Which Gulf country is easiest for Swiss, German and Austrian travellers to visit?

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are visa-free, and Oman is visa-free for up to 14 days. Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia require an e-visa, which can be applied for online in just a few days.

Where is alcohol allowed on the Arabian Peninsula?

In Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, it's available in licensed hotels, restaurants and some shops. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, it's fully banned nationwide, including possession and import.

Do female tourists need to cover up in the Gulf states?

Outside beaches and hotel grounds, a conservative dress code applies everywhere, with shoulders and knees covered, but no headscarf requirement for non-Muslim women. In Saudi Arabia, the abaya requirement for foreign women was dropped in 2019; the dress code is enforced most strictly in Kuwait.

Can you combine Dubai and Oman in one trip?

Yes, either by flying from Dubai to Muscat in around 1 hour, or overland into the Omani exclave of Musandam, reachable from Ras al-Khaimah via the Al Dara border post.

Is Kuwait a suitable travel destination for tourists?

Only to a limited extent. Kuwait City has sights such as the Kuwait Towers, but outside the capital, tourist infrastructure is largely absent, and alcohol is fully banned. The country remains mainly a business-travel destination.

What time zone are the Gulf states in?

Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia sit at UTC+3, Oman and the UAE at UTC+4, all six with no daylight saving time year-round.

Which Gulf states have UNESCO World Heritage sites?

Saudi Arabia leads with 8 sites, ahead of Oman with 5, Bahrain and the UAE with 3 each, and Qatar with 1. Kuwait has no listed site yet, but 6 on the tentative list.

Is the Gulf region safe to travel to?

The six Gulf states themselves are considered, according to the FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office and the BMEIA, largely calm; regional tensions mainly concern Saudi Arabia's border area with Yemen. The current travel advisories from the respective foreign ministries are always authoritative.

Do you need a visa for Qatar?

No, Swiss, German and Austrian passport holders enter visa-free for up to 90 days, extendable. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months on entry.

Is there a shared visa for multiple Gulf states?

Not across the region: an announced Gulf-wide tourist visa (GCC Grand Tours Visa) cannot yet be used for all six countries, so the entry rules of the individual countries apply (as of September 2026).

How does Saudi Arabia differ from the other Gulf states?

At around 2.15 million km², Saudi Arabia is more than ten times as large as the other five countries combined, only opened up to tourism in 2019, and maintains the strictest alcohol ban and access restrictions for non-Muslims in Mecca.

Can you travel the Arabian Peninsula during Ramadan?

Yes, but with limitations: during the day, many restaurants close, opening hours shorten, and alcohol service pauses everywhere it's otherwise allowed. After sunset, a lively nightlife begins with the Iftar meal.

How do you travel between Doha and Dubai?

Fastest by flight, around 1 hour nonstop, served several times daily by Qatar Airways, Emirates and flydubai. There is no touristically usable land connection between Qatar and the UAE.

Which country on the Arabian Peninsula has the most relaxed nightlife?

Bahrain is considered the most liberal of the six countries, with more freely available alcohol in hotels, restaurants and shops; the country has been a weekend destination for guests from neighbouring Saudi Arabia for decades.

Arabian Peninsula: Gulf States Compared, Visas, Climate

Q: How do you get from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia?

Via the 25 km-long King Fahd Causeway, opened in 1986, with a border checkpoint on an artificial island in the middle. The drive takes around 30 to 45 minutes depending on wait times.

Q: What does a trip through the Gulf states cost?

All six currencies are pegged to the US dollar. The UAE and Qatar are the most expensive, Bahrain and Oman the cheapest; fixed costs include entry fees such as 173 AED for the Burj Khalifa or 70 AED for the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Q: When is the best time to visit the Arabian Peninsula?

November to March, when daytime values usually sit between 20 and 30°C. The exception is Salalah in Oman, where the Khareef monsoon from late June to early September brings cooler, greener weeks.

What connects the Gulf states of the Arabian Peninsula, and where do they differ?

In short

Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE all sit on the Arabian Peninsula, have been united in the Gulf Cooperation Council since 1981, and rely on oil and gas. As travel destinations, they have since developed in very different directions: Dubai and Doha built global hubs and skylines, Saudi Arabia only opened up to leisure travellers in 2019, and Kuwait remains barely developed for tourism.

