Saudi Arabia Packing List

The short version

Loose-fitting clothing that covers the elbow and below the knees, for men and women alike. That is the FCDO's own wording of the rule, and it is also, not coincidentally, how people dress sensibly in a hot dry country.

The dress code, stated as the rule it is

This is not a style note. It is the expectation, it applies to both, and the half people arrive knowing is usually only the half about women. Cotton and linen in loose cuts do the job and are cooler than less cloth would be, because what you are managing is sun on skin rather than insulation.

A scarf or light shawl is useful for women to have to hand for religious sites and more conservative settings, and is worth packing whether or not you expect to need it.

The layer everyone forgets

A proper warm layer. Winter evenings in the interior are cold, not cool, and the gap between a February afternoon at Hegra and the same place two hours later is larger than any forecast conveys. A fleece or a padded shirt earns its space.

Sun

A wide-brimmed hat, real sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen, reapplied. The FCDO names heat stroke and dehydration as summer health risks, and the defence against both begins with not taking the sun in the first place. A refillable bottle you will actually carry beats a better one you will not.

Feet

Closed shoes with grip. Hegra, At-Turaif and the AlUla valley are sand, loose stone and uneven ground, and Al-Balad in Jeddah is worn paving and steps. Sandals are for the hotel.

Small things that matter

A power bank, because heat drains batteries faster than you expect and you will be photographing in bright light all day. A dust-tolerant bag for camera gear. Any prescription medicine in its original labelled packaging, with a copy of the prescription.

What to leave at home

Alcohol, in any form and from any duty free. Do not bring it into Saudi Arabia and do not arrive under the influence of it. This is the one packing mistake with real consequences attached, and it is entirely avoidable.

See culture and etiquette for the rest of the conduct picture and the weather guide for what you are dressing against.

Sources

• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Saudi Arabia safety and security: terrorism, the dress code, the alcohol ban and the law on same-sex relations. Accessed 14 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Saudi Arabia health: vaccination advice, and heat stroke and dehydration in the summer months. Accessed 14 September 2026.