Category: Kuwait

Yesterday, Henley & Partners released their 2026 Passport Index, marking two decades since they first started sharing this list. Henley releases the list every year, and they rank passports based on how many countries holders can enter without a visa.

For 2026, Kuwait ranked 50 on the list with 96 visa-free destinations. Interestingly, it used to be 102 visa-free destinations back in 2024, so I’m curious to know which countries Kuwait had a falling out with.

Compared to neighboring GCC countries, Kuwait has the third best passport, coming in behind the UAE and Qatar. Singapore had the most powerful passport, while Afghanistan had the weakest.

Here are how some other countries ranked compared to Kuwait:

1 – Singapore
5 – United Arab Emirates
7 – United Kingdom
8 – Canada
10 – United States
46 – Turkey / Russia
47 – Qatar
50 – Kuwait
54 – Saudi Arabia
55 – Bahrain
57 – Oman
73 – Philippines
80 – India
85 – Egypt
90 – Lebanon
101 – Afghanistan

If you want to check out the full list, click here.

A couple of years ago, I posted photos of an old mosque I came across while browsing the Tareq Rajab Museum’s private photography archive. The photos were taken sometime in the 1970s, and with the help of my Twitter followers, we were able to track down the mosque, which turned out to still be standing in the city.

The mosque was identified as the Ahmad Abdullah Mosque, built in 1915, and located in the area behind the Dickson House. When I passed by, it was in terrible condition and looked like it could collapse at any moment. Someone must have seen my post because restoration work started last summer and was recently completed.

I’m not sure how authentic the restoration was, but the important thing is the mosque wasn’t demolished or left to crumble. It’s now fenced off, and no one is allowed to access the area around it. I’m not sure what the plan is, but they might be keeping is closed until the old city project surrounding it is eventually completed.

If you want to check out my previous post with the old photos, click here.

Recently, I noticed the Thunayan Al Ghanim Building at the Sheraton roundabout had been vacated and looked like it might be getting demolished. That worried me because of its historical importance, so I reached out to the family, and it turns out the building is actually going to be restored.

When the building was constructed in the 1950s, it was considered one of the most advanced in Kuwait. In the photo above the building is under construction while surrounded by traditional Kuwaiti houses, a very noticeable contrast at the time.

The Thunayan Al Ghanim Building was also the first building in Kuwait to have an elevator. There are stories of Bedouins coming in from the desert just to watch what they called “the flying horse” that can go up and down. Over the years, the building housed the original Kuwait Oil Company offices, the British Consulate, Kuwait’s first English bookshop (later opened in the basement of Al Muthana Complex), and the original Sultan Gallery.

Because of its historical value, the family plans to preserve the building.

I haven’t been posting for a few days since I wanted to take a bit of time off to enjoy the holidays. But I’m back now because a lot of people have been asking if there will be fireworks tonight, and the answer is yes and no.

If you’re asking whether there will be a huge fireworks show like the ones previously held at Kuwait Towers or earlier this year at Al Shaheed Park, then the answer is no.

However, similar to last year, there will be several fireworks displays taking place around Kuwait.

The biggest one was expected to happen at KLAND, but they announced late last night that the fireworks show has been canceled.

That means the largest displays are now likely to be at Messilah Beach, Al Kout Mall, and Al Khiran Mall. If you don’t want to drive that far, or you’re looking for something near Kuwait Towers, JON will be holding a short fireworks show that will last a few minutes.

Wherever you end up watching the fireworks from, have a great night and happy new year.

Update: Messilah Beach just announced that their fireworks show is also canceled due to “directives of the relevant security authorities.” I wonder what’s going on🤔

Update2: JON also canceled their fireworks

Update3: Al Kout Mall and Al Khiran also announced the cancelations of their shows

The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) recently opened the first phase of its Eco Park project, a government initiative aimed at supporting urban greening and promoting sustainability in Kuwait. The Eco Park focuses on improving green spaces in urban areas while also supporting research related to desert development and urban planning.

The park officially opened earlier in the month but I kept postponing my visit because of the weather. But, on Friday when I saw the sun was out I decided to pass by and check the park out and take some photos.

It’s fairly big, depending on what you’re comparing it to. It’s much smaller than Shaheed Park and Shuwaikh Park, but bigger and more interesting than most neighborhood parks.

When you first walk in, you’re greeted with a list of rules, including a no pets allowed notice. I’m actually fine with that. I walk my dog in that area and although I always pick up after him, I know a lot of people don’t. I’d rather have a dog free park than constantly worrying about stepping in poop. Inside the park there are plants and flowers everywhere (but no grass), and two artificial lakes, one large open air lake and a smaller shaded one. On the other end of the park is a large open space that looks like it could be used to host events or activities like yoga sessions or outdoor workouts. There’s also a pathway marked with no entry signs that leads toward the second phase of the park.

