Hawalli Travel Guide

Hawalli Travel Guide
Hawalli is an area about 8 kilometers (5 miles) south-east of Kuwait City. It is a mainly residential area between the 3rd Ring Road to the north and the 4th Ring Road to the south with Maidan Hawalli and Sha'ab to the east and Rawda to the west. It is really a suburb of Kuwait City but was one of the first established. There is a good deal of redevelopment going on at the moment (October 2004) and many of the older buildings are being cleared to make way for new apartment blocks and shopping complexes.
Althought mainly residential there are many shops along Tunis Street and Beirut Street including one or two modern shopping malls. There are also the usual fast food outlets (KFC, Burger King etc).

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Top 5 Must Do's in Salmiya

A famous city in the State of Kuwait, Salmiya is one of the largest areas in Kuwait, with some Salmiya must do's. A model district to the rest of Kuwait in terms of its modernization, Salimya has plenty to offer to its visitors. From shopping to sightseeing, you have it all at Salmiya. Given below are 5 things you must do while in Salmiya:

1. Salem Al-Mubarak Shopping District

Commonly known as Salmiya Center, the Salem Al-Mubarak shopping district runs through the outer blocks of Salmiya. Being one of the oldest and major shopping districts of Kuwait, it is what's left of Kuwait’s traditional souk bazaars. In the past, these bazaars were known for their gold, pearls and jewelry. Even though several of the old souk has been built over, the Salem Al-Mubarak shopping district still retains its past feel and glory. As you explore the area, you will find shops which are modernized and traditional Kuwaiti shops on some of the streets. The area still houses several gold and fabric stores from yesteryears is the Old Souk area.

2. Kuwait Scientific Center

Kuwait Scientific Center is a center for environmental education in the Gulf. This huge center spans over 80,000 square meters and was commenced by the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The Scientific Center has three sections: IMAX Theater, the Discovery Place and the Aquarium. The aquarium in the center is one for the largest in Middle East, housing over 100 different species of animals. The Scientific Center has several coffee shops and food courts where you can relax after spending the day at the center. Watch out for the building enclosure. It has the history of Kuwait and designs of Arabic Calligraphy written on them.

3. Al-Shaab Gardens

Known as the Shaab Leisure Park, it is one of the most amazing amusements Parks in Salmiya, Kuwait. The Park is built on 14,000 square meters of land and offers entertainment to all in the family. There are several activities like skating, adventure sports, video games and parks, restaurants, beautifully landscaped pathways and gardens present in the Al-Shaab Gardens. You either choose to go for a joyride, or just stroll on the pathways and enjoy some quiet time.

4. Marina World

The second largest shopping and amusement complex, Marina World is situated on the beachfront in Salmiya. You can find several restaurants, shops, convention halls, five star hotel and walkway areas in Marina World. Marina World has three phases namely the Marina Mall built based on a beautiful Spanish and design houses with some of the worlds best brands. Marina Crescent houses some of the world famous restaurants and gift shops and the Waterfront and Marina Waves. The Marina World is definitely a must see on your visit to Salmiya.

5. Salmiya Beach

Situated on the shore of the Marina Bay, the Salmiya Beach is a modern beach with a gorgeous oasis and wharfs. There is a conventional Muslim arena with palm trees adjacent to it at this beach. With its lighting at night, the beach and the dome looks like a page out of a fairy tale book. You can spend your evening watching the gorgeous Salmiya sunset at the Salmiya beach. This is a perfect way to unwind and end the day.

Nightlife and Entertainment in Salmiya

Salmiya Nightlife

Salmiya is a very famous district in the Sate of Kuwait. Salmiya is just 12 kilometers away from Kuwait city making it the cultural and commercial hub of Kuwait. Salmiya is easily accessible from any place in the world and is well connected by all means of transport. Given its modernization and attractions it has places to entertain tourists by night and day. Here are some details on the Salmiya nightlife.

Hard Rock Café

Hard Rock Café is located in the main shopping district of Salmiya. Hard Rock Café is one of the popular nightspots in Salmiya and is part of the Marina Mall, which is the shopping Mecca of Salmiya. The Café is housed in a marvelous glass pyramid building, which is an architectural marvel in itself. This is the place where you can walk into after your shopping trip to just relax and unwind enjoying the great music and food and ever seat here has the view of the sea. The café is surrounded by music, rock memorabilia and videos, which make this place a temple for rock fans. The gift shop also sells authentic shirts, which is a must have. Hard Rock Café is open till midnight everyday of the week.

Sultan Center

If you love shopping and that is what you want to do, night and day, then visit Sultan Center. Sultan Center is open from 7.00am to 1.00pm. Some of the stores are even open for 24 hours. Everything that you want and need is available at the Sultan Center. Clothing for the entire family, home furnishing, retail stores, jewelers, stationery, toys, computers and hardware, restaurants, trading centers, electrical goods, telecom products and various other service providers are present in Sultan Center. You can find all these products at the best price at Sultan Center.

Cozmo Bowling

Cozmo Bowling is the ultimate tourist attraction and a perfect place to hang out and relax while bowling. The first thing that will amaze you about this place is the warmth and ambiance around here. It makes you feel just like being at home. Cozmo is equipped with high-tech bowling lanes, a huge video games arcade and games like billiards, darts and football. Cozmo Bowling is open from 11.00am to 1.00am and is definitely worth a visit.