Geographically, the Arabian Peninsula forms the southwestern extension of Asia, between the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Saudi Arabia takes up the largest share at around 2.15 million km² and borders all five other countries; Bahrain and Qatar sit as an island and a narrow peninsula respectively in the Persian Gulf, Kuwait at its northern tip between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, while the United Arab Emirates and Oman share the southeast up to the Strait of Hormuz.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), founded on 25 May 1981 in Riyadh, ties all six countries together economically and on security policy, and underpins the peg of their currencies to the US dollar. As a travel destination, however, its members have positioned themselves very differently: Dubai ranked in 2025, with 95.2 million passengers at DXB airport, among the world's busiest airports, while Kuwait, according to the BMEIA, has barely any tourist infrastructure outside the capital.

For cross-border trip planning, three points matter most: the entry regime, ranging from visa-free (Qatar, UAE) to a paid eVisa (Saudi Arabia); the rules on alcohol and dress, which swing between a strict ban in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and a more liberal approach in Bahrain; and flight connections, since Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are themselves among the world's largest hubs.

Sources: Gulf Cooperation Council (gcc-sg.org) · Gulf News · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria

How do the six Gulf states compare at a glance?

In short

Qatar and the UAE are visa-free for Swiss, German and Austrian nationals, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia require an e-visa, and Oman is visa-free for up to 14 days. On alcohol, a clear line separates Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, with a strict ban, from the four other countries, which have licensed outlets (as of September 2026).

The six Gulf states compared (short version, as of 23 September 2026)
Country	Character	Best months	Entry for CH/DE/AT	Alcohol	Price level
Bahrain	Island nation, pearling heritage, the most liberal nightlife on the Gulf	November to March	e-visa online or on arrival	freely available in hotels, restaurants, shops	moderate
Qatar	Capital-peninsula, museum architecture, desert at Khor al-Adaid	November to March	visa-free for up to 90 days	only in licensed hotel bars and the state-run QDC store	high
Kuwait	Northern tip of the Gulf, barely any tourist infrastructure	November to March	e-visa online or on arrival	fully banned, including possession and import	moderate to high
Oman	Mountains, fjords, desert, the calmest Gulf country	November to March, the south June to September	visa-free for up to 14 days	licensed hotels and select shops	moderate
Saudi Arabia	The largest country, deserts, the Red Sea, Nabataean heritage	November to March	paid eVisa (535 SAR)	fully banned nationwide	moderate to high
United Arab Emirates	Seven emirates, skyscrapers, desert, beaches	November to March	visa-free for up to 90 days	licensed hotels, restaurants and shops	high

For entry, Qatar and the UAE sit at the liberal end: Swiss, German and Austrian passports are sufficient without a prior visa. Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia require an electronic visa; in Saudi Arabia, this comes at a fee of 535 SAR (around 140 US dollars) for a one-year, multiple-entry visa. Oman takes a middle position with 14 visa-free days.

There is not yet a shared entry option covering all six countries: according to Gulf News, the announced GCC visa (GCC Grand Tours Visa) cannot yet be used across the region, so the entry rules of the individual countries apply (as of September 2026).

Sources: TalkTravel Editorial · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Visit Saudi (Saudi Tourism Authority) · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · The Middle East Insider · Gulf News

When is the best time to visit the Gulf states?

In short

November to March is the most pleasant time across all six countries, with daytime values usually between 20 and 30°C. From June to September, temperatures in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf lowlands frequently rise above 45°C; the sole exception is Salalah in Oman, where the Khareef monsoon from late June to early September brings cool weather and drizzle.

Between November and March, daytime highs in Manama, Doha, Kuwait City, Riyadh and Dubai usually sit between 20 and 30°C, cooling noticeably at night. These months are also high season for desert safaris, golf tournaments and outdoor events; the Formula 1 races in Bahrain (March) and Qatar, as well as the Riyadh Season (October to March), are deliberately scheduled for this period.

From June to September, it gets extremely hot across the entire Gulf lowlands: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia regularly report daytime values above 45°C, with peaks over 50°C recorded in Kuwait. Travellers during this period plan activities around air-conditioned malls, museums, or the evening hours.