I couldn’t find the park’s opening hours listed anywhere, and I didn’t see any security or staff on site to ask about the timings. I reached out to KISR on Thursday to check, but I haven’t heard back yet. That said, I drive by the park daily and haven’t seen the gate closed so far.

If you want to pass by, the park is in Salmiya, facing the Gulf Road, in front of the Cliffs Tower and just before Dar Hamad. Here is the location on Google Maps.

Update: KISR replied, the opening hours are Sat to Wed 6am–6pm and Thu to Sat 6am–9pm

I was working on another post when I came across these photos I had gotten from my visit to the KOC Archives years ago. They were interesting pictures of a school, and a quick image reverse search took me to an old Tumblr post that had a similar photo and mentioned the school was Al Shamiya School for Boys. I kept digging to find out who designed it and when it was built, and I ended up finding some information in an essay by Roberto Fabbri titled “Prototyping Spaces for Education”. The essay is in the book Essays, Arguments and Interviews on Modern Architecture of Kuwait, a book that is available to purchase from the bookshop at Amricani or the Yarmouk Culture Center or their online shop.

The Al-Shamiya School for Boys, along with two other elementary schools, a technical college and five nurseries were designed by the British architectural firm Tripe & Wakeham in the 1950s. T&W were appointed by the Emir to design and build a series of ‘western standard’ educational facilities based on the requirements drafted by the Council of Education.

Tripe & Wakeham’s approach on design focused on balancing the sun and keeping the buildings naturally cool. Even though their plans differed from one project to another, everything followed the same idea: one-room-thick layouts to improve cross ventilation. The main spaces were oriented northeast, while balconies and overhangs faced southeast and were usually shaded with shutters or screens.

If you feel like reading some more, the Arabian Gulf Digital Archives have scans of the original notes by the architect Aitken of Tripe & Wakeham on the schools they designed. The scans expand on the above in a lot more detail and it really interesting to read the thinking process behind the designs and you can check those out here.

So if you ever wondered why old schools looked the way they do, now you know.

A couple of days ago, Boulevard World in Riyadh opened to the public as part of Riyadh Season. Boulevard World (or BLVD World) is located right next to BLVD City, another large entertainment zone. The venue features replicas of iconic landmarks from several countries, and this year they’ve added three new zones: Indonesia, Korea, and Kuwait.

The Kuwait zone features replicas of the Kuwait Towers, Seef Palace with its clock tower, and a large dhow. It also includes restaurants serving authentic Kuwaiti food, along with traditional arts and live performances.

If you’ve never been to BLVD World or City, you really should. I’ve been three times, and each time it was bigger than the year before. It’s a gigantic world that feels a bit like Universal Studios or Disneyland. Riyadh is also always a fun road trip if you want to drive down.

From Kuwait to Riyadh 🇰🇼❤️
Authentic Kuwaiti food, traditional arts,
and live performances are waiting for you at the Kuwait Zone inside Blvd World 🌏

Book your tickets nowhttps://t.co/zvz6LyRkSL#BigTime#RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/kMANvQx4vy

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) October 11, 2025

Photos are from @addadruh.

Barari is a local landscaping company I’ve been following for a couple of years. I’m a fan of their work, and they’ve done some really interesting projects. One that stood out to me is called Tree Den.

For the Tree Den project, they took a tiled-up garden with artificial turf and turned it into a vibrant desert sanctuary. Looking at the before and after photos, it’s hard to believe they’re of the same place.

Instead of covering the ground with artificial or real grass, they decided to embrace the sand as a natural, breathable surface. According to Barari, they wanted to celebrate the desert rather than fight it. They planted dense greenery along with mature trees to create a cozy and immersive space. Even the kids play area encourages hands-on exploration and digging. It’s a simple idea that I think is executed beautifully, and they managed to convince me that sand doesn’t need to be covered but can actually be a beautiful part of the landscape.

If you want to check out all the before and after photos of the transformation, head over to their website here.

The new redeveloped Shuwaikh Beach is reopening tomorrow Wednesday, October 1st. The project is part of Kuwait Municipality’s efforts to enhance the leisure and recreational spaces in Kuwait. The 1.7km-long project got upgraded facilities, including a running track, bicycle track, mosques, and several main areas tailored to community needs like sports fields, recreational areas, and extensive green spaces.

I took a stroll around the park and although it’s not covered in trees like the original renderings were, there were plenty of grassy areas to sit and chill. Barbecuing isn’t allow but picnics are. I saw two main play areas for kids each located at opposite ends of the park. There were also two volleyball courts, two basketball courts and a small rock climbing area as well as some outdoor workout equipment.

There will be a 1km walkathon tomorrow as part of the official opening and that will take place from 4PM to 7PM. Here is the location on Google Maps. For more photos, click here.

