Adult
Education
The Future Centre, Genius
Academy and Berlitz can help you to add a new skill to your repertoire -
another language, improve your computer skills, take up art, interior design,
cooking etc. Contact details will follow shortly.
Balad
(R6+7)
There is always something to
see and do in Balad but Haj and Ramadan bring a new dimension to the place.
During Haj and subsequently Ramadan, the population of Jeddah swells
dramatically as it absorbs pilgrims from all over the world.
To fund what is for many a trip of a lifetime, they bring with them
specialities from their home country to sell here - they only leave when all
their stock is sold, or when they are moved on by immigration.
Their main marketplace is
Balad - in the Gabel Souq underpass,
the underpass leading from the plaza between the Mahmal Centre and the Faisaliya
Centre under the Ba'ashan Street to the huge parking lot, Al Corniche
Parking, near the port and the parking lot itself. Rugs, kilims, Russian dolls, wooden chests, jewellery, goat
skins, paintings, brass pots - all sorts of treasures at prices that make you
wonder how on earth they can afford to get home.
As mentioned in Sporty
Stuff there are numerous bowling centres in Jeddah - families are welcome
in the mornings but the evenings tend to be reserved for men.
The exception is the Marriott
Bowling Alley that can be booked for your sole use!
Camping
Covered in detail in Explore SA
Museums
Jeddah
Science and Technology Center (F7)
North
Corniche
Founded in 1988 by Sheikh
Saleh Kamel and located on the North Corniche, this domed building houses an
exciting gallery of exhibits - nearly every one has a button to be pressed, a
lever to be pulled, a handle to be turned or some other action to get things
moving. All signs are in Arabic and
English and the sixteen galleries are colour-coded. 'Orientation' introduces you to the contents of the museum;
'Islam' documents the history and culture of Muslims; 'Man and the Universe'
explains the earth's position in the universe and gravity; and, 'Space
Exploration' includes an explorable mock-up of the space shuttle.
Other galleries are 'Environments of the Earth', 'Natural History of
Saudi Arabia', 'The Structure of Matter', 'Energy and the Human Body',
'Physiological Functions of the Human Body', 'Energy', 'Computers' (including
free games to play on!) and 'Muslims and Science'.
Allow three or four hours at
least. The Centre is open to
schools and men without families in the morning and to families in the evening
from 5.00pm until midnight. The
bi-lingual guides are highly entertaining and knowledgeable and help you get the
best out of your visit.
Abdul-Raouf
Khalil Museum (N6) Tel: 665 8487 / 5677
Al
Mathaf Street, Al Andalus District
It is quite tricky to find -
turn right from Madinah Road onto Tahlia Street and then at the first set of
lights turn left into Ibrahim Al Juffali Street (if you are coming from Al
Andalus Street eastbound on Tahlia then turn right at the last set of lights
before Madinah Road, into Ibrahim Al Juffali Street).
Take the fourth right turn on Ibrahim Al Juffali Street onto Al Madani
Street. Take the first left into Al
Salah Street and then turn right onto Al Mathaf Street.
The museum will be on the right after about 150m - unmissable for its
fantastic exterior of turrets, rowasheen and balconies.
It will take more than one
visit to this intriguingly designed private museum to see the 10,000+ artifacts,
spread throughout four 'houses'. Begin
in the 'House of Saudi Arabian Legacy', to see a replicas of various rooms in
traditional Saudi houses, each crowded with ornaments ranging from the
spectacular to the mundane but all fascinating for their history.
Continue through the 'Islamic Legacy House' and 'General Legacy
Exhibition', finishing in the 'European Legacy' - all an eclectic mix of curios,
furniture, paintings sourced from Saudi as well as all over the world - the
sheer volume can be almost overwhelming and I would suggest staggering your
visits, possibly over two sessions. This
will of course double the entrance fee of SR20!
One final thing - the wearing of shoes is not permitted in any of the
houses.
