Kuwait is a small, flat desert country at the head of the Gulf, and nearly everything a visitor sees is in and around its capital on Kuwait Bay. Winters are warm and pleasant; summers are fiercely hot.
Kuwait for visitors
Kuwait City's best-known landmark is the Kuwait Towers, three slender towers with blue-green spheres on the waterfront. Nearby, the Grand Mosque welcomes visitors on guided tours, and Souq Al-Mubarakiya, the old market, is a maze of spice, perfume and food stalls. The Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Centre has large museums of science and natural history, and the seafront Arabian Gulf Street is lined with cafés, beaches and malls. Failaka Island, a ferry ride away, has archaeological sites going back to the Bronze Age and the Greek period. Beyond the city, the desert is the place for winter camping. There is no metro or railway: most people drive, and taxis and ride-hailing apps are easy to use.
Time in Kuwait
Kuwait has one time zone, Asia/Kuwait, and is on UTC+3 all year, the same time as Riyadh and Bahrain. Right now Kuwait City is 3 hours ahead of London, 1 hour behind Dubai and 2 hours 30 minutes behind Mumbai. The weekend is Friday and Saturday. During Ramadan, working hours are shorter and daily life moves into the evening, after the fast is broken.
Climate and weather
Kuwait has a hot desert climate, with a long, extremely hot summer and a short, mild winter. In Kuwait City, average highs reach 47°C in July, and average lows fall to 8°C in January. Rain is rare: the capital gets only about 106 mm a year, almost all of it in winter, and has about 3,042 hours of sunshine. Dust storms are common in early summer, and the coast can be humid in late summer.
- Kuwait City
- Riyadh
Show the numbers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwait City | 19.1 | 21.8 | 26.1 | 32.6 | 39.6 | 45.2 | 46.6 | 46.3 | 43.1 | 36.2 | 27.2 | 21.2 |
| Riyadh | 20.1 | 23.6 | 27.8 | 33.6 | 39.4 | 42.7 | 43.4 | 43.6 | 40.4 | 35.2 | 27.5 | 22.2 |
Best time to visit Kuwait
November to March is the best time, with warm, sunny days and cool evenings, good for the waterfront, the souq and desert camping. October and April are hot but bearable. From May to September the heat is intense, and life moves indoors to malls and museums; plan any time outside for early morning or after dark.
Practical facts
- Capital: Kuwait City. Population: about 4.8 million (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (KWD). Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
- Language: Arabic. English is widely used in shops, hotels and on signs.
- Calling code: +965.
- Dress: modest clothing, covering shoulders and knees, is best in public places and expected at the mosque.
- Driving: on the right.
- Emergency number: 112 for police, fire and medical emergencies ([1]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- The live weather and the month-by-month climate table for Kuwait City are on this page.
- Riyadh city guide: another desert capital with a similar climate.
- World Clock and Weather for anywhere in Kuwait.
- Asia: time zones and key facts for the continent.
- How to prepare for extreme heat: worth reading before a summer visit.
Sources
- Smartraveller (Australian Government), Kuwait: call 112 for fire and rescue, medical emergencies and police.