Saudi Arabia - where the questions never end
Posted Monday, February 26, 2007, 7:21 PM by Lonely Planet
Frances Linzee Gordon has just completed an unprecedented research assignment in Saudi Arabia for Lonely Planet's forthcoming guide to the Arabian Peninsula. As the first person ever to be granted a visa to visit the Kingdom as an independent tourist, she kept a diary of her adventures. In the third of eight blog posts, Frances finds out what's beyond the checkpoints...
'Are you her husband?' the policeman enquired.
'No, I am her driver' Abdullah replied.
'But there is no sponsor. Who is her sponsor?' the policeman asked with irritation as he peered perplexed at the visa.
'She came... independently' Abdullah ventured.
'Independently? What do you mean independently?' the policeman asked, baffled.
'She came on her own. She doesn't have a sponsor.'
'She came on her own? She can't come on her own - it's impossible to come on her own!'
The procedure was familiar now, like a ritual. Abdullah duly lowered his window and handed over the fat file of permits.
Though holding the file upside down, the policeman fingered it, feigning examination of the papers. After a minute, he withdrew to show it to his superiors. They then proceeded to refer my case to their superiors via radio. It seemed something of a Saudi speciality: a disinclination to take responsibility.
There were checkpoints everywhere. Though the blank entry in my visa continued to cause consternation, the precious permission file seemed to do the trick. With an air of exasperation, my passport and papers were usually stuffed back through the window, and we were waved on.
After the bureaucracy of the capital and the officiousness on the road, it was a relief to turn in at last to the new Red Sea resort at Al-Lith.
With the longest coastline of any country on the eastern seaboard of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia has huge diving potential. The very few who know it rank it among the best diving in the world. This obscurity is also its greatest advantage: the reefs are almost deserted of divers and boats.
As soon as we hit the water, we came face to face with two of the largest whitetip sharks I had ever seen; they were quite unruffled by our presence. Above our heads, just below the surface, was a shimmering shoal of some of the most curious creatures I have ever encountered: large, bumphead parrot fish, turquoise-green and with a prominent protrusion from their head. The corals - hard and soft - were magnificent. Towards the end of the dive, a huge leatherback turtle, startled by our presence, dived deeply below us.
Knowing that I came to the Kingdom without a sponsor, and that I am qualified as a divemaster, Abdullah is now convinced I am a spy.
Labels: Frances Linzee Gordon in Saudi Arabia, Middle East
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16 Comments:
It's true - the questions never end!
So women are obviously allowed to go diving? What are the rules regarding this - eg. what did you wear?! It's hard to imagine you changing from your abbeya into a tight fitting wetsuit!
PLEASE tell us more about your adventure. For most of us, it's something we can only hear about through others.
It's true that women can go diving. Though I only snorkled, I know women who touted their dives near the Jeddah Creek as the best in the world. The snorkling was incredible, and you can take your children without having the concerns that go with SCUBA diving. The day we went we had the beach to ourselves.
Can't wait to read further observations . . .
My husband and I lived in Saudi Arabia for nearly three years and discovered new "red tape" on an almost daily basis. One of my favorites is not being allowed to check into a hotel in Qatar (when we visited there) until we had surrendered our ORIGINAL wedding certificate to be photocopied by hotel personnel (certified copies from US county officials are not accepted). This copy had to be filed with our room reservation at the desk in case any questions came up about the veracity of our union.
Another delightful experience was trying to expedite the entry of a married employee into Saudi Arabia with his wife who had kept her maiden name after their marriage (married late in life and wanted to continue using the name she was accustomed to). The Saudi visa official was aghast until my husband showed him the official marriage certificate with the un-identical last names and said, "You know, American feminists", shrugged his shoulders, and rolled his eyes. The Saudi official acknowledged with an all-knowing look of "Oh, yes, feminists" and stamped the paperwork without any further ado.
I worked in Saudi for nearly 7 years. I'd like to return for a visit. How does one go about obtaining a tourist visa?
I also lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for a time with my husband and children and felt very priveledged to have been able to dive with my friends at least weekly. The funny part was when leaving Jeddah on a dive boat I would be required to present a letter of approval from my husband and of course, I had my bikini on underneath the big black abaya. As far as the coastguard was concerned I was simply going on a boat trip as diving was prohibited for women.
Read more please here http://www.smh.com.au/news/asia/tourist-problem-for-saudis/2006/07/13/1152637782025.html
Hi Anonymous,
Yes, women can dive in the Kingdom. As with everything in Saudi Arabia, you are expected to behave with modesty and decorum though.
I wore my wetsuit (yes, it was very tight - too many Saudi dates, sweeties and kabsa and other delicious Saudi dishes) right up until the last minute, then with a flick of the wrist removed it just before the dive, shouldered my air tank and plunged hippo-like into the water.
Getting out of the wetsuit at the end of the dive was a slightly more complicated and less elegant affair. As I struggled to peel it off, the boat operators' eyes were - understandably - out on stalks...
However, the diving fraternity in Saudi are pretty well-used to the diving dress code, and women shouldn't feel too uncomfortable. If you do, one tip is to don your BCD over your wetsuit like a jacket until you're ready to dive.
Other rules or protocol regarding diving is a reluctance on the part of some dive masters or instructors to take sole women out diving. They prefer a group; as elsewhere, women are usually accompanied only by family members or female friends. But as with all sports or leisure activities practised by Westerners, allowances are usually made.
It's worth noting also here that women are not permitted to wear swim suits or bikinis on most public beaches. You have to wear full-length trousers and t-shirts.
These items should also be worn until just before or after diving or snorkelling. Though you don't have to, it avoids any tangles with the religious police, as well as showing respect for the local culture and sensibilities.
If you're keen to sunbathe, the best option is to head for one of the five-star hotels which usually have their own private beach (pools are rarely open to women) that is patronised by other Westerners. Non-guests are usually allowed access to the beach though a small day fee is sometimes charged (which includes use of a towel and the showers etc).
Hi Anonymous 2,
Well, hope you've got a bit more of a sense of the "adventure" now that all the postings are up...
And yes, I feel so lucky to have had the chance. But it's not impossible these days for others to go (see my posting re visa regulations in answer to a question posted the first week). Hope you get there one day. I'd really recommend it, even to women.
Hi Karen,
Thanks for the posting. As you say, snorkelling is in many ways just as good as diving. You don't have to go deep to see all the fish. And it's a great family activity too as you also suggest.
The diving really is spectacular in Saudi - some of the best I've ever had the fortune to try. It's also considered quite "forgiving" - in other words, temperate water temperatures, few currents or other hazards. Above all, there's almost no one else!
Hi Dixie,
Thanks for the posting - two great stories!
You make a good point also re married couples hoping to travel together. They will need proof of their marital status (though photocopies usually do in Saudi).
Hi Tom,
Re how to get a tourist visa, please see my answer to the same question posted on Week One.
Good luck.
Hi Anonymous 3,
Thanks for the posting and the insight into diving in former times.
Looks like things are a-changing in this and many respects for women - perhaps due to you pioneers...
One Saudi woman journalist I interviewed when out there wanted to wage a bet that women would be driving within five years.
Hi Anonymous 4,
Thanks for the link.
I lived in Saudi Arabia for 5 years. Within the first 3 mnoths I took up scuba diving as an interest I had always had, hearing about the beauty of the Red Sea and wanting something to occupy my spare time. Over the 5 years I completed over 200+ dives. One week during the Ramandan Eid period 7 men and myself ( with a fake marriage certificate) with permission from the local coast guard camped along the beaches of Yanbu. Every day we found another place to dive along the coast. The coral ( mostly soft, fan, purples, gorgeous) were pristine and never seen. We would walk out about 200 meters to the reef wall and dive into an amazing underwater world. It was heaven. The coast guard was fascinated with me as a woman diving with all these men.. no questions asked, just wonder. It was the most amazing dive experience. Diving for a woman in SA has its drawbacks.. on boat dives one sits on the boat quietly with abaya on ( and bikini underneath) until past the coast guard. Our diving qualifications are never requested as " woman do not dive", once out to sea past the coast guard, it is like any other diving in the world, bikinis, sun and the most amazing diving in the world. I feel privledged to have experienced my diving in SA . A woman from Canada
Hi Anonymous 5,
Thanks for the posting and the further insights into diving in Saudi.
Am extremely envious of your triple-figured diving... It sounds wonderful, and great that you appreciate it so much.
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