It is open Saturday to
Thursday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon and then from 5.00pm to 9.00pm. Photography is permitted everywhere except in the 'House of
Saudi Arabian Legacy'. Children are
welcome if accompanied by an adult, but be sure that they won't find the
profusion of easily reached objects too tempting to avoid touching!
Madina
al Tayyabat Museum (L4) Tel: 683 0042 / 0049
Sitteen
Street, north of Dr Erfan & Bagedo Hospital
This is a sister museum to
Abdul-Raouf Khalil, created by the same man to house his ever expanding
collection. The resemblance between
this building and his first museum cannot be missed - a similar organised jumble
of jutting and receding walls and towers. Also
known as Jeddah in Miniature, the intended impression is of all the elements of
Old Jeddah on one spot.
This stunningly designed
building is currently quite easy to find - although it is set back half a block
from Sitteen Street, between it and the road is a patch of empty land.
At the time of writing construction has started on this empty land and
when finished, the Museum may not be so easy to spot.
In that case, head southbound on Sitteen Street and turn right before
you get to Dr Erfan & Bagedo Hospital.
The opening hours are Saturday to Thursday 9.00am to 12.00 noon and
5.00pm to 9.00pm and the entrance fee is SR20.
National
Wildlife Research Centre Tel:
(02) 745 5188 / 92 / 96
Taif
Although not strictly within
the remit of 'Time Out in Jeddah' a visit to this centre is highly recommended
to learn all about Saudi Arabia's indigenous animals and see them in their
natural habitat. Operating under
the guidance of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and
Development, it is manned by an international team of wildlife researchers.
The Centre is open Saturday to
Wednesday throughout the year. A
visit is free of charge, although a small donation for the animals will be most
welcome. Call or fax in advance to
Mr Abdulrahman M Khoja. Fax: 02 745
5176.
Stationery
Fantasy
(M6) Tel 661 2126
Prince
Abdullah Street, west of Madinah Road
Difficult to describe other
than truly wonderful! This large
purple and green building has three functions.
On the lower ground level, every fantasy you've ever had about stationery
and art materials and creative construction can be fulfilled - I suppose that's
where it gets its name. On the
ground floor, the best selection of greeting cards, wrapping papers and ribbons
in Jeddah complements a wide variety of gift ideas, such as ceramics and cushion
covers sourced from all over the world, and traditional party supplies as well.
There is also a very good children's book section tucked away at the rear
of the shop with familiar favourites in English and Arabic.
The third floor is what lifts
this shop into the realm of the extraordinary.
The whim of the wife of the owner has created a place where children can
learn through play … and parents can have the most delicious cappuccinos while
they wish they were little again. There
are several different 'rooms' with different themes - all with little doors with
shiny brass knobs and plexi-glass walls only five feet high so no-one feels
locked in, or out. The two storey Haba
House is complete with child size furniture and doors and shutters.
There is also the rather eccentric inclusion of the front half of a full
size ambulance - complete with flashing lights and twirling dials!
The Craft Room next door where
one's palette can run wild when decorating whatever the object of the day is - a
clay pot, wooden basket or tin bucket - all the right size for little hands of
course. The
Kitchen, with its three preparation islands just the right height for check-aproned
children, produces cookies and pies, all lovingly made while next door there is
a Baby Haba House with climbing frame and ball pit for littlies that
have not yet joined the bi-ped race. The
Train Room is actually built over a
model railway and town - the giant children zoom overhead on arm-powered
tricycles or build leaning towers out of enormous blocks whose reflections morph
into outrageous shapes in the clever mirrors set around the room.
There is a 'quiet' corner in here where the temporarily weary may
cunningly rest while playing at the Lego table at the same time.
The Beach - a ginormous sandpit with diggers, spades, buckets and
slides offers all the fun of the seaside without getting wet, until, that is,
one goes next door to the Water Room
- with its truly ingenious bubble makers and splendid aqueduct, whose height
falls from over six feet to about two as it wanders around the room, boats
dancing along its foaming, blue-tiled, watercourse.
And if that wasn't all - in
the attic of the building is a coffee shop with the most delicious skewered
chicken with chips, cheesecake and, of course, more of those glorious
cappuccinos and soft drinks!
