Kuwait Travel Guide: Kuwait City, Towers and Seafront

Kuwait sits at the head of the Gulf, a small country with a long maritime history of pearling, dhow building and trade. Its capital curves along a bay, with the blue-and-silver spheres of the Kuwait Towers as its emblem and a seafront promenade that fills with families in the cool evenings.

It is a destination for travelers who value culture, food and calm over crowds: superb museums, a famous fish market, shopping that rivals any in the region, and a hospitality tradition built around the diwaniya, the evening gathering at the heart of Kuwaiti social life. The country's future plans are set out in Kuwait Vision 2035.

Visa: US passport holders can get a visa on arrival at Kuwait International Airport (about KWD 10, roughly $33, paid by card) or apply in advance for an eVisa through the Ministry of Interior's official portal. Kuwait Airways has flown nonstop from New York JFK; check the airline's current schedule before booking. Passports should be valid for six months.

Dress and customs: Kuwait is conservative. Cover shoulders and knees in public, and wear long sleeves and a headscarf (women) at mosques. Alcohol is not permitted anywhere in the country, and it may not be brought in. During Ramadan (expected to begin around February 8, 2027), eating and drinking in public in daytime is not allowed; evenings are festive.

Money: the Kuwaiti dinar is the world's highest-valued currency, about $3.25 per dinar. Dinner for two at a top hotel restaurant from about $160 (KWD 50); a taxi across the city about $10 to $20 (KWD 3 to 6).

Day one: start at the Kuwait Towers for views over the bay, then walk the seafront to the Sharq Souq and the fish market for lunch. In the afternoon, tour the Grand Mosque, whose prayer hall is decorated with Andalusian-inspired tilework and calligraphy, and finish with dinner overlooking the water.

Day two: spend the morning at the Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Centre, one of the largest museum complexes in the world, then explore Souq Al-Mubarakiya, Kuwait's oldest market, for dates, saffron, perfume and traditional sweets. In the evening, see a performance at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre if one is scheduled.

Day three: take the ferry to Failaka Island to see its archaeological sites and heritage village, or head south to Al Khiran for a quiet day by the sea.

Kuwaiti cuisine reflects centuries of trade with India, Persia and East Africa. Try machboos, spiced rice with chicken, lamb or fish; mutabbaq samak, fish over fragrant rice; and gers ogaily, a saffron and cardamom cake served with tea. Hotel restaurants and new dining districts offer a strong international scene, from Japanese to French, and the coffee culture is exceptional.

Kuwait's property market is largely reserved for citizens and GCC nationals, though foreigners can invest through listed companies and real estate funds. Companies licensed by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority can be fully foreign-owned, and since June 2026 their investors and senior executives can receive residency of up to 15 years. See our Kuwait investment guide and Invest in the Middle East.