR MALLAl Swaidi St.Tel: +966-11-4515600www.alqasrmall.comSupermarket: Hyper Market

AZIZIA MALLTel: +966-920027707 Off of King Fahad Rd.

CENTRIA MALLOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-2161111www.centria.com.sa

GRANADA CENTER East Ring Rd., Exit 9 Tel: +966-11-2534990www.granadacenter.com.sa Supermarket: Carrefour

HAYAT MALLKing Abdul Aziz Rd.Tel: +966-11-2057401www.hayat-mall.com Supermarket: Danube Hypermarket

KINGDOM CENTER Olaya Dist.Tel: +966-11-2112222www.kingdomcentre.com.sa

LOCALIZER MALL Prince MohammedIbn Abdul Aziz St.Tel: +966-11-2178999

PANORAMA MALLTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-2814950www.panorama-mall.com Supermarket: Danube

RIMAL CENTEREast Ring Rd. Tel: +966-11-2441004

BALLOONS

BALLOONS TIME Debab St., Derma Clinic Building

GOODSHIP LOLLIPOP Prince Muhammad Ibn Abdulaziz Rd.Tel: +966-11-4659521www.goodship-lollipop.com

RIYADH PARTY SUPPLIES STOREAl Nakheel Dist.Tel: +966-11-4702454

WORLD OF BALLOON ART Safwa CenterMob: +966-542233838

VILLAGE GALLERYTel: +966-11-4631089

Tahlia St. Tel: +966-11-4660931

THE CLASSICS Tahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4611888

THE WHITE HOUSEKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-4615332

TRADITIONALSKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-2012300

BOUTIQUES

BACO DESIGNOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-2935633www..bacodesign.com

BLANK BOUTIQUEOrouba St.Tel: +966-11-2010033

BRIONIOlaya St. Tel: +966-11-211 2222

HARVEY NICHOLSAl Faisaliah MallTel: +966-11-2734444www.harveynichols.com

HOSS INTROPIATel: +966-11-4658122

JACADI BOUTIQUE Tel: +966-11-2056949Garanada CenterHayat MallSahara Mallwww.jacadi.us

LATITel: +966-11-2111078 Ladies Floor, Kingdom Center Web: lati-fashion.com LA-BOUTIQUE Mob: +966-566369905Al Nahda Rd.

MODERN US DESIGNERSOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-4612079www.riyadhdress.com

MONTBLANCKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-2111080www.montblanc.com

QUEEN OF SPADES Al Faisaliah Mall Tel: +966-11-273 4444www.queenofspadesstore.com

SADA SHOP (ONLINE)Tel: +966-11-4411940www.sadashop.com

STACHEEng. Musaid AlAnqari St. Tel: +966-11-4656333

TERRA ECLAT JEWELLERYSalahuddin Dist.Mob: +966-543768585 Mob: +966-542988187www.terra-eclat.com

THE ART OF LIVING#4 Serecon BuildingOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-4610533www.theartofliving1999.com



FRENCH

APETIT KITCHENTahlia St. Tel: +966-11-4656491

CAFÉ LENOTRECentria Mall.Tel: +966-11-2791108

LE BIJOU BURJ RAFAL HOTEL KEMPINSKI King Fahad RoadTel: +966 11 511 7889

L’ECLUSETahlia St. Tel: +966-11-4657648

LE RELAIS DE L’ENTRECOTEAlmas Plaza. Tel: +966-11-4615058

ITALIAN

AL FORNO King Abdullah Rd.Mob: +966-558442255

AMORETahlia St., Tel: +966-11-4653082

MIRAGETakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4834127

OASIS GRILLHilton Garden Inn Tel: +966-11-2935533

PANORAMICMakarem Riyadh HotelTel: +966-11-2204500

PAVILLION Intercontinental HotelTel: +966-11-4655000

RUSSIAN CORNERAbdullahAl Hamdan St.Tel: +966-11-4658387

SENSESLuthan HotelTel: +966-11-4807799

SIZZLER HOUSETahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4661133

INTERNATIONAL

AL BUSTANSheraton HotelTel: +966-11-4543300

AL DANAHoliday Inn HotelTel: +966-11-4612000

AL DIWAN Al Sahara HotelTel: +966-11-2204500

AL ORJOUANMakkah Rd., inside The Ritz CarltonTel: +966-11-8028020

CAFE CERAMIQUESahara MallTel: +966-11-4520677

CENTROTahlia St. Tel: +966-11-4658488

COCOSTahlia St. Tel: +966-11-2939444

CRISTALAl Faisaliah Hotel Tel: +966-11-2732222

ELEMENTS Four Seasons HotelTel: +966-11-2115500

EQUESTRIAN CLUB King Abdulaziz RacecourseMob: +966-503008044

HEDIARDTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-2173933

LA BRASSERIEAl Faisaliah Tower Tel: +966-11-2732222

SAZIOKingdom Tower-77th Floor Tel: +966-11-2111180

THE GRANDKing Fahad RoadBurj Rafal Hotel Kempinski Tel: +966 11 5117890

THE WINDROSEAl Faisaliah Hotel Tel: +966-11-2732222

TRADER VICSPanorama MallTel: +966-11-2814782

TSC SIGNATUREAbdullah Al Hamdan St.Tel: +966-11-2939693

Riyadh Eats Appriyadheats.com

Get the App Today!