Gulf lowlands: Manama, Doha, Riyadh and Dubai

Manama	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	21	22	26	31	37	39	40	40	38	34	28	23
Low °C	16	17	19	24	28	31	33	33	31	28	23	18
Rainfall mm	7	5	3	4	0	0	0	1	0	1	10	8

Doha	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	24	25	28	34	39	43	43	42	40	36	30	25
Low °C	16	16	19	24	29	31	33	33	31	27	23	18
Rainfall mm	6	5	4	5	0	0	0	0	0	2	10	9

Riad	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	22	24	29	33	39	43	44	44	41	36	28	23
Low °C	9	10	15	20	25	27	29	28	25	20	15	10
Rainfall mm	6	4	2	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	7	6

Dubai-Stadt	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	25	27	30	34	38	41	42	42	40	36	31	27
Low °C	17	18	21	24	28	31	33	33	31	27	23	19
Rainfall mm	17	8	16	9	4	4	1	1	2	1	8	14

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station BAHRAIN INTL (7 km, 2 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station DOHA INTL (4 km, 11 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station KING KHALED INTL (27 km, 625 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station DUBAI INTL (11 km, 10 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

An exception is Salalah in southern Oman: from late June to early September, the Khareef monsoon transforms the coast into a green landscape with drizzle and temperatures around 23°C, while the rest of the Peninsula sits in summer heat. In the mountains of Oman around Nizwa and Jebel Shams, altitude somewhat softens the extremes.

Kuwait City, Muscat and Salalah

Kuwait-Stadt	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	21	23	28	34	40	46	47	47	44	37	27	22
Low °C	8	10	14	20	26	30	32	31	27	21	15	9
Rainfall mm	12	8	4	7	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	8

Maskat	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	27	28	32	36	42	43	42	41	39	37	32	28
Low °C	17	18	22	26	30	33	33	32	30	26	22	18
Rainfall mm	18	14	21	12	6	12	11	8	5	6	9	10

Salalah-Stadt	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	28	28	30	32	33	32	28	28	30	31	31	29
Low °C	20	20	22	26	28	28	25	24	25	24	23	21
Rainfall mm	2	7	33	5	55	11	82	58	94	2	11	3

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station KUWAIT INTL (17 km, 63 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station AL AMERAT (12 km, 105 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station SALALAH (3 km, 22 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

Ramadan shifts by around eleven days each year in the solar calendar and therefore begins correspondingly earlier every year; the exact start and end depend on the moon sighting. During the day, many restaurants close, opening hours shorten, and alcohol service pauses nationwide even where it's otherwise allowed; after sunset, a lively nightlife begins with the Iftar meal.

Sources: timeanddate.de · Gulf News · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany

Which Gulf state suits which kind of trip?

In short

The UAE and Qatar offer the most easily planned city breaks with world-class architecture, Oman the broadest nature programme from mountains to fjords, and Saudi Arabia the largest unspoiled distances, including Nabataean heritage. Bahrain scores with short distances and a relaxed everyday culture, while Kuwait remains a destination for business travellers and a few specialists.

United Arab Emirates: seven emirates between skyscrapers and desert

The United Arab Emirates have been a federation of seven emirates since 2 December 1971, with Abu Dhabi as the capital. Dubai draws the most visitors with the 828 m Burj Khalifa and DXB airport; Abu Dhabi offers a calmer picture with the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Al Ain oasis; and Ras al Khaimah attracts active travellers with the 1,934 m Jebel Jais and the world's longest zipline.

Qatar: a compact capital-peninsula

Qatar is, for tourism purposes, almost entirely Doha and its surroundings: the Museum of Islamic Art, the artificial island The Pearl, and the traditional Souq Waqif all sit within the city limits. Outside it, the Khor al-Adaid inland sea in the south and the UNESCO-listed ruined city of Al Zubarah in the north, inscribed since 2013, are worth the trip; Qatar is thus the country on the Peninsula most concentrated on a single city.

Bahrain: short distances, the most liberal everyday life

At around 780 km², Bahrain is the smallest country on the Peninsula and connects directly to Saudi Arabia via the 25 km-long King Fahd Causeway. Within a small area lie Bahrain Fort, the Pearling Path in Muharraq, and the Dilmun Burial Mounds — three UNESCO sites — alongside an unusually free alcohol service for the Gulf region; Bahrain has been a weekend destination for guests from neighbouring Saudi Arabia for decades.

Kuwait: barely developed for tourism

Kuwait concentrates its travel scene in Kuwait City, with the Kuwait Towers and the Grand Mosque; offshore lies Failaka Island with ancient ruins badly damaged in the 1990/91 Gulf War. Alcohol is fully banned nationwide, including possession and import, and tourist infrastructure outside the capital is largely absent — Kuwait remains, above all, a destination for business travellers and Gulf specialists.