All of the rooms are manned by
people you want to take home with you - they have as much fun as the children
themselves without letting it get out of hand, while managing to remember the
children's names as well. Access to
each room is by individual ticket, purchased at the top of the stairs as you
reach the first floor, which allows you a flexible twenty minutes in each room
of your choice. The Haba
House, Sand Room, Water Room and Train
Room cost SR5 each. Cooking is
SR12 and Arts & Crafts SR25. This
is an ideal venue for a children's party - SR35 per head (minimum 15 children)
allows access to all rooms and includes the posh chicken nugget and chips meal
for each child with soft drink - and, dare I mention them again, a free
cappuccino for each mum!
Mersal
Village
Tel: 225 0003
Exit
28 from the Makkah-Madinah Expressway
This artistically landscaped
country club offers a haven for those wishing to escape Jeddah for the cool of
the foothills for an afternoon, evening or weekend. If you are familiar with the Disney approach to theme parks
(and fond of it!) then you should enjoy Mersal Village's very own version called
'Jungleland'. Various attractions include The
Lost Mine Ride, Tarzan's Tree House,
Laser Troopers (laser 'paintball'), Cinemotion,
rock climbing and trampolining. There
are arcade game halls and the Congo Club
Café is in a parade of gift shops.
There is also a large open air
restaurant with live band every Wednesday and Thursday night as well as an
equestrian club where riding lessons are available.
Villas that accommodate 6-7
people can be taken for the weekend and there are also fully-equipped conference
facilities that can be tailored in size to suit your requirements.
The second phase of the
country club will include a swimming pool and fitness centre, while 'Jungleland' will have another attraction in the form of a Waterpark.
To find Mersal Village you
need to go up on to the Makkah-Madinah Expressway, following signs for Mersal
Village and passing the airport on your left.
As you are level with the terminal buildings, take Exit 28 signposted to Mersal Village and Air Force
Base. As you leave the
expressway the road will split, left to the Air Force Base and right for Mersal
Village. Continue up this road and
you will pass 'Safari New Camp' on
your left and then pass between the two potteries on either side of the road.
The road bends to the right and left, there is another pottery about 1km
further along the road and approximately 1km beyond that is Mersal
Village.
The
Potteries
Exit
28 from the Makkah-Madinah Expressway
Just finding these feels like
an adventure and once you're there, unless there has just been a heavy rain, you
should be amply rewarded by the sight of pots in all shapes, sizes and colours -
some useful, some decorative, some without any obvious purpose!
There are two potteries either side of the road and they tend to sell
similar things, although every now and then one will produce a new design,
presumably in secret and will bustle away creating their corporate advantage.
One of the potters told me that on average they make 50 pots a day - each
pot takes three days to dry and then is fired for three hours in the oven. So, if you visit after the annual opening of the heavens,
their stocks may still be there, just not in any recognisable or usable form.
Phoenix-like they will re-form, you'll just have to make a return visit.
Expect to pay about SR10 for a
small pot, (less for the tiny tiny ones), SR20-30 for a medium sized pot
depending on decoration and SR50-60 for a large pot - and these are very large
so take a strong person with you if you think you want one of these!
There is a very good discount on multiple purchases but experience has
shown that if you go on a trip organised by a compound, the starting prices are
much higher than if you visit on your own.
To find the potteries you need
to go up on to the Makkah-Madinah Expressway, following signs for Mersal Village and passing the airport on your left.
As you are level with the terminal buildings, take Exit 28 signposted to Mersal
Village and Air Force Base.
As you leave the expressway the road will split, left to the Air
Force Base and right for Mersal
Village. Continue up this road
and you will pass 'Safari New Camp' on
your left - the potteries will then be either side of the road. There is an additional pottery 1km beyond these two but I
have never found it open. (The sense of venturing into the unknown has
diminished somewhat since the signs for Mersal
Village were erected at intervals along the route!)