ANTHURIUMAbdulla Alhamdan St.Tel: +966-11-4661473

AZZURROThe Ritz Carlton HotelTel: +966-11-8028020

CENTO PER CENTOOlaya Rd., Behind JarirTel: +966-11-4644159

DA PINOAl Khozama CenterTel: +966-11-2732222

IL GABBIANOOlaya Dist.Tel: +966-11-4616066

L’OLIVIOTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4634240

LA CAMPAGNATahlia St. Tel: +966-11-4624339

LA CASTAAl Rahmaniya Dist.Tel: +966-11-4198016

LA CUCINAAl Faisaliah HotelTel: +966-11-2732222

LA PIAZZA Sheraton HotelTel: +966-11-4543300

LIOLIMPO Al Dabab St.Tel: +966-11-4166222

MBCOAbdullah Al Hamdan St.Tel: +966-11-2936506

NINOTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-2016662

PIATTOExit 5, Northern Ring Rd. Tel: +966-11-2006868

PIZZA ERA King Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-4542233

PIZZA INNDabbab St., Tel: 920001601

PIZZA ROMAAbdullah Al Hamdan St.Tel: +966-11-4629032

PIZZA STOCKHOLMKing Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-2811888

PIZZERIA NAPOLIPrince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz St.Tel: +966-11-2172288

www.DestinationListing.comDESTINATIONRYD.COM 89


AL HAJ DAWOODImam Saud St.Tel: +966-11-4943691

AL MANSAFAl SulamaniyyaTel: +966-11-4630345

AL NAKHEELAl Khozama Center Tel: +966-11-4654650

AL NASEEMMarriott HotelTel: +966-11-4779300

CAFE BLANCPrince Mohamad Bin Abdulaziz St.Tel: +966-11-4633426

EATZAHAl Ghaz St.Mob: +966-531224433

FAIROUZ GARDENKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-2167171

GADTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4641212

GARDEN BARBECUEHotel Al KhozamaTel: +966-11-2732222

GHOUZIAl Rawdah, Khuraish St.Tel: +966-11-4934162

KARAM BEIRUTTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4161717KOSHARY EXPRESSJarir St.Tel: +966-11-4728881

