A slice of Saudi in Bandra

This weekend, head to the Bandra Kurla Complex for a unique way to book a foreign holiday. ‘Spectacular Saudi,’ the immersive event by Saudi’s national tourism body, currently on at R2 grounds in BKC, offers an amuse-bouche experience for the senses.



Escape the Mumbai rains and step into the Saudi marquee—a massive white tent just off the BKC connector in G Block—for sights, smells, and tastes of the destination.

If the lavender fields in northern Saudi Arabia or the resorts on Ummahat Islands in the Red Sea pique your interest, you can book your air tickets, hotel accommodations, and even apply for a Saudi visa at the event. You can get the visa within 48 hours if you bring your passport and a personal bank card with a minimum of USD 750 in your account.

Here’s what to look out for at the Spectacular Saudi Mumbai event. Entry is free.

Walk in from the main entrance to the sounds of Khaleeji and folk music, accompanied by the scent of bakhour and oud ittar. Experience the hafawa, or Saudi welcome, with a complimentary cup of kahwa— Mumbai cutting chai style.

The beverage, a centuries-old recipe, is a strong concoction of Yemeni coffee, flavored with saffron and cardamom (possibly introduced to Saudi Arabia thousands of years ago by Arab traders from Kerala). Sukkari dates complete the welcome.

Straight ahead, you’ll find a three-tiered platform of dried lavender flowers. Northern Saudi Arabia enjoys a Mediterranean desertic continental climate, and lavender blooms in the deserts of Al-Jouf, a four-hour drive from Tabuk, which is a flight away from Riyadh or Jeddah.

To the west, there’s a perfect spot for Instagram-worthy photos. Female visitors can try on the Abaya robe, while men can don the Arabic Thob and Bisht. You can pose against an urban background featuring Riyadh's Kingdom Tower or the AlUla’s Hegra tomb of the Nabatean civilization.

At the center is a small podium where women weave the traditional Sadu—a heavy, coarse fabric with patterns that vary by region. Sadu is used for tents or stitched into long coats.

To one side, there are kiosks with travel agents, airline, and visa application counters, while a food counter occupies the other end.

The Saudi menu features Chicken Mandi (a Bedouin recipe of chicken and spiced rice), Jareesh (cracked wheat and vegetable porridge), Muttabaq Lamb (Arabic meat and egg pie), and Metaziz (flour dumplings in vegetable stock) for the main course. Starters include Lamb Samboussa and cheese puffs, while desserts consist of Maasoub (banana, bread, honey), Mahalabiya (creamy custard), and Luqaimat (dumplings).

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