Sports
If you wish to spend your time more constructively than just ambling and viewing what Jeddah has to offer then there are plenty of sporting activities going on - either team games or facilities for you to do your own thing eg horseriding, aerobics, golf etc. And if your particular passion is not indulged, start up a league. Nearly all of the organised pastimes in Jeddah exist purely through the dedication of volunteers. Do your bit for your community and you will be surprised at the return. See the Sporty Stuff for further information.
Travel
Without an exit visa (but advisedly with a travel letter) … it is possible! Check out Explore SA
Zoo
of Beautiful Creatures (N1/N2) Tel: 672 5202 / 671 0788
Junction
of Prince Mohammed (Tahlia) Street - Makkah-Madinah Expressway
A privately-funded project,
the Zoo has expanded over the years to evolve from what was little more than a
hobby into a real family attraction.
Although best visited in the evening when it is cooler and the animals
are more animated, efforts have been made to make daytime visiting much more
comfortable - large areas of the zoo are now shaded and fine mists of spray
cleverly cool you down without soaking you as you walk around.
There are many representatives of the animal kingdom including lions,
tigers, elephant, giraffe, chimpanzees and bears as well as reptiles and birds.
There is also a small aquarium, fast food restaurant and amusement
arcade.
Although adjacent to the Expressway it is more easily accessed from Prince Mohammed (Tahlia) Street - just make sure you turn right off the road before joining the flyover. The zoo is open every day of the year from 9.00am to 1.00pm and 4.00pm to 10.00pm (11.00pm at weekends).
The
Desert Park Zoo
Old
Makkah Road, East of Makkah-Madinah Expressway
Like Beautiful Creatures, this
zoo has lots of animals including lions, tigers, elephants and zebra.
Opening hours are 3.00pm-6.00pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Please note that Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are for families;
Saturday and Tuesday for single men.
Amusement
Parks - Indoor
Fun
Time Pizza
(I8) Tel: 655 5992
North
Corniche, Al Sha'tee District
A vast undercover funfair that
caters to children of all ages from about two upwards. Rides include a traditional carousel, mini-dodgems,
mini-bowling, arcade games, two junior rollercoaster rides, a laser 'paintball'
game and a 3D cinema.
Although there is an
advertised entry fee, I've never yet paid it - only for the tokens that are SR3
each. Most of the bigger rides cost
two tokens each and the stand-alone moving 'ride-ons', one token.
A two level parade of shops
runs around the edge with clothes, toys and chocolate shops and branches of
Fanateer, Nectar, and Donut Magic. There
is also a shop well-stocked with Disney things - costumes, toys, plates and
cutlery etc! The 'Pizza' of the
title is delicious and only one part of the extensive fast food menu.
It is a good place to hold
children's birthday parties with packages starting from SR30, which includes
rides, pizza and a drink.
There
is a smaller branch of Fun Time Pizza in Mosadia Plaza.
Planet
Pluto
(M5) Tel: 667 3013 / 669 3732
Prince
Abdullah Street, west of Madinah Road
A similar concept to Fun
Time Pizza, with rides, games, fast food and shops, there is an entrance fee
of SR20 for adults and SR15 for children. Laser
games are SR10 and other rides SR3.
Bullwinkles
(M6), another of the same ilk, is in the Galleria
Centre on Tahlia Street.
Children's
Play City
(O7) is on the first floor of the Jamjoom
Centre at the Corniche end of Palestine Street.
Happyland
(N5) is on the first floor of the Al
Sholla Centre on Madinah Road, opposite Mosadia
Plaza.
Hijaz
Plaza
(K4) on Sitteen Street, has a well-equipped Kids Club.
Pulsar
(L9) is at the south end of the North Corniche, near Fun Time Pizza.
A laser 'paintball' game, participants are placed in two teams, don
electronic vests and chase each other round a darkened obstacle course, with the
aim of taking the other team's camp.
Wonderland
(I6) is in the Danya Centre on Hera'a Street, opposite Hera'a
International Souq.
Many of the fast food chains
have a dedicated children's area - that the grownups wish they could have a go
on!