LEBANESE CORNEROlaya (Talateen St.) Tel: +966-11-2170555

MAMA NOURADabab St.Tel: +966-11-4622195

MAREEZ King Abdullah St.Tel: +966-11-4508877

SHAWERMA HOUSEPrince Mamdouh St.Tel: +966-11-2191999

SHAWERMAMA Abdullah Bin Rawaha StTel: +966-11-2936644

CHINESECANTONOlaya St. Tel: +966-11-4520584

CHINESE GOLDEN PALACEOlaya Dist.Tel: +966-11-4655127

GOLDEN DRAGONOlaya Dist.Tel: +966-11-4645136

GULF ROYALOlaya St. Tel: +966-11-4631622

MIRAGE RESTAURANTTakhasoussi St.Tel: +966-11-4834127

NOODLE HOUSECentria Mall, Olaya St.Tel: +966-11-2939969

PEKINGSuliamaniyahTel: +966-11-4765250

SEASONSMadina St., Exit 28

TAALOlaya Dist.Tel: +966-11-2734383

JAPANESEFURUSATOTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4657648

HAYAT Prince Mansoor bin Abdul Aziz St.Tel: +966-11-4042655

LA SANIKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-4655666

MARHABAOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-4622070

SAMURAIFaisaliah Mall & Kingdom Mall Tel: +966-11-2734386

SHOGUNRadisson Blu HotelTel: +966-11-4791234

SUSHI YOSHIAl Dabab St.Tel: +966-11-8120055

TOKYOOuruba St.Tel: +966-11-4605672

YOKARICentria Mall, 2nd FloorTel: +966-11-2886999

AVADHTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4654109

COPPER CHANDNITahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4167000

CROWN GARDENSuliamaniyahTel: +966-11-4616334

DARBAROlaya St.Tel: +966-11-2930249

INDIAN GARDENRiyadh GalleryTel: +966-11-2161112

INDIAN STYLESheikh AbdullahAl Angary St.Tel: +966-11-4561138

INDIAN SUMMERSuliamaniyahTel: +966-11-4652328

RED ONIONOlaya St. Tel: +966-11-2176644

TAMARINDPrince Faisal Bin Turki St.Tel: +966-11-4738770

MEXICAN BUFFALO’STahlia St.Tel: +966-11-2792123

EL CHICO’SExit 5Tel: +966-11-4640385

FAJITA AVENUEAl Hamra Tel: +966-11-4644999

TAKO HUTFaisaliyyah MallTel: 920000129

MIDDLE-EASTERN

ABDUL WAHABTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-2934111

QUATTROFour Seasons HotelTel: +966-11-2115599

ROMAMussa Bin Nusair St.Tel: +966-11-4641133

ROMA WAYAl Rabwah, Othaim Mall Tel: 920000129

MACARONI GRILLKing Abdullah Rd. Exit 5Tel: +966-11-4158322

ROSSOFour Seasons HotelTel: +966-11-2115500

ROSSOPOMODOROTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-2939565

SANTINO’S Hayat MallTel: +966-11-2057497

SPAZIO 7777th floor in Kingdom Tower Tel: +966-11-2111888Tel: +966-11-2111181

SQUISITOKing Fahad Rd., Across Ovotel Tel: +966-11-2160111

THE PIZZA COMPANYOlaya St. Tel: +966-11-4642952

VECCHIA ROMAAl Sulamaniyyah

Z PIZZAKing Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4881199

SAUDI

AL SUDDA Oruba St. Tel: +966-11-4800111

SHAWAYA HOUSE Khalid Bin Al Waleed St.Mob: +966-557819214

SHEIKH AL MANDY Dabab St.Tel: +966-11-4644099

INDIAN ALADDINKingdom CenterTel: +966-11-2112150

SEA FOOD

AMO HAMZAOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-2316148

DOEKing Abdullah St.Tel: +966-11-4887080

DR. OCEANTakhasoussi St.Tel: +966-11-4708647

FOUNTAIN FISHAl Malaz Dist.Tel: +966-11-2158888

Check out our online listing and add yours!

COMING SOON



AIRLINES

AIR ARABIATel: 920013322www.airarabia.com

AIR CANADATel: +966-11-4772228www.aircanada.ca

AIR FRANCETel: +966-11-2885218www.airfrance.com

AIR INDIATel: +966-11-4786409www.airindia.com

AIR NIGERIATel: +966-11-4626165www.myairnigeria.com

AMERICAN AIRLINES–AATel: +966-11-4625993www.aa.com

BIMAN BANGLADESH AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4623537www.biman-airlines.com

BRITISH AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4645550www.britishairways.com

CYPRUS AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4640391www.cyprusair.com

DELTA AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4613688www.delta.com

EGYPT AIRTel: +966-11-4784004www.egyptair.com

EMIRATES AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4655485www.emirates.com

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4782140www.flyethiopian.com

ETIHAD AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4197722www.etihadairways.com

GARUDA INDONESIATel: +966-11-2937690www.garuda-indonesia.com

GERMAN WINGS AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4632004www.germanwings.com

GULF AIRTel: +966-11-4626666www.gulfair.com

JAPAN AIRLINES–JALTel: +966-11-4645056www.jal.com

KENYA AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4772228www.kenya-airways.com

KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4771026www.klm.com

KOREAN AIRTel: +966-11-4658222www.koreanair.com

KUWAIT AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4631218www.kuwait-airways.com

LUFTHANSATel: 8001245550www.lufthansa.com

MALAYSIA AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4784039www.malaysiaairlines.com

MIDDLE EAST AIRLINES Tel: +966-11-4614670www.mea.com.lb

NAS AIRTel: +966-11-2171800www.flynas.com

OLYMPIC AIRTel: +966-11-4644596www.olympicair.com

OMAN AIRTel: +966-11-4733133www.omanair.com

PAKISTAN INT’L AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4659600www.piac.com.pk

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES Tel: +966-11-2160530www.philippineairlines.com

QANTAS AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4772228www.qantas.com.au

QATAR AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-21180424www.qatarairways.com ROYAL AIR MOROCCO Tel: +966-11-47741100www.royalairmaroc.com

ROYAL JORDANIAN Tel: +966-11-2180850www.rj.com

SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINESTel: 920022222www.saudiairlines.com

SINGAPORE AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4734102www.singaporeair.com

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS – SAATel: +966-11-4633133www.flysaa.com

SRILANKAN AIRLINES www.srilankan.lk

SUDAN AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4720040www.sudanair.com

SWISS AIRTel: +966-11-4789745www.swissair.com

TAM BRAZILIAN AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4633133www.tam.com.br

TAROM ROMANIAN AIRLINESTel: +966-11-5788935www.tarom.ro

THAI AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4766766www.thaiairways.com

TUNIS AIRTel: +966-11-4626165www.tunisair.com

TURKISH AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4000287www.turkishairlines.com