Saudi Arabia: the largest area, the most recent opening

Saudi Arabia only opened up to leisure travellers with a tourist visa in 2019, and connects the modern capital Riyadh with the historic port city of Jeddah and the Nabataean tombs of Hegra near AlUla, the country's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2008. At around 2.15 million km², it's more than ten times as large as the other five countries combined; alcohol remains banned nationwide, and Mecca is entirely off-limits to non-Muslims.

Oman: mountains, fjords and desert on short routes

Oman connects the port city of Muscat with the round fort of Nizwa, the up-to-3,018 m Jebel Shams, and the dunes of the Sharqiya Sands, plus the remote fjord landscape of Musandam and the monsoon destination of Salalah in the south. As the only country on the Peninsula, it remains accessible to Swiss, German and Austrian travellers without a paid visa, and, according to Germany's Federal Foreign Office, is considered one of the calmest countries in the region.

Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · TalkTravel Editorial · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Visit Saudi (Saudi Tourism Authority) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany

Which routes connect multiple Gulf states?

In short

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are the easiest to combine, via the King Fahd Causeway, followed by the UAE and Oman via the land border near Ras al-Khaimah into the exclave of Musandam. Qatar and Kuwait, lacking a land border to the other countries, can only be linked by flight, usually with a stopover in Dubai or Doha.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia: 25 km via the King Fahd Causeway

The only fixed land link between two island states on the Peninsula runs from Manama over the 25 km-long King Fahd Causeway, opened in 1986, to Al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia, with a border checkpoint on an artificial island in the middle. The drive takes around 30 to 45 minutes depending on wait times at the border, and is especially busy on weekends, when Saudi visitors cross into Bahrain for a night out.

UAE and Oman: by land into the fjords of Musandam

From Dubai or Ras al Khaimah, the coastal road leads in roughly two to three-and-a-half hours to the Al Dara border crossing and on into the Omani exclave of Musandam, with its main town Khasab; a visa for Oman is issued directly at the land border. For the rest of Oman, with Muscat and Nizwa, flying from Dubai in around 1 hour is the faster option, since Musandam is separated from the Omani mainland by a strip of UAE territory.

Qatar and Kuwait: connected to their neighbours only by flight

Qatar has no touristically usable land border to its neighbours; its short border with Saudi Arabia lies in rugged desert terrain. The Doha–Dubai flight takes around 1 hour nonstop and is served several times daily by Qatar Airways, Emirates and flydubai. Kuwait lies closest to Bahrain (around 1 hour 10 minutes by air) and to Qatar (around 1 hour 20 minutes); an overland route via Saudi Arabia is theoretically possible but is barely recommended by the FDFA and the Federal Foreign Office, given the long desert stretch and lack of tourist infrastructure.

Flight times between Gulf capitals (selection, nonstop)
Route	Airlines (selection)	Flight time
Dubai – Doha	Emirates, Qatar Airways, flydubai	around 1 h
Dubai – Muscat	Emirates, Oman Air, flydubai	around 1 h
Dubai – Riyadh	Emirates, Saudia, flynas	around 2 h 10 min
Manama – Kuwait City	Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways	around 1 h 10 min
Doha – Kuwait City	Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways	around 1 h 20 min
Manama – Riyadh (via Causeway)	Car/bus	around 4 to 5 h

All flight times are editorial estimates based on the schedules of the airlines named, not guaranteed travel times; processing times at borders such as the King Fahd Causeway can vary considerably.

Sources: TalkTravel Editorial · Oman Air · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria

How do you fly to the Arabian Peninsula, and how do you travel between the countries?

In short

Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are themselves world-class hubs: DXB was, in 2025, the world's busiest airport for international travel with 95.2 million passengers, and Hamad International Doha was named the world's best airport by Skytrax in 2021, 2022 and 2024. From there, nonstop flights reach the other four countries within just a few hours.