Al
Dewan
(O6) opposite the US Consulate on Al Andalus Street has a children's play area.
Burger
King
(M7) on Prince Mohammed (Tahlia) Street
has two play areas - a giant indoor play frame and also an outdoor fairground
with roundabouts and ride-ons for littlies.
Dairy
Queen
(O7) north of the Inter-continental on the Corniche.
Hardees
(O6) opposite the US Consulate on Al Andalus Street has a children's play area.
Kentucky
Fried Chicken (M6) on Tahlia Street has a multi-storey play
frame.
McDonalds
are, of course, everywhere in Jeddah and nearly all of them have a play frame of
some description. The two best ones
to date are those in the Tahlia Street (P6) and Waly al Ahd Street (M6)
branches.
Ponderosa
(M7) has a play area in its branch on Prince Abdullah Street, opposite the King
Faisal Specialist Hospital (formerly Al Salama Hospital).
The Train Restaurant (R6) in Balad, behind the Mahmal Centre, does not have a play area as such - it is an
attraction in its own right. Taking
the form of a giant steam engine, with two equally large carriages it is open
for snacks and drinks every evening.
Amusement
Parks - Outdoor
In the evenings of the cooler
months the funfairs along the North Corniche offer hours of entertainment.
(Conditions of entry vary - some
are open to women with children only, some men with sons only and others
families only.)
1
Abraj
Park
has male and female sections which lead to a small amusement park at the rear
2
Palm
Gardens
- (Al Nakhil) with similar facilities and the Seafood Market Restaurant
3
Al
Shalal Park
is for families only, overlooking a small lake where pedaloes can be
rented for SR30 - they hold two adults and four children.
On land, there are dodgems, several carousels and a caterpillar train for
children aged 5-14 years. Tickets
for each ride costs SR5 and is good for two children.
4
Sindbad
Park
is a full-size funfair for ladies and children with a small section for men.
The ladies and children section has rides and attractions including
dodgems, a ghost train and a roller coaster.
The men's section has dodgems, scooters and a 360° cinema.
All rides cost SR5 but in the holiday season these are reduced to SR1.50.
5
Atlal
Park
is ideally suited for smaller children with its miniature rides.
6
Nawrus
Park
is a coffee and tea garden with men's and family sections.
The attractions include dodgems, pony rides, aquarium and arcade games.
Rides are SR5 each, with one free for every five purchased.
7
Fantasy
Garden
is attached to the Al Bilad Hotel and is another miniature funfair suitable for
littlies.
8
Atallah
Happyland
is adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel and is Jeddah's biggest funfair.
Female staff manages the ladies and children's section where for adults
and bigger children there are 23 rides (most of which are duplicated in the
men's section) including a Pirate Boat, Mini Scooters, Octopus and a Roller
Coaster as well as two game halls - a video game hall and another with games
that produce tokens to exchange for prizes.
For the smaller children there are a variety of roundabouts and trains.
There is an entrance fee of SR5 for adults with accompanying children
free of charge. The park is open
every day from five onwards.
9
Green
Island
on the southbound carriageway (beach side) of the Corniche is often only known
for its superb restaurant, Al Danah. It
also has the more casual open air Sea Garden Food Court and play area for
families only. An international
menu of Chinese, Lebanese, Italian, Indian, Tandoori can be enjoyed while over
looking the reef and the Red Sea.
10
Blue
Lagoon
is situated on another lake along the Corniche.
There are sections for families and individuals with a good selection of
rides. There is no entrance fee but
the cost per ride is SR5.
11
The
Train Lake
is on the third lake as you travel north along the Corniche. A venue for families only, rides on the lake in a two person
boat cost SR10. There is also a
cable car that crosses the lake and plenty of seating to enjoy refreshments from
the numerous stalls.
12
Sanabel
Park
is a large swimming pool with life guards for children under 12. There is a refreshment and viewing area for parents.
13
Dolphin
Restaurant and Amusement Centre is opposite the Jeddah Science and Technology
Museum.
First aid is available at all amusement parks and Atallah Happyland has an ambulance service.