UNITED AIRLINESTel: +966-11-4772228www.united.com

YEMENIA AIRWAYSTel: +966-11-4039282www.yemenia.com

TRAVEL AGENCIES

ABC TRAVEL AGENCY & CARGOTel: +966-11-4631600

ACE TRAVELTel: +966-11-4648701www.ace-travel.com

AL ABBAD TRAVELTel: +966-11-4778736

AL AHMADIAH TRAVELTel: +966-11-4656668

AL MOUWASAT TRAVELTel: +966-11-4160580

AL NAIEM TRAVEL & TOURISMTel: +966-11-4655698

AL RAJHI TRAVELTel: +966-11-4566900

AL RASHEED AWNINGS FACTORYTel: +966-11-4059031

AL ROMAIZAN TRAVEL AGENCYTel: +966-11-4652100www.romaizan.com

AL SARH TRAVEL & TOURISMTel: +966-11-4941111www.alsarh.com.sa

AL SAGER TRAVELTel: +966-11-4827979

AL SARAH TRAVELTel: +966-11-4647480

AL SARH TRAVELTel: +966-11-4627000

AL TASHELAT TRAVELS Tel: +966-11-4034477

AL TAYYAR TRAVELTel: +966-11-4633133www.altayyargroup.com

AMJAD TRAVEL & TOURISMTel: +966-11-41161737www.amjadtravel.com

FURSAN TRAVELTel: 920000442www.fursan.com.sa

HAYA TOUR Al Nozha Dist.Tel: +966-11-4507176

KINGDOM WINGS TRAVEL AGENCYTel: +966-11-4625544

MY HOLIDAY TRAVEL & TOURISMTel: 920010087www.myholiday.com.sa

RIXON TOUR NETWORKTel: 920029993www.myrtn.com

TOP TRAVELTel: +966-11-4641969

TRAVEL PORTTel: +966-11-4163810www.travelport.com ZAHRAN AIR TRAVEL & CARGO CO.Tel: +966-11-4659614

ZAMANI ART GALLERYKing Abdul Aziz Rd Tel: +966-11-4613057

ZEKRAYAT FRAMESTel: +966-11-4661196


COURTYARD RIYADH DIPLOMATIC QUARTERAl-Hada Dist., Abdullah bin Hothafa St. Tel: +966-11-2817300

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL RIYADH MINHAOld Airport Rd.Tel: +966-11-8749200

FOUR SEASONS HOTELKingdom CenterTel: +966-11-2115000

GOLDEN TULIP ANDALUSIAOlaya Rd.Tel: +966-11-4611000

HOLIDAY INN RIYADH IZDIHARAbdulwahab Bin Abdullah St., Unit OneTel: +966-11-4625000

INTERCONTINENTAL RIYADHAl Maather St.Tel: +966-11-4655000

HOTELS

AL FAISALIAH ROSEWOOD HOTELKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-2732000

AL KHOZAMA HOTEL Olaya Rd. Tel: +966-11-4654650

AL MASHREQ BOUTIQUE HOTEL Orubah RoadTel: +966-11-2834777

BURJ RAFAL HOTEL KEMPINSKIKing Fahad RoadTel: +966-11-5117777

CORAL GULF RIYADHKing Abdul Aziz St., Ministries Area Tel: +966-11-4121000

CORP EXECUTIVE DEIRA HOTELAl Batha St.Tel: +966-11-4141500

LUTHAN HOTEL AND SPA A WOMEN ONLY HOTELOrubah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4807799

MADAREEM CROWN HOTELKing Khalid International Airport Rd.Tel: +966-11-2758888

MAKARIM RIYADH HOTELNear To King Khalid International AirportTel: +966-11-2204500

MENA GRAND - KHALDIAKhazzan St.(Immam Faisal bin Turki)Tel: +966-11-2682222

MERCURE VALUE HOTEL Exit 9, Eastern Ring Rd.,Close to Granada Center.Tel: +966-11-2773300

NOVOTEL ALANOUDKing Fahd Rd.Tel: +966-11-2882323

RADISSON BLU HOTELAl Mubarakiah Plaza -King Abdul Aziz St.Tel: +966-11-4791234

RIYADH MARRIOTT HOTELAl Maather St.Tel: +966-11-4779300

RIYADH PALACE HOTELMinistries AreaTel: +966-11-4054444

SHERATON RIYADH HOTEL & TOWERSOlaya Junction of King Fahad & King Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4543300

THE RITZ-CARLTON RIYADHHada Area, Makkah Rd.Tel: +966-11-8028020

VIVIENDA HOTEL VILLASPrince Turki StreetTel: +966-11-4002200Granada OasisTel: +966-11-5118000

Giordano Welcomes The Avengers Giordano’s new line ‘Age of Sport Chic’ comes in line with the highly anticipated new movie ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’.

0544408585

Whether you want to beautify yourself for a special occasion, or you want to host a girls night in

and get pampered, look no further than Spa to Go!

Call and book a day or two in advance and look forward to relaxation on your favorite sofa!

