Tour Kuwait in Two Days

Al Kout Mall Cafe with a view of  the lovely fountains.

If you have two days to tour Kuwait then you should start off first with your Tour Kuwait Day One itinerary click [here] and after day one and two then if you have three days in Kuwait then click Tour Kuwait in Three Days [here].

Now you're ready for Tour Kuwait Day Two:

If you are not having breakfast at your hotel then start your day with a decadent breakfast at Ryoog (Kuwaiti for "breakfast").  It is a local breakfast haven located in Shaab (Al-Sha'ab Al-Bahri), Block 8, Street 80 (adjacent to Villa Fairouz Lebanese Restaurant).  You can easily access it from Road 30 and they are open from 6 AM - 11 PM. 

We suggest enjoying your breakfast seated outdoors if the weather permits.  This amazing local restaurant serves Kuwaiti, Middle Eastern and American Breakfast.  They have delicious omelets loaded with veggies, pancakes / waffles drizzled in Nutella and even liver if that's your thing.

 

 

After breakfast head down the Gulf Coastal Road to The Scientific Center in Salmiya to discover the fauna of Kuwait. This educational center covers both the desert and sea life of the country. You will be amazed with the details provided for every animal found there.

 

The Scientific Center covers the aquarium, discovery corner for kids, an IMAX theater, and a harbor for old preserved Kuwaiti dhows. A truly fascinating place in Kuwait that we like to visit over and over. The IMAX theater plays many cool documentaries that cannot be missed. Adults and kids cannot get enough of this memorable place.

Next, head back to the Arabian Gulf Street and give Souk Sharq a visit. Souq Sharq is on the Kuwaiti seafront and includes a marina, shops, fish market, cafes and restaurants.  It's one of Kuwait's older malls that was nearly hit by a missile during the second Gulf War in 2003.  One missile fell and exploded into the Arabian Gulf right next to it.  "Parts of the ceiling and walls littered the ground in a covered entry way after the explosion. Glass doors and windows were shattered and some doors were knocked off their hinges. Television images also showed smoke rising over the Kuwaiti skyline." [Source] 

We recommend you go inside the souk and check the Water Clock, which was designed by Bernard Gitton. We were told that there are only few water clocks like this one in the world.

 

Next stroll on over to the the fish market and watch the smelly show. ;)  It's located at the end of the mall's parking lot. Locals and expats go there to buy Kuwait's local fresh seafood.  You can even witness the seafood auction and maybe learn about the different types of Kuwaiti and regional fish, prawns and lobsters.

 

 

 

 

 

You will notice this dhow harbor as you exit the fish market. There are a few of them left in Kuwait and they were used for a couple of centuries, as Kuwait relied on maritime and seafaring activities. Fishermen unload what they caught here to be sent to the market, which preserves the seafaring heritage of Kuwait.  The best time for taking a photograph is during the sunrise or sunset.

 

 

Next: For art enthusiasts, pay Dar Al Funoon a visit to exhibit the crafts held there and possibly buy an item from their private collection. It is located behind the Catholic church and Starbucks and is part of an old Kuwaiti town. Due to construction, Dar Al Funoon can be accessed from the Arabian Gulf Street.

 

 

For lunch, we suggest rewarding your stomach with some delicious Kuwaiti food at Shate'a Al-Watyia restaurant that is adjacent to Dar Al Funoon. Both are part of this interesting complex. We recommend Mouash with fried shrimp and tamarind sauce; a popular dish in this restaurant. Make sure you check the old pictures of Kuwait hanging on the walls to see what keeps Kuwaitis nostalgic about their past. The difference between this restaurant and Madheena is the authentic ambiance provided here.

 

 Afterwards, spend some quality time at Dar al-Athar al Islamiyyah opposite Dar Al Funoon and in front of the Evangelical Church. It is the home of the private collection of the Islamic art owned by Sheikh Naser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and his wife Sheikha Hussah Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. It is located inside the American Mission Hospital.

This hospital opened in the early 1900s by Sheikh Mubarak's request and was the first concrete building in Kuwait. Currently, the renovated hospital is utilized for artistic, cultural, and historic functions and named the Amricani Cultural Center. It holds many invaluable Islamic art items that cannot be found anywhere. In addition, an audio-visual presentation of the history of the hospital is provided to educate the visitors about not only the history of the hospital, but also the strong ties of Kuwait and the US.

 

 

 

 

Then head over to explore the Memorial Museum, aptly named the Not to Forget Museum, located in Shuwaikh area, Street 7, House 32. The museum focuses on the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and provides a panorama of the war scenes, the detailing events that took place during the war, the oil fire, the Kuwaiti and international martyrs, the Allied Forces wings, and the damage inflicted on Kuwait economically, humanly, and politically. Documents detailing orders to vandalize and loot Kuwait are exhibited, as well as the head of Saddam Hussein's statue, which is displayed in this museum. We were informed that it was a gift from the American Army to Kuwait and this museum.

 

 

After the museum why don't you go for a trip further down nostalgia lane, head to Yaum Al-Bahhar Village in Shuwaikh opposite the National Assembly (the Parliament). It is a replica of the pre-oil souk and villages where you will find 20 traditional handicraft shops selling Kuwaiti sweets, painting, wooden dhows, souvenirs, etc. Also, the village includes mini theme park rides that were used back then, a traditional Kuwaiti café, a traditional restaurant, a pearl diving museum, and a bookstore that sells rare books on Kuwait in Arabic and English.

 

 

 

Finally, end the day with a visit to 52 Degrees, Kuwait's first department Store, located in Tilal Complex in the industrial Shuwaikh Area, which is accessed from Jahra Road, once you pass City Center and a couple of car agencies. All products are made by Kuwaiti entrepreneurs, as you can shop for perfumes, furniture, novels, accessories, and clothes with a Kuwaiti twist. You can also sit down and enjoy some of the restaurants that opened there for dinner. Expansion of the department store will include a gym, a theater, radio station, a nail bar, a library, and more shops and restaurants.

 

 

This concludes touring Kuwait day two.  We will post the third and final day soon.  If you would like to re-post this please write to us at: expatandthecity@gmail.com

 

There will also be an extra post with supplements of suggested things to see, activities, shopping and restaurants that we couldn't fit into the three posts.  

 

We love Kuwait and hope you will enjoy seeing some of what makes this country special to us. <3