Beach Bikini Music Now Allowed in Saudi Arabia, Alcohol Still Banned

The rules in Saudi Arabia are starting to get very conservative. What was previously considered normal in other countries has taken a strange turn in Saudi Arabia.
However, with the changing views over time, Saudi Arabia has now changed its rules drastically and decided to be more flexible.

Now, Saudi Arabia has opened beach resorts where women are allowed to wear bikinis and play music on speakers.
Excerpt from page France 24 dated Friday, 29.10.2021, music was banned in public places until 2017, a measure introduced by the sharia police, and women were only allowed to drive a year later. The beach is usually still divided between men and women.

This was also felt by a resident named Asma, who until recently had not considered going to the beach with her boyfriend in very conservative Saudi Arabia.
“I’m happy now that I can come to a nearby beach to enjoy my time,” he told AFP.
“The essence of fun…it’s our dream to come here and have a great weekend.”

Freedom on the Beach

Beach goers were seen swimming and some of the women in bikinis were smoking hookahs. As the sun sets, dancers follow Western music on a brightly lit stage where several couples embrace nearby.
This is not an unusual sight in many countries, but it is different in Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam’s holiest sites and supports the strict religion of Wahhabism.

The country is undergoing change under the crown prince and de facto monarch Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who has been in power since 2017.
However, MBS launched a crackdown on dissidents by detaining women’s rights activists, clergy and journalists.

The Gulf kingdom’s social reforms were driven by a desire to diversify its oil-dependent economy, including promoting tourism and domestic spending. Only business travelers and Muslim pilgrims can visit until 2019, when Saudi Arabia begins offering tourist visas.
Bilal Saudi, head of events at King Abdullah Economic City, said the beach is aimed at “local visitors and (foreign) tourists”.

Alcohol Still Banned

Officials at the beach said they did not know whether the couple was married or not. Only two years ago, unmarried foreign couples were allowed to share hotel rooms.
As the staff said, for the sake of privacy, the phone was confiscated and stored in a plastic bag.
“I was surprised by the freedom and openness on the beach, which is something that happens in the United States,” said Mohammed Saleh, who went to the beach.

Cocktails, with the national alcohol ban still in effect, are still missing, according to visitors.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia opened up to the world with broad economic and social reforms. NEOM, a $500 billion high-tech hub built in the Red Sea, is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan to diversify its oil-dependent economy.

NEOM will operate according to its own founding law, which is currently being formulated.
Joseph Bradley, CEO of NEOM’s Tech and Digital Holding Company, could not confirm whether alcohol would be allowed under the new law, but told AFP that “everyone understands the need to attract foreign tourists.”

“What we’re often asked is the whole idea of ​​whether to have alcohol, what are you going to do about it?” He said in an interview with the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh.
“To be clear, NEOM is about being competitive. We want the best and brightest in the world to come to NEOM.”

“Understand that it is our goal to attract the most diverse and talented workforce, and we are doing everything we can and will do to attract this workforce,” he added.