International hubs of the Gulf states (selection, as of September 2026)
Airport	Passengers 2025	Distinctive feature
Dubai International (DXB)	95.2 million	world's No. 1 for international passenger traffic, nonstop from among others Zurich, New York, Sydney, Johannesburg
Hamad International Doha (DOH)	54.3 million	Skytrax "World's Best Airport" 2021/2022/2024, connections to more than 160 destinations
Zayed International Abu Dhabi (AUH)	over 28 million (Jan.–June 2024: 14.0 million)	new Terminal A since November 2023, capacity up to 45 million passengers per year
King Khalid International Riyadh (RUH)	-	Saudi Arabia's largest airport
King Abdulaziz International Jeddah (JED)	-	gateway to Mecca and Medina for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims
Muscat International (MCT)	-	Oman's most important connecting point, reachable directly from Dubai in around 1 h
Bahrain International Muharraq (BAH)	-	also reachable by car from Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway
Kuwait International (KWI)	-	the smallest of the seven hubs, primarily a business-travel destination

Nonstop connections to Europe exist from practically every major city: Dubai and Doha reach, among others, Zurich, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Madrid several times daily, while Riyadh and Jeddah connect mainly to larger hubs like Frankfurt and Paris. From Asia, Oceania and Africa, the three big Gulf hubs make nonstop connections possible that would often require a detour via a European hub — Dubai, for instance, connects nonstop with Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Johannesburg and Singapore.

Time zones of the Gulf states
Country	Time zone
Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia	UTC+3, no daylight saving time year-round
Oman, United Arab Emirates	UTC+4, no daylight saving time year-round

Between the countries themselves, flights carry almost all the traffic: Dubai–Doha takes around 1 hour nonstop, Dubai–Riyadh around 2 hours 10 minutes, and Manama–Kuwait City around 1 hour 10 minutes. Only between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and between the UAE and the Omani exclave of Musandam, is travelling overland a real alternative to flying.

Sources: Gulf News · Wikipedia · Passenger Terminal Today · timeanddate.de

What applies to entry, visas and health on the Arabian Peninsula?

In short

Qatar and the UAE allow Swiss, German and Austrian nationals to enter without a prior visa; Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia require an e-visa, while Oman is visa-free for up to 14 days. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months on entry everywhere; health-wise, summer heat is the main concern, and there is no significant malaria risk for tourists in any of the six countries.

Entry for holiday travel, as of September 2026
Country	Rule for CH/DE/AT	Cost	Validity
Bahrain	e-visa online or on arrival	e-visa, fee applies	up to 30 days, extendable
Qatar	visa-free	no fee	up to 90 days, extendable
Kuwait	e-visa online or on arrival	e-visa, fee applies	up to 90 days
Oman	visa-free	no fee	up to 14 days
Saudi Arabia	eVisa	535 SAR (around 140 US dollars)	1 year, multiple entry, up to 90 days per stay
United Arab Emirates	visa-free	no fee	up to 90 days within 180 days

Separate rules apply to nationalities other than Swiss, German and Austrian; the FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office, the BMEIA and the immigration authorities of the individual countries are always authoritative. An announced joint GCC visa (GCC Grand Tours) cannot yet be used across the region (as of September 2026).

Health: heat rather than malaria

None of the six countries is considered a malaria area for tourists, and no mandatory vaccinations from Europe apply anywhere; hepatitis A is usually recommended. One exception concerns pilgrims: anyone travelling to Mecca for Hajj or Umrah needs, according to Saudi authorities, a meningococcal vaccination (ACWY). For leisure travellers without a pilgrimage programme, this requirement doesn't apply.

The biggest shared health risk is heat: at temperatures above 45°C from June to September, heat exhaustion and dehydration are a risk, especially during outdoor activities in the afternoon. Travel medicine bodies recommend plenty of fluids, sun protection, and shifting activities to the cooler morning and evening hours during this period.

What does a trip through the Gulf states cost?

In short

All six currencies are pegged to the US dollar, which makes prices comparable across borders. The UAE and Qatar are the most expensive, with five-star tourism, while Bahrain and Oman are the cheapest; fixed costs include entry fees such as 173 AED for the Burj Khalifa or 70 AED for the Louvre Abu Dhabi (as of September 2026).

Currencies of the Gulf states, pegged to the US dollar
Country	Currency	Approximate fixed rate to the US dollar
Bahrain	Bahraini Dinar (BHD)	0.376 BHD = 1 USD
Qatar	Qatari Riyal (QAR)	3.64 QAR = 1 USD
Kuwait	Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)	one of the highest-valued currencies in the world
Oman	Omani Rial (OMR)	around 0.385 OMR = 1 USD
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Riyal (SAR)	3.75 SAR = 1 USD
United Arab Emirates	UAE Dirham (AED)	3.6725 AED = 1 USD

The price level largely follows the tourism orientation: Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, along with Doha in Qatar, rank among the most expensive destinations in the region with five-star resorts and fine dining, while accommodation in Bahrain and mainland Oman sits noticeably lower. Kuwait, despite its lack of tourism infrastructure, isn't cheap for hotels and restaurants, since prices are heavily oriented around the business-travel market.