Discover the city in an all new way!COMING SOON


BEAUTY CLINICS

AL MANIHAL CENTER Diplomatic QuarterTel: +966-11-4881069

AL SAFEERAl Naseem Tel: +966-11-2050810

APOLLOTel: 920027070

AYAN CONSULTATIVE King Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-2725555

AYMA CONSULTATIVE King Abdullah Rd. Tel: +966-11-2635555

BEAUTY CORNERKing Fahad Rd.Mob: +966-543300557www.beautycorner.co

FOUR SALON & NAIL SPADiplomatic Quarter Tel: +966-11-2014444www.www.four.com.sa

MALESATakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4888831

MED ART CLINICSOlaya Main St.Tel: 920000045

OBAGI HOSPITALMakkah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4627111

PLATINIUMKhurais Rd.Tel: +966-11-2097777

THE BRITISH CENTERKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-2795555

CLINICS

ATTADAWE King Abdullah Rd. Tel: +966-11-2780211

CONSULTING CENTERTel: +966-11-4555545

CZECH CENTERInfront of King Saud UniversityTel: 920002737 Tel: + 966-11-4877855

DENTAL CLINICS

AAGI DENTAL CENTERTel: +966-11-2080107

DIMA DENTALTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4661200

GAMA DENTAL CLINICKing Abdulaziz RoadTel: +966-11- 4542929Mob: +966-534542929

NOBLE SMILEAbdullah Al Angary St.Tel: +966-11-4197740

RAMAH DENTALTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4800931

SANAYA DENTALTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-2174888

EYE CARE

AL HOKAMAMallazTel: +966-11-4797777

MENSHAF EYE CAREAl RawdaMob: +966-565869059

HOSPITALS

ABAS MEDICAL GROUPRawda-Hamra-DababTel: 920000172

ADMAMakkah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4660000

ALAMAL COMPLEX FOR MENTAL HEALTHAl Khuzami Dist. Tel: +966-11-4804548www.alamal.med.sa

AL FALAH INT’L Tel: +966-11-4463737www.alfalah.com.sa

AL HAMMADI HOSPITAL Khalid ibn Yazid Muawiyah St.Tel: +966-11-4643312www.hammadi.com

AL JAFEL HOSPITALWestern Ring Rd. Tel: +966-11-4322222www.aljafelhospital.com

AL MOUWASAT HOSPITAL Western Ring Rd., Exit 114Tel: +966-11-4455555

DALLAH HOSPITALTel: +966-11-4720777

DR. ABDUL RAHMAN AL MISHARI HOSPITALOlaya Dist.Tel: +966-11-4657700 http://drabdulrahmanalmishari.com.sa

DR. SULAIMAN AL HABIB Olaya Medical Complex Tel: +966-11-4622224www.drsulaimanalhabib.com

GREEN CRESCENTAbdul Malik Bin Marwan St. Tel: +966-11-4644434www.gch.com.sa

KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY King Abdul Aziz Rd.Tel: +966-11-4775524www.medicine.ksu.edu.sa

FITNESS CENTERS

KIDS MY GYMPanorama MallTel: +966-11-42814870

ENT CENTERTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4802229MAYIEZ MEDICALOlaya Tel: +966-11-2169999

PEARL’S SMILESulaimaniyaTel: +966-11-4646334

RIYADH MEDICALOrouba St.Tel: +966-11-4653060

SAUDI SUGEONSTahlia St.Tel: +966-11-4653030

SSCTel: +966-11-2335000

URANUS MEDICALOrouba St.Tel: +966-11-4657000

WHITE WING MEDICAL Takhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4834286

MENAPPLE FITNESSTel: +966-11-4538800

BODY MASTERSTel: 920000626 Tel: +966-11-4875531

FITNESS TIMETel: 920003131

GOLD’S GYMTel: +966-11-6912077

LIFE FITNESSTel: +966-11-2061133

UP SCALE CLUBKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-4871502

WOMENAL MANIHAL CENTERDiplomatic QuarterTel: +966-11-4881069

AL MULTAKA LADIESTel: +966-11-4783388

CURVESOlaya St.Tel: +966-11-4633219

KINETICOTel: +966-11-2815595 Mob: + 966-530034010

LUTHAN HOTEL & SPATel: +966-11-4807799

LUMIEREOlayaTel: +966-11-2169030

NUYU FITNESSwww.nuyu-ksa.com

SCENTEDTel: +966-11-2112003

SPECTRUM Mob: +966-552007897Olaya Main St.

