[KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA] My Workcation in Riyadh

08:00 Travel Bunny 0 Comments

I have never dreamt of travelling to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, let alone for work purpose. It happened back in 2023, two months after I first joined my current company. I received a short notice from my company, requiring me to travel to KSA for 4 days. Although I have been to several Middle East countries and even worked in Qatar for five years, suffice to say KSA is not a popular destination for non-Muslim female travelers. 

Malaysia is one of the countries eligible for the Tourist eVisa and Visa on Arrival (VoA) programs. Tourist visa is valid for 1 year (multiple entry) and the maximum stay is 90 days per visit (Total 90 days per year).

Go to the Official Saudi eVisa Portal, fill in details, make payment and receive your visa by email.

A business visa is more formal and requires an Invitation Letter.

I flied by Qatar Airways with a 2-hour layover in Doha International Airport. I was flying with my boss from Kuala Lumpur.

Passing through custom was a bit unnerving as I was travelling with a Tourist Visa. Fortunately, the custom officer did not ask me any question and I managed to get my passport stamped quickly.

The branch office of my company in Riyadh arranged a van to fetch me and my boss to the hotel. The hotel that we were staying was Madareem Crown Hotel. 

The hotel is a luxurious 5-star hotel and I got a big room to myself. Capsule coffee and coffee machine are provided in the room. Of course, all expenses were fully paid by the company.

The hotel also features both outdoor and indoor swimming pools. It was November, so the weather started to cool from the summer heat.

My local colleagues brought us to a local restaurant in the city to welcome us on the first night. It was the usual Kebab and grilled seafood affair of Arab cuisine. They ordered so much that we couldn’t finish our food. It reminded me of my days in Qatar.

Kicked start my day with buffet breakfast in the hotel. I was suffering from the jet lag but since it's just a few days, I endured it and didn't bother to fix the jet lag.

For the rest of the time, I worked in the branch office and joined my colleagues for meals in the canteen, which is only catering for the Chinese staff. Not that I complain, because the Chinese chefs were skillful and the portion of food was big. I could eat as much as I want. The only thing that my Chinese boss lamented was the absence of liquor, haha. Liquor is strictly prohibited in the country.

After my work finished in the office, my local colleagues brought us to some sightseeing in the city. 

Our first stop was the Kingdom Centre. Standing at 302 meters, its distinctive "bottle opener" silhouette makes it one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in Riyadh.

Underneath the tower is Al Mamlaka Mall, a high-end shopping mall featuring over 150 stores, including icons like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Dior.

To reach the Sky Bridge on the 99th floor, we took two separate high-speed elevators. The first took us to the 77th floor (near the mosque), and the second took us all the way to the Sky Bridge.