Saudi couples flock to beach as kingdom deals with fast pace of social change
The kingdom is open for business and tourists, in the context of rapid social change, which has some conservative Saudis anxious changes are coming too fast.
News reports over the last week cast doubts and sent contradicting signs about the new policies of openness in Saudi Arabia, through which the kingdom seeks to ease some of its conservative restrictions, aiming to attract investors and help its private sector.
The first was about the opening of a new beach in the Jeddah area, which is considered the modern commercial and tourism hub in Saudi Arabia. Pure Beach is located in King Abdullah Economic City, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of Jeddah's city center.
After paying 300 Saudi riyals ($80), a visitor can enter Pure Beach, enjoy music, dancing and a floating water park; no gender restrictions are in place and marital status for couples is not checked. Women wear bikinis and both sexes can smoke the hookah.
For decades, these scenes were not allowed in the kingdom, but since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came to power in 2017, Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, has slowly opened up.
