Kuwait

The oil-rich country of Kuwait in the Middle East, has a landscape dominated by the scorching hot sands of the Arabian desert and a significantly long coastline. The extreme climatic conditions make agriculture impossible and you will only come across sparse patches of vegetation here.

Kuwaiti culture is distinct from other Arabian counterparts as it promotes a more liberal and western culture while also strongly holding on to Islamic roots. Kuwait also offers good scuba diving and snorkelling along its coast and camel-back safaris through its desert.

Capital Kuwait City is located on the northern tip of the Arabian Gulf and is the country’s largest city. It features luxury hotels, impressive architecture and a stunning coastline. The Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Kabir) is the largest mosque in the country and is an imposing structure featuring Persian designs, French and Italian marble, German chandeliers, Moroccon mosaics and Indian teakwood. Also, don’t forget to visit the stunning Mirror House displaying mirror mosaics and the Seif Palace featuring Islamic architecture, located opposite the Grand Mosque.

Among the city’s many shopping options, the Avenues Mall and the Souq Al-Mubarakiya are the best. The iconic Kuwait Towers, Liberation Tower and Al Hamra Tower define the city’s skyline and the Kuwait National Museum, Tareq Rajab Museum of Islamic Art and Al Qurain Martyrs’ Museum are where you can learn about the country’s history and culture.

Failaka island is located on the Persian Gulf and was inhabited as early as 2000 BC by various civilizations through the centuries. Only recently, around 25 years ago, the island became uninhabited after its residents were forced to flee due to Iraqi invasions. Today, the island seems like an open-air museum, displaying ruins of churches, Greek temples and a fort, military quarters and residential buildings that were bombed during the invasion.

Kuwait is a unique Arabian destination, adopting a low-key and traditional atmosphere compared to its neighbours. Though the country offers only a few attractions, it is a great destination to experience authentic Arabic culture.