The Chinese food delivery service Keeta launches in Kuwait today, taking on Talabat, Deliveroo, Jahez, and Cari.

Keeta is the overseas brand of the Chinese company Meituan, the world’s largest food delivery platform. They launched in Saudi Arabia last year and it took them just four months to become the third-largest food delivery platform there. So I’m very curious to see how they’ll perform locally.

At launch, they’re offering a discount on your first order plus free delivery. After that, you’ll continue to get free delivery on all orders of KD3 or more (with no subscription needed). @kw.keeta

@VisitKuwait posted the 4 different categories that were recently introduced for the Kuwait tourist visa. source

The cost of the tourist visa is just KD 3 so around $10. source

Today marks 35 years since Iraq invaded Kuwait, starting the Gulf War. I was in Kuwait and just 11 years old when I woke up that morning to find out what had happened. We had just finished celebrating my younger brother’s birthday the night before, so it took a while for me to grasp how much life was about to change.

My family stayed in Kuwait for six weeks before fleeing by road to Lebanon, where I lived until the war ended and we moved back to Kuwait in the summer of 1991. Although I was young, I have vivid memories from that time, mostly tied to the media, from CNN’s Operation Desert Storm coverage to the “FREE KUWAIT” and later “Free Our POWs” campaigns, and even small things like anti Saddam car bumper stickers.

I remember as a kid desperately wanting a “FREE KUWAIT” badge or t-shirt. It was such a strong and meaningful visual that, 35 years later, it’s still a powerful image.

The “FREE KUWAIT” logo was designed by Michael Lorrigan with the help of the British design firm Bostock & Pollitt (now called Pollitt & Partners). Michael, who was a teacher and deputy headmaster at New English School at the time, was in England on summer break when the invasion happened. After the war broke out, he discovered the newly formed Kuwaiti media committee in London and joined them, eventually becoming one of their most dedicated members. The name “Free Kuwait Campaign” was chosen as a unifying label for various London-based groups supporting Kuwait during the invasion. When Michael shared the sample logos with the campaign group, a member called Ali Al Mulaifi suggested making the word “FREE” larger than “KUWAIT.” That became the final version. source

There is actually a great interview you can watch (it’s in Arabic) that details Michaels role in the Free Kuwait campaign which you can watch here.

The photos in this post were all taken in London by Dr. Adel Al-Yousifi. They are part of his photo-book “A Testimony from London” and are also available online at his website, free-kuwait.net. Dr. Adel also created the website evidence-kw.net, which documents the impact of the war on Kuwait and is based on another photo-book he published in 1994.

Every photo of the new hall and surrounding buildings at Kuwait University’s Shadadiya campus looks like a rendering, but they’re not. They’re real.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), one of the most influential architecture, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, and in collaboration with Kuwaiti artist Farah Behbehani, the new hall called The Pearl is part of the university’s administration facilities.

Farah designed the shading structures, reimagining the traditional mashrabiya in a contemporary way by using calligraphic geometry to create façades that play with light, respond to the climate, and reflect cultural memory.

The Pearl sits between the administration building and the library, and houses a 1,600-seat theater used for major events like student orientation, graduations, and performances throughout the year.

From the SOM website: The Pearl is enclosed by thousands of sun-shading panels arranged in a complex geometry. The panel design spells out the Arabic word aldanah—meaning a large and extremely precious pearl—in Sumbuli calligraphy, a late Ottoman cursive style. Mounted on a structural frame, these panels form the building’s mashrabiya, culminating in a skylight aperture that brings natural light into the building.

To check out all the photos that were taken by Dave Burk, click here.

I got a message from my dogs’ vet last week (IVH) saying that, for the first time ever in Kuwait, they’ve introduced pet insurance. It’s a collaboration between them and the insurance company GIG Takaful, and it covers both cats and dogs. The coverage includes:

• Consultations and examinations
• Accidents and illnesses
• Surgeries, medications, and hospital admissions
• Blood tests and CT scans
• Euthanasia and cremation (where applicable)
• Third-party liability (for dogs)

I checked the prices and there are two plans available for both cats and dogs. Cat plans start at KD79 per year, while dog plans start from KD99. If you want to find out more, click here.

Models: August and Hugo

Condé Nast Traveler just published their list of “The 11 Best Restaurants in Kuwait” on their website. Here’s what they picked, in no particular order:

• B+F
• Dandoosh Restaurant
• Better Diner
• Milk Bun
• Freej Swaileh
• Lï Beirut
• Selera Kita Restaurant
• Midar
• Cocoa Room
• Amiti Noura
• Shawarma Mishref

Seems like an odd list. I definitely would’ve included Phet Phet, Matbakhi, and Oak & Smoke. Having two burger spots and two shawarma places also feels repetitive for such a short list.

Pictured up top is Li Beirut.