Jeddah

About Jeddah

Jeddah is Saudi Arabia's cruise gateway and an increasingly common Red Sea port as the kingdom opens to tourism (Mecca and Medina remain off-limits to non-Muslims). Ships dock at the Jeddah Islamic Port, with excursions focused on the UNESCO-listed Al-Balad historic district of coral-stone townhouses with ornate rawasheen balconies. The King Fahd Fountain is the world's tallest water fountain. Dress codes remain conservative.

• Jeddah has served as the gateway to Mecca for Muslim pilgrims since 647 AD when Caliph Uthman designated it the official travel hub for the Hajj — a role it still holds today for millions of pilgrims annually.
• Jeddah Islamic Port on the Red Sea is the second-largest and second-busiest seaport in the Middle East (after Dubai's Jebel Ali), and ranks 36th largest in the world.
• The city's unofficial Arabic motto is 'Jeddah Ghair' — 'Jeddah is Different' — reflecting its reputation as Saudi Arabia's most cosmopolitan and resort-oriented city.
• Jeddah is home to the King Fahd Fountain, which at over 300 meters tall is the world's tallest fountain, shooting water higher than the Eiffel Tower.
• The historic district of Al-Balad (Jeddah's old city) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring distinctive coral-stone buildings and intricately carved wooden balconies called Rawasheen.