Traveling Kuwait: An Unforgettable Experience that Everyone Should Enjoy
I took a private jet to kuwait on a business trip to Kuwait City in the spring of 2015 with the goal of exploring the country during my stay.
Leaving the modern airport, I drove towards the financial district on an eight-lane highway. To my left, I saw the beautiful Emirati glass buildings rising from the desert, reflecting the cloudless sky in the evening heat. And that’s when I fell in love with the country.
I was in the country for four days, going to various hospitals to promote my company’s Digital Healthcare apps. All the hospitals were absolutely magnificent. They were impeccably clean and incredibly contemporary, and like everywhere else in the city, strangely silent.
But that’s not all. I enjoyed Kuwait to my heart’s core, and that’s what I am going share here. I’ll not reveal everything though, as I want you to visit the state as soon as you can. But there will be enough information for you to get excited about the trip, trust me.
The First Impression
I thought the city was strange because it had numerous sophisticated, contemporary skyscrapers, but lacked landscaping on the streets.
The glorious parking lots at the base of 30-story glass skyscrapers were transformed into debris, with wide, impeccably paved streets running through them.
The seafront promenade was designed with landscaping, featuring predominantly palm trees, although not as luxuriant as in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
I succeeded in going for a stroll in the evening (normally too hot to walk far), from my hotel to the coast, passing through a small but lovely public park.
Nevertheless, Kuwaitis mainly spend their time indoors, and the shopping malls, restaurants, and hotels I visited were decorated with a mix of modern and traditional Middle Eastern furniture.
I came across a tiny park with a few patches of green, however, the grass was wet due to the sprinkler system being on continuously. So, in short, I didn’t really relate to why the country was so unnecessarily lavish, but I could understand it and felt a connection.
The Emirati Food: Something to Live for
The most memorable part of my short time in Kuwait was when our local fixer invited us to dinner at his extravagant family villa one night.
My coworkers and I enjoyed a generous selection of grilled and roasted meats, subtly seasoned with the unique smoky tastes of middle eastern dishes. A diverse selection of flat breads, numerous bowls of curried rice, pulses, raita, and vegetables were also present.
There was an excessive amount of food for the four of us and the three men in his family. We were briefly introduced to the female members of the household. But they soon left to different rooms, only briefly coming back to aid the hired help in serving the extravagant feast.
Following our meal, we sipped on tea infused with cardamom and saffron as we relaxed in large, plush armchairs adorned with elaborate patterns.
We stayed up late discussing various topics, and I particularly liked hearing the stories they shared about the Iraqi occupation in the 1990s.
Even though the first Gulf War was short, and the coalition quickly removed the Iraqi forces, it was evident that the Kuwaitis had suffered greatly under their occupation and were very worried about their well-being, their residences, their liberties, and most importantly, their security.
The Places to Visit: There’s Not Much (Spoiler Alert)
Honestly, there isn’t a lot for the typical tourist to see or experience in Kuwait City. The official Kuwait tourism website also mentions that there is not much outside the City, only barren desert or fruit farms. It is evident within the City limits what activities are most favored by Kuwaitis.
Numerous huge shopping malls exist here though, all of which have many cafes and restaurants. The beachfront is enjoyable, with beach clubs, some cafes & restaurants dotted around. Due to the extreme temperatures in Kuwait, people opt to use cars for transportation everywhere.
For instance, before going to the military hospital (which was also clean and empty like the others), the doctor we were meeting picked us up by the entrance to the visitor’s parking lot in her high-end Maserati sports car.
Afterward, on our way back to the hotel, our enthusiastic guide led us on a small detour to showcase the luxurious shopping mall where he worked as the manager. I typically don’t like shopping malls, and there are many of them scattered throughout the small city of Kuwait.
Yet, this time a visit was definitely worth pausing our hectic schedule for. The connected guide informed us that The Avenues mall was very large, stretching two miles from one end to the other. Every imaginable brand, including numerous British institutions, had large stores in this location. The massive structure housed more than 600 shops and coffee shops in the shopping center, featuring a lavish interior and particularly showcasing the extensive decorative central dome.