Fixed entry prices offer a benchmark: the "At the Top" observation deck in the Burj Khalifa costs 173 AED for adults outside peak times, and 250 AED during prime time (4 to 7 pm); the Louvre Abu Dhabi charges a standard entry fee of 70 AED, with children under 18 free. In Saudi Arabia, the eVisa fee of 535 SAR already includes mandatory travel health insurance.

Card payment is widespread in hotels, restaurants and large shops across all six countries; cash in the local currency is useful for taxis, small souks, and the toll on the King Fahd Causeway.

Sources: TalkTravel Editorial · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · TravelTriangle · Louvre Abu Dhabi · Visit Saudi (Saudi Tourism Authority)

What culture and festivals shape the Gulf states?

In short

Islam shapes everyday life, dress and legal order in all six countries, with noticeably differing degrees of strictness: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the most conservative, while Bahrain and the UAE are more liberal in daily life. Shared heritage includes Gulf pearl diving, Bedouin culture and falconry, plus 20 UNESCO World Heritage sites from Hegra to the Pearling Path.

Dress and everyday life

Outside beaches and hotel grounds, a conservative dress code applies in all six countries: keeping shoulders and knees covered is the common expectation in malls, restaurants and religious sites, without female tourists in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain or Oman needing to wear a headscarf. In Saudi Arabia, the abaya requirement for foreign women was dropped as part of the reforms since 2019, though loose, modest clothing remains common. The dress code is enforced most strictly in Kuwait and in religious districts of Saudi Arabia.

Pearls, Bedouins and falcons

Until the discovery of oil in the 1930s, the entire Gulf coast lived off pearl diving; Bahrain's Pearling Path in Muharraq and the Qatari ruined city of Al Zubarah stand as UNESCO sites commemorating it. Inland, Bedouin culture, with camel racing, falconry and majlis gatherings, still shapes festivals and everyday rituals today, from desert camps near Doha to the camel markets of Saudi Arabia.

UNESCO World Heritage

UNESCO World Heritage sites on the Arabian Peninsula, as of September 2026
Country	Number of sites	Best-known example
Saudi Arabia	8	Hegra (Al-Hijr), since 2008
Oman	5	Land of Frankincense, since 2000
Bahrain	3	Pearling Path, Muharraq, since 2012
United Arab Emirates	3	Cultural Sites of Al Ain, since 2011
Qatar	1	Al Zubarah, since 2013
Kuwait	0	no listing yet, 6 sites on the tentative list

Festivals throughout the year

Alongside religious holidays such as Ramadan and the two Eid festivals, all six countries have their own national days: Saudi Arabia on 23 September (founding of the kingdom, 1932), the UAE on 2 December (founding, 1971), Bahrain on 16 December, Qatar on 18 December, Oman on 18 November, and Kuwait on 25 February. Added to these are major touristic dates such as the Riyadh Season from October to March, the Dubai Shopping Festival in winter, and the Bahrain Grand Prix in March, which brought Formula 1 racing to the Gulf starting in 2004.

Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · TalkTravel Editorial · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Foreign Office, Germany

Arabian Peninsula

What connects the Gulf states of the Arabian Peninsula, and where do they differ?

How do the six Gulf states compare at a glance?

When is the best time to visit the Gulf states?

Which Gulf state suits which kind of trip?

United Arab Emirates: seven emirates between skyscrapers and desert

Qatar: a compact capital-peninsula

Bahrain: short distances, the most liberal everyday life

Kuwait: barely developed for tourism

Saudi Arabia: the largest area, the most recent opening

Oman: mountains, fjords and desert on short routes

Which routes connect multiple Gulf states?

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia: 25 km via the King Fahd Causeway

UAE and Oman: by land into the fjords of Musandam

Qatar and Kuwait: connected to their neighbours only by flight

How do you fly to the Arabian Peninsula, and how do you travel between the countries?

What applies to entry, visas and health on the Arabian Peninsula?

Health: heat rather than malaria

What does a trip through the Gulf states cost?

What culture and festivals shape the Gulf states?

Dress and everyday life

Pearls, Bedouins and falcons

UNESCO World Heritage

Festivals throughout the year

Destinations in this part of the world

Frequently asked questions

Where this information comes from

Plan Arabian Peninsula with AVA