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Browse and explore the best travel guides in Kuwait.
Kuwait is a small, wealthy state at the head of the Persian Gulf that gets far fewer visitors than its neighbours and is the more interesting for it. The blue-tiled Kuwait Towers remain the national symbol, the Grand Mosque and the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre show the scale of state investment in architecture, and Souq Al-Mubarakiya still trades much as it did before oil. The Al Qurain Martyrs' Museum and the Kuwait House of National Memorial address the 1990 invasion directly. This is a conservative, dry country where the culture is the attraction rather than the nightlife.
Capital
Kuwait City
Population
~4.9 million
Area
17,818 km²
Time Zone
AST (UTC+3), no daylight saving
Currency
Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD), the world's highest-valued currency
Languages
Arabic; English widely used in business and signage
Main Airports
KWI (Kuwait International)
Visa
eVisa online for many nationalities; visa on arrival available to some
Best For
Modern architecture, museums, souqs, Gulf history
Typical Cost Level
Mid-range to Expensive
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Most visitors need a visa, and the easiest route is the eVisa applied for online before travel. Citizens of many European countries, the UK, US, Canada and Australia are eligible for a 90-day eVisa or a visa on arrival, while GCC nationals enter freely. You will need a passport valid for six months, a confirmed return ticket and hotel booking. Requirements have changed several times in recent years, so verify with the official portal close to your travel date.
November to March is the only genuinely comfortable season, with daytime temperatures between 15°C and 25°C. Kuwait records some of the highest temperatures on the planet in summer, regularly passing 45°C and occasionally approaching 50°C between June and August, when outdoor sightseeing becomes impractical. February brings National and Liberation Day celebrations, and spring can bring dust storms that reduce visibility sharply.
No, alcohol is completely illegal in Kuwait with no exceptions for hotels, restaurants or visitors. Unlike Bahrain, the UAE or Qatar, there are no licensed venues at all. Importing alcohol is a criminal offence and bags are screened on arrival. Penalties for possession, consumption or being drunk in public are severe and can include imprisonment and deportation. Kuwait is the strictest of the Gulf states on this point.
Kuwait has very low crime rates and is a safe destination for visitors. The main risks are legal and cultural rather than criminal: alcohol, drugs, public displays of affection, criticism of the ruling family and photographing government or military sites all carry real consequences. Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, and be especially careful during Ramadan when eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight is prohibited. Driving standards are poor and road accidents are a genuine hazard.
Two days covers Kuwait's main sights comfortably. One day handles Kuwait City: the Kuwait Towers, the Grand Mosque, Souq Al-Mubarakiya and the waterfront corniche. A second day suits the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre, the Tareq Rajab Museum, Al Qurain Martyrs' Museum and the Scientific Center aquarium. Add a third if you want a desert excursion or Failaka Island. Kuwait works well as a short stopover rather than a full holiday.
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Entry rules, stay length and passport validity by nationality.