THE EYE CENTERTel: +966-11-4623094www.eyecenter.com.sa

YIBREENOff of Takhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4411115


NATIONAL GUARD HEALTHKing Abdulaziz Medical CityTel: +966-11-8011111www.ngha.med.sa

OBIED SPECIALIZEDAl Farazdaq Rd.Tel: +966-11-4767222

PRINCE SULTAN CARDIAC CENTER Makkah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4783000www.pscc.med.sa

RIYADH CARE HOSPITALTel: +966-11-4933000www.riyadhcare.com

RIYADH MILITARYMakkah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4791000www.rmh.med.sa

S.B.HKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-4636666

SAUDI GERMAN HOSPITALS GROUPKing Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-2685555www.ryd.sghgroup.com.sa

PHARMACIES

ADHWAA AL SEHA Takhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4887455

AL DIMISHQIPrince Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4707887

AL FARABITakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4880843AL HOZAIMIIbn Sulaiman Commercial CenterTel: +966-11-4722054

AL JAZAOlaya Main St.Tel: +966-11-4642072

AL LIZAMOlaya Main St.Tel: +966-11-4655595

AL MOWASA 3Prince Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4568598

AL MUTANABBI Jareer St.Tel: +966-11-2910981

AL OLAYAOlaya Main St.Tel: +966-11-46411501

AL RAJA NO 2Oruba St.Tel: +966-11-4624942

AL RAWABITakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4828028

AL RIYADHOruba St. Tel: +966-11-4643108

AL SAGGAFTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4640716

AL SAGGAF 25Talatheen St.Tel: +966-11-4645274

AL SHAMEEAHTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4880595

AL TERIAQ Prince Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4828289

AL THALATHEENTalatheen St.Tel: +966-11-4623529

AL SHAMSIAJamal CenterTel: +966-11-4057296

ARAC HEALTH CARETalatheen St.Tel: +966-11-4645107ASIR PHARMACYPrince Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4811629

DAR AL DANAAbdullah Bin Sulaiman Al HamdanTel: +966-11-4643373

MAZIN PHARMACYOlaya Main St.Tel: +966-11-4624562

MEDICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICEDabbab St.Tel: +966-11-4629680

MEDICINE TIMEOlaya Main St.Tel: +966-11-4569140

MOHAMMMED AL HOZAIMIOruba St.Tel: +966-11-4628758

NABRA PHARMACYTakhassusi St.Tel: +966-11-4887329

NAZAAR PHARMACYAl Awais MarketTel: +966-11-4541408

NEO (NEOINTERNATIONAL)Olaya Main St.Tel: +966-11-4615089

KING FAHAD MEDICAL CITY (KFMC) Makkah Rd.Tel: 8001277000

KINGDOM HOSPITAL Tel: +966-11-2751111

KING FAISAL SHRCAl Zahrawi St.Tel: +966-11-4647272www.kfshrc.edu.sa

KING KHALED EYE SPECIALIST HOSPITALOruba Branch St. Tel: +966-11-4821234www.kkesh.med.sa

KING SAUD MEDICAL CITYAl Imam Abdul Aziz ibn Saud St.Tel: +966-11-4355555www.ksmc.med.sa

MAGHRABI HOSPITAL Tel: +966-11-4455049www.maghrabi.com.sa

SPECIALIZED M.C.H King Fahad Rd.Tel: +966-11-41164000

SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ HUMANITARIAN CITYExit 6 Tel: +966-11-5620000

NISSAH PHARMACYAl-Rajhi Five BuildingsTel: +966-11-4041573

NOORANA PHARMACY Al MalazTel: +966-11-4785006

OLAYA INTERNATIONALOlaya Main St.Tel: +966-11-4160349

PRINCE PHARMACYTalatheen St.Tel: +966-11-4611418

RAJAA PHARMACY 2Oruba St.Tel: +966-11-4624942

RIYADH CORNERJareer St.Tel: +966-11-4780759

SARA SPECTRUM MEDICAL PHARMACYAkkariya BuildingsTel: +966-11-4601018

SHRAZADSitteen St.Tel: +966-11-4787047

UNIVERSITY PHARMACYAkkariya BuildingsTel: +966-11-4191944

UNIVERSITY (2)Oruba St.Tel: +966-11-4626338

WARDAT AL-OROBAOruba St.Tel: +966-11-4622904

WHITES PHARMACYTel: +966-11-2886877 / 4895994/ 4897750 / 4897751www.whites.net

ZAHRAT AL RAWDA PHARMACYPrince Abdullah Rd.Tel: +966-11-4804935

ZAHRAT SAMIOruba St.Tel: +966-11-4653060

Be visible and join COMING

SOON


BANKS

AL INMA BANK Alanoud Tower Tel: +966-11-2185000www.alinma.com

AL JAZIRA BANK King Abdul Aziz Branch Rd. An Nafal Tel: +966-11-4317474www.baj.com.sa

AL RAJHI BANKUthman ibn Affan Rd Tel: +966-11-4603333www.alrajhibank.com.sa

ARAB NATIONAL BANK Arrwadah Tel: +966-11-4029000www.anb.com.sa

BANK AL BILAD Prince Bandar Bin Abdulaziz Tel: +966-11-4971905www.bankalbilad.com