Al-Shaab Gardens

The Al-Shaab Gardens, also known as Shaab Leisure Park, is a huge and famous amusement park in Salmiya with several rides sprawling over 14,000 square meters of land. This is a place with entertainment service for the whole family. You choose from the variety of options that they have, like some of the latest rides, ice skating, adventure sports, roller skating or you can shop at the various outlets n the park or savor some international restaurants serving great food. There is also a multi purpose theater where you can enjoy a movie or you can just relax under a tree and enjoy some quiet time with yourself. The leisure park is open till midnight.

Shopping in Salmiya

There are so many Salmiya shopping malls in this small district in Kuwait where tourists can buy local and international goods. Salmiya is located southeast of Kuwait City in a bustling commercial district. This is the reason why Salmiya is a great place for shopping. Here are some of the shopping malls where tourists can shop in Salmiya.

As-Souq al-Wataniya

One of the many shopping malls in Salmiya is this store. It is particularly famous for its cheap goods sold by a lot of Indian merchants. The commodities sold in these stores are not of high quality so tourists should inspect the goods meticulously before buying them. One of the best things to buy in this place is the textiles. Haggling in this store is a great way to get the goods at a bargain price.

Saahel al-Bahrain

This store is where you can find the best dishdasha, which is a traditional men’s robe, in Kuwait. Most of the staff is Indian and although very little English is spoken, the employees are quite friendly and warm. Other good buys in the store are the head bands, scarves and other traditional Kuwaiti clothing. Credit cards are not accepted at this store, so you are advised to bring cash to be able to purchase any items you might find interesting.

Marina Mall

This mall faces the Arab Gulf. It also offers international brands like Hugo Boss, Diesel and Gucci. The shopping mall is air-conditioned and has a large food court not only serving local cuisines but also international ones. The mall is a great place to relax since it is dotted with several French cafés where tourists can sit down and rest their tired legs. This shopping mall also accepts major credit cards from international and local travelers.

Souq Sharq

The store is located in the proximity of the Marina Mall and it gives tourists a great view of the Arabian Gulf. However, unlike Marina Mall, this shopping place has fewer designer stores thus fewer high-end items.

The Avenues

The largest shopping mall in Kuwait, The Avenues, is a high-end store which sells brands like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Cartier. The place has a big food court where tourists can unwind and eat local and international dishes. The best thing about this store is that it has everything a savvy shopper will need and want

Travel Guide in Salmiya

Using this Salmiya travel guide will allow you to see the best that the city has to offer, from the traditional Kuwait experiences that are found on the back streets of Salmiya to the largest westernized shopping mall in Kuwait. Even though Salmiya is only 12 blocks, it is still one of the largest areas in Kuwait. With its population of 150,000, over 90% of them are expatriates.

Accommodations

In Salmiya, when it comes to sleeping, the majority of your choices are going to be hotels. When it comes to hotels, you are going to want to stay away from the Corniche Hotel because it is not worth the money. Not only do you have to deal with a noisy hotel, but the service is horrible. The Ibis Hotel is a great place to stay and only costs around $100 a night. The service is great and the location cannot be beat.

Things to Do

There are plenty of things to do in Salmiya to keep you busy, but what is recommended is going to depend on what you enjoy and whom you are traveling with. If you enjoy science and nature, be sure to stop by the Scientific Center of Kuwaitis, which will provide you with a science museum, an aquarium and a movie theater all in one location. The cost is $20 per adult and $15 per kid for all three attractions. If you enjoy shopping, you will want to stop by the Villa Moda, which is the newest shopping mall around.

Restaurants

If you are afraid to try the local cuisine, you can always opt for going to McDonald’s because the food there tastes the same no matter where you eat it at. However, if you want to venture out and try other types of food, you need to check out the Chocolate Bar Restaurant, where the chocolate fondue for dessert is highly recommended. Some other great places to try are Fatatri Al Omda and Khasad Khair, which the fatayer comes highly recommended and only costs about $1 each.

Getting around Town

If you are going to be staying in the Salmiya area, you can pretty much walk to everything that you need. Salem Almubarak Street is the main shopping street, and the Ibis Hotel is located on it. If you plan to visit the aquarium or theater, you only have to walk about 20 to 25 minutes. Taxis are available for getting around town; you can even take a taxi to Kuwait City, which during the day is only about a 10-minute drive.

Nightlife and Entertainment

One thing that you will notice in the town of Salmiya is there isn’t that much of a nightlife. The biggest reason for that is that there are no clubs to hang out at, at least legal ones. If you want something to do in the evenings, you will need to check out one of the restaurants, which are not open at all hours of the night. One place to try is the 7 Bars Restaurant and Café. Here, you can enjoy a cup of coffee while eating dessert or you can try sheesha.

Salmiya Travel Guide

Salmiya Travel Guide
Salmiya is the main shopping district and is located around 10km southeast of Kuwait City. It has several shopping malls, cinemas, boutiques, restaurants and supermarkets. It is a heavily populated residential area popular with Arab and Indian expatriates. This isn't the only place one can venture to in order to have a leisurable experience of the middle eastern culture