\nMy awesome female tour guide in Saudi Arabia who owns her own business, drives, and goes around solo<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
I\u2019m still not fully sure I believe this since nearly every Saudi woman I saw was wearing a \u201cniqab\u201d (full face veil\u201d and the abaya, but according to the internet, it\u2019s true!<\/p>\n
One of the post-2018 changes was that Saudi Arabian women are no longer required to wear the niqab or abaya, but \u201cboth sexes should always dress modestly\u201d according to the Prince. That includes clothing that fits loosely and covers the elbows and ankles, and can include Western clothing covered by an open abaya!<\/p>\n
Again, I did not see this when I was there, but I will say that a female guide I hired in Jeddah told me that women from Jeddah do not wear the full face veil anymore, and easily pointed out who was from Jeddah because of it. She was also dressed in a light pink abaya and hijab, and the first thing she said to me is, \u201cBy the way you don\u2019t have to cover your head\u201d. She also drove herself solo to come meet me in the Old Town!<\/p>\n
For those wondering (like I do) why women still wear head coverings and full face veils if the rules say they don’t have to, here’s what I’ve heard; Most women opt to still wear the hijab because it’s symbolic of their religion and culture which they deeply love and are committed to. So although they don’t have to, they still do to show their faith and devotion to Allah (their God). Some women also prefer it for fashion reasons, like I did, and some even just want to be that faithful to their husbands – covering their hair so as not to tempt any other eyes.<\/p>\n
From my point of view, I liked wearing it because of the way it looked, and because I didn’t have to style my hair every day! But in regards to not tempting eyes, I experienced the contrary; I got a lot more attention and compliments from men when I wore a hijab.<\/p>\n
What CAN\u2019T Foreign Non-Muslim Women do in Saudi Arabia?<\/h2>\n
Something very important to know for solo female travel in Saudi Arabia, is the things you cannot do!<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a list of what non-Muslim foreign women cannot do in Saudi Arabia:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- \n
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You cannot enter Mecca if you are not Muslim<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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You cannot enter certain holy sites<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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