Cat Buffets, Garlic Fast Food, And More — Jeddah With Kholoud Abdulwassie

by Alexandra Mansilla

Cat Buffets, Garlic Fast Food, And More — Jeddah With Kholoud Abdulwassie

1 May 2025

You probably won't find stories like these about Jeddah on Google — and chances are, you won’t stumble upon these places on your own either. Only the locals know about them (and even then, not all of them do), simply because they have witnessed Jeddah grow and change over time. They remember what was here before — which buildings disappeared, which ones took their place, how people moved from one neighbourhood to another, leaving their homes behind, and what those old houses have become today.

Kholoud Abdulwassie is one of those people. Her family has lived here for generations. Her ancestors lived in the historic district, she was born in Jeddah, and she still lives here, sharing stories about her hometown. And since there are so many stories to tell, Kholoud became a professional guide, sharing them with visitors. (Zoe Saldana and Terry Gilliam have been among her guests, by the way!)

We wanted to hear her story — and of course, we asked her to give us a short tour of a few must-visit spots around the city.

Photo: Asil Al Amoudi

— Hello Kholoud! Could you tell me your story? What is your background? What is your family like? How did you become a tour guide?

— I grew up in Jeddah — born and raised. All of my grandparents lived here too, so I grew up hearing a lot of stories from my family about the city and about Al-Balad, the historical district of Jeddah. I heard so much about their life there, but we didn’t visit often because the area wasn’t really open to the public — it was in poor condition back then. It is only recently, in 2014, that it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and started to be restored and renovated, thanks to the Historic Jeddah program. Before that, you couldn’t really walk around and explore freely.

I was always so excited to hear those stories and imagine what Al-Balad looked like.

Actually, I come from a family of photographers. Both my grandfather and my father were photographers, and we still have some of their very old analogue cameras. My grandfather on my mother’s side was one of the first people in Jeddah to have a camera — the kind where you cover your