{
  "_license": "CC BY 4.0 — attribute SKETCH.WORLD (https://sketch.world) and link back if you use this data.",
  "_source": "https://sketch.world/saudi-arabia",
  "iso2": "SA",
  "name": "Saudi Arabia",
  "slug": "saudi-arabia",
  "updatedAt": "2026-07-12T18:50:10.065Z",
  "score": 67,
  "verdict": "go-plan",
  "confidence": "high",
  "subscores": {
    "advisoryConsensus": 55.55555555555555,
    "political": 60.49093072896217,
    "policeTrust": 54.207097999999995,
    "health": 76,
    "crime": 98.12948011049129,
    "lgbtq": 2
  },
  "delta7d": 9,
  "advisories": {
    "disagreement": 1,
    "us": {
      "level": 3,
      "label": "Level 3: Reconsider Travel",
      "url": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/saudi-arabia-travel-advisory.html"
    },
    "uk": {
      "level": 2,
      "summary": "Normal precautions for most of the country; FCDO advises against travel to some regions.",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia"
    },
    "ca": {
      "level": 2,
      "label": "Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)",
      "url": "https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/saudi-arabia"
    }
  },
  "generated": true,
  "regionFlags": [],
  "health": {
    "notices": [
      {
        "title": "Global Measles",
        "level": 1
      }
    ],
    "vaccines": {
      "required": [],
      "recommended": []
    },
    "tapWater": "unknown"
  },
  "entry": {
    "visaNote": "",
    "passportValidityMonths": 0,
    "sources": []
  },
  "scams": [
    {
      "title": "Drug planting",
      "body": "Someone may plant drugs in your bags, leading to a charge of drug trafficking. Remain vigilant of your surroundings at all times.",
      "sources": [
        "wikivoyage"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "laws": [
    {
      "title": "Drug offenses",
      "body": "Trafficking, manufacturing, possessing, importing, or exporting drugs carries the statutory death penalty. There is no legal recourse once accused.",
      "sources": [
        "wikivoyage"
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Indecency and gender mixing",
      "body": "Indecent clothing and the mingling of unrelated men and women are criminal offenses.",
      "sources": [
        "wikivoyage"
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "LGBT status",
      "body": "Homosexuality is punishable by death by stoning. It is also a crime to be transgender in Saudi Arabia.",
      "sources": [
        "wikivoyage"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "streetWisdom": {
    "summary": "Travelers consistently report that Saudi Arabia is an exceptionally safe destination, often comparing it favorably to Singapore or Taiwan. Violent crime is virtually non-existent, and tourists frequently walk alone at night without concern. The primary safety risks are environmental and logistical rather than criminal: traffic in major cities like Jeddah and Riyadh is chaotic, and walking is often dangerous due to a lack of pedestrian infrastructure and impassable highways. While the country is not scam-heavy, travelers should avoid driving in large cities, rely on ride-sharing apps, and exercise caution when booking budget accommodations. Modesty is expected, but strict religious dress codes for foreigners have largely relaxed.",
    "quotes": [
      {
        "text": "Extremely safe, Only behind Singapore and Taiwan from my travels",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1qrl4z8/saudi_arabia_solo_trip_report/"
      },
      {
        "text": "Women walking together without worry, which speaks volumes to the safety of the city and country as a whole.",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1qrl4z8/saudi_arabia_solo_trip_report/"
      },
      {
        "text": "Jeddah is easily the least walkable city I’ve been at on the globe. Nobody walks anywhere. Crosswalks hardly exist. Trying to walk is doable until you come to an impassable highway.",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1qrl4z8/saudi_arabia_solo_trip_report/"
      }
    ],
    "generatedAt": "2026-07-12"
  },
  "localKnowledge": {
    "staySafe": [
      {
        "text": "Saudi Arabia is a safe country crime-wise; the country has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and you are unlikely to encounter problems."
      },
      {
        "text": "At first, being in a fundamentalist Muslim country with very strict laws may feel scary and intimidating."
      },
      {
        "text": "Although first-time visitors may be regaled with tales of beheadings and amputations, the full harshness of Saudi law is usually reserved for those actually seeking trouble."
      },
      {
        "text": "For rules on clothing and mingling between sexes, see Respect below. Indecent clothing and mingling between unrelated men and women are criminal offences."
      },
      {
        "text": "Saudi Arabia may be affected during times of heightened tensions in the Middle East (Israel, Iran, Lebanon), and there is often a heightened risk when travelling to or being within Saudi Arabia, during times of crisis."
      },
      {
        "text": "Terrorist attacks have been considered very likely on Saudi Arabia by many countries."
      }
    ],
    "stayHealthy": [
      {
        "text": "There are no major health risks for traveling in Saudi Arabia: water is generally drinkable, and food is usually, but not always, hygienic."
      },
      {
        "text": "Smoking is the one sin that clerics haven't got around to banning yet, and consequently everybody smokes everywhere: hotel lobbies, airport lounges, shopping mall food courts, drivers in their taxis, etc."
      },
      {
        "text": "The Kingdom has a wide-reaching national health-care system, but the services provided by this program are quite basic."
      },
      {
        "label": "Tap water",
        "text": "Tap water in the major cities is generally considered safe, although it's not always particularly tasty, and in the summer can be very hot."
      },
      {
        "text": "Bottled water is readily available and cheap at SR2 or less for a 1.5 litre bottle, so many visitors and residents choose to play it safe."
      }
    ],
    "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia"
  },
  "recentHeadlines": [
    {
      "title": "Pakistan Annual Remittances Climb 8 . 6 % to $41 . 6 Billion",
      "url": "https://pakobserver.net/pakistans-annual-remittances-climb-8-6-to-41-6-billion/",
      "seenAt": "2026-07-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "Saudi Arabia - Canada Investment Forum opens with signing of 15 MoUs",
      "url": "https://www.arabnews.com/node/2650284/business-economy",
      "seenAt": "2026-07-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "Readout - Prime Minister Carney meets with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman",
      "url": "https://leaderpost.com/press-releases/pr-newswire/readout-prime-minister-carney-meets-with-crown-prince-and-prime-minister-of-saudi-arabia-his-royal-highness-mohammed-bin-salman/",
      "seenAt": "2026-07-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "Dokainish & Company™ CEO Joins Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Saudi Arabia",
      "url": "https://montrealgazette.com/press-releases/business-wire/dokainish-company-ceo-joins-canadian-prime-minister-mark-carney-in-saudi-arabia/",
      "seenAt": "2026-07-09"
    }
  ],
  "whatChanged": "Saudi Arabia’s sketch score rose to 67 today, but the US government still maintains a level 3 advisory while a global measles notice remains in effect.",
  "practical": {
    "plug": [
      "G"
    ],
    "voltage": 230,
    "drivingSide": "right",
    "emergency": {
      "police": "911",
      "ambulance": "911",
      "fire": "911"
    },
    "simAdvice": "",
    "cashVsCard": "",
    "tipping": ""
  },
  "lgbtqLegal": {
    "status": "illegal_death_penalty",
    "summary": "Illegal Penalty: Capital punishment, prison terms (indeterminate length, max. term unknown), flogging, fines, deportation",
    "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_by_country_or_territory"
  },
  "receipts": [
    {
      "sourceId": "us-state",
      "url": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/saudi-arabia-travel-advisory.html",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "uk-fcdo",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "ca-gac",
      "url": "https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/saudi-arabia",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "worldbank-political",
      "url": "https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/GOV_WGI_PV.EST?format=json&date=2024&per_page=300",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "worldbank-policeTrust",
      "url": "https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/GOV_WGI_RL.EST?format=json&date=2024&per_page=300",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "cdc-health",
      "url": "https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "wikivoyage",
      "url": "https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "gdelt",
      "url": "https://pakobserver.net/pakistans-annual-remittances-climb-8-6-to-41-6-billion/",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-09"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "reddit",
      "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "unodc",
      "url": "https://data.unodc.org/datareport/hom-victim",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "acled-hdx",
      "url": "https://data.humdata.org/organization/acled",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "lgbtq-legal-wikipedia",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_by_country_or_territory",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    }
  ]
}