BANQUE SAUDI FRANSI King Abdullah Rd Tel: +966-11-2899999 www.alfransi.com.sa

NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK Prince Sultan St Tel: 920001000 www.alahli.com

RIYADH BANK King Abdul Aziz Road, Al Murabba Tel: +966-11-4013030www.riyadbank.com

SABB Northern Ring Branch Rd Tel: +966-11-2764356www.sabb.com

SAMBAAlaqiq Dist. Tel: 8001242000www.samba.com

SAUDI HOLLANDI BANKPrince Sultan St Tel: +966-11-2548500 www.shb.com.sa

CAR RENTALS

AL FALAHTel: 920001678

COMPOUNDS

ISHBILIATel: +966-11-2406000Mob: +966-593111389www.ksacompounds.com

AL HAMRA OASIS VILLAGETel: +966-11-2490440www.alhamra.com.sa

AL ISSA COMPOUNDTel: +966-11-4918400

AL JAZEERA BADERTel: +966-11-4921135www.badercompound.com

AL MANARTel: +966-11-2460100

AL MOHAEYATel: +966-11-4821222

AL MOSTAQBAL HOMESTel: +966-11-4816666www.almostaqbalhomes.com

AL NAKHEEL RESIDENCETel: +966-11-4704191

COURIER

ARABIAN HALATel: +966-11-4884887www.hala.com.sa

ARAMEXTel: +966-11-4160353www.aramex.com

DHL WORLDWIDE EXPRESSTel: +966-11-4654200www.dhl.com.sa

FEDEXTel: +966-11-4633999www.fedex.com/sa

BONITA VILLAGEMob: +966-597721361www.alwakkan.com

CORDOBA OASIS VILLAGETel: +966-11-24834711www.cordoba.com.sa

DELTA - 11 ESTATE -VILLAS ROSSASTel: +966-11-4803201

DELTA - 2 ESTATE - VILLAS ROSSASTel: +966-11-4804084

EID VILLASTel: +966-11-2483366www.eidvillas.com.sa

EURO COMPOUNDTel: +966-11-4780718

FAL COMPOUNDTel: +966-11-2490091www.falcompound.org

GRANADA VILLAGETel: +966-11-2488387

GREEN CITYOlaya - Rahmaniah Dist.Mob: +966-559623393www.gccompound.tripod.com

JADAWEL COMPOUNDTel: +966-11-2406000

KINGDOM CITYTel: +966-11-2750275www.kingdom-city.com

NAJD COMPOUNDTel: +966-11- 2481040

PALM COURTTel: +966-11-4850288

RANCO VILLAGETel: +966-11-4924411www.ranvil.com

RIYADH VILLAGEKhurais Road, off exit 36Tel: 08111010101 Mob: +966-541362462

ROC COMPOUNDTel: +966-11-2412800www.roc.com.sa

SAHARA TOWERSTel: +966-11-4625666

SEDER VILLAGETel: +966-11-2280000www.sedervillage.com

STAR COMPOUND VILLAS ROSSASTel: +966-11-4881139

VILLAS ROSAS AL-WADITel: +966-11-4881139http://villasrosasco.com

AL MODDARRAJTel: +966-11-4779902

AVISTel: +966-11-4884887

BEST RENT A CARTel: 8001249955

DIPLOMAT Khurais Rd.Tel: 920008008

EUROPCAR Al Ahsaa St.Tel: 920000153

FAZPrince Sultan St.Tel: +966-11-2912679

ICARTel: +966-11-4561099

SAJILTel: +966-11-4935222

THEEB RENT A CARKhurais Rd.Tel: 920000572

UBERApplication: Uber.com/[email protected]

AL OLA NO 7Tel: +966-11-4608095

AL RABWAAl Rabwa Area, Exit 14 close to Nahda Rd.Mob: +966-544096296www.almutlaq.com

AL RAYAN RESIDENTIAL Tel: +966-11-2089027

AL WAHA VILLAGE VILLAS ROSSASTel: +966-11-4864711

AL YAMAMA VILLAGETel: +966-11-4012550

ARAB INVESTMENT Tel: +966-11-4823444

ARIZONA GOLF RESORTTel: +966-11-2484444www.agr.com.sa

ASASCO VILLAGETel: +966-11-4199000

BARADA VILLAGE ARABIAN HOMESTel: +966-11-4541888www.arabian-homes.com


EMBASSIES

ALGERIATel: +966-11-4887171

ARGENTINATel: +966-11-4652600

AUSTRALIATel: +966-11-4887788

AUSTRIATel: +966-11-4801217

BAHRAINTel: +966-11-4880044

BANGLADESHTel: +966-11-4195300

BELGIUMTel: +966-11-4882888

BRAZILTel: +966-11-4880018

BRITAINTel: +966-11-4880077

BRUNEITel: +966-11-4560814

BURKINA FASOTel: +966-11-4652244

CAMEROONTel: +966-11-4880022

CANADA Tel: +966-11-4882288

CHINA Tel: +966-11-4832126

CZECH REPUBLICTel: +966-11-4503617

DENMARKTel: +966-11-4880101Ext 111163

DJIBOUTITel: +966-11-4543182

EGYPT

Tel: +966-11-4810159

Tel: +966-11-4831458

ERITREA

Tel: +966-11-4801731

OVERSEAS COURIER SERVICETel: +966-11-4647193www.ocstracking.com www.ocscouner.com

UPS GLOBALTel: +966-11-4626655www.ups.com

ETHIOPIA

Tel: +966-11-4824055

FINLAND

Tel: +966-11-4881515

Ext 9

FRANCE

Tel: +966-11-4881255

GABON

Tel: +966-11-4567173

GAMBIA

Tel: +966-11-2052158

GERMANY

Tel: +966-11-4880700

GHANA

Tel: +966-11-4545122

GREECE

Tel: +966-11-4801975

GUINEA

Tel: +966-11-4881121

HUNGARY

Tel: +966-11-4546707

INDIA

Tel: +966-11-4884144

INDONESIA

Tel: +966-11-4882282

IRAN

Tel: +966-11-4881444

IRELAND

Tel: +966-11-4882300

ITALY

Tel: +966-11-4881212

JAPAN

Tel: +966-11-4881100

JORDAN

Tel: +966-11-4880071

KENYA

Tel: +966-11-4882484

KOREA

Tel: +966-11-4882211

KUWAIT

Tel: +966-11-4883500

LEBANON

Tel: +966-11-4804060

MALAYSIA

Tel: +966-11-4887100

MALI

Tel: +966-11-2290753

MALTA

Tel: +966-11-4615315

MAURITANIA

Tel: +966-11-4646749

MEXICO

Tel: +966-11-4808822

MOROCCO

Tel: +966-11-4826382

NEPAL

Tel: +966-11-4645170

NETHERLANDS

Tel: +966-11-4880011

NEW ZELAND

Tel: +966-11-4887988

NIGERIA

Tel: +966-11-4823024

NORWAY

Tel: +966-11-4881904

Ext 300

OMAN

Tel: +966-11-4823120

PAKISTAN

Tel: +966-11-4884111

PERU

Tel: +966-11-4822474

PHILIPPINES

Tel: +966-11-4823559

PORTUGAL

Tel: +966-11-4826964

QATAR

Tel: +966-11-4825544

RUSSIA

Tel: +966-11-4811432

SENEGAL

Tel: +966-11-4880146

SIERRA LEONE

Tel: +966-11-4643982

SINGAPORE

Tel: +966-11-4803855

SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +966-11-4429728

SPAIN

Tel: +966-11-4880606

SRI LANKA

Tel: +966-11-4608232

SUDAN

Tel: +966-11-4887979

SWEDEN

Tel: +966-11-8806700

Ext 204

SWITZERLAND

Tel: +966-11-4881291

SYRIA

Tel: +966-11-4887481

TANZANIA

Tel: +966-11-4542833

THAILAND

Tel: +966-11-4881174

TUNISIATel: +966-11-4887900

TURKEYTel: +966-11-4820101

UAETel: +966-11-4881227

UGANDATel: +966-11-4544910UKRAINETel: +966-11-4508536

URUGUAYTel: +966-11-4620739

USA Tel: +966-11-4801831

YEMENTel: +966-11-4881769

www.DestinationListing.comCOMING

SOON


THE FIRST AUGMENTED REALITY ENABLED MAGAZINE IN KSA

Download Destination KSA AR+ app Available on Google play

for Android devices through the below QR Code

Look for the Destination KSA AR+ logo on magazine pages

Open the application and point the camera to the

page with the AR+ icon and experience the magic.

Scan the QR code to download the application from the App Store and Google Play, Destination KSA AR+ Application is developed and powered by Zeedia platform.

www.zeedia.net

WHAT IS AUGMENTED REALITY? Augmented reality is an advanced technology that enhances digital information with a live video. In other words, AR utilizes an existing picture and blends new data into it. This technology can offer numerous benefits for businesses; as it helps customers experience what your product has to offer in an entertaining attractive method. Experts refer to augmented reality as an artificial environment presented through the combination of real world and digital data.

WHAT IS DESTINATION KSA AR+?Destination KSA AR+ is a mobile application through which Desitnation magazines evolved to Augmented Reality enabled magazines. We believe that through AR technologies the perception of printed media can be altered to the best.

Combining printed media with AR technologies will enhance the reader experience enormously through:- Circularity of communication - Dynamic contents

- High degree of interactivity- Active enjoyment- Multi-medialitySo enabling Destination magazines with AR technologies through the use of Destination KSA AR+ will definitely revolutionize the perception of its readers.

Follow the instructions below to download the application and enjoy a whole new experience of Destination magazines. Reality has been Updated.

dr issue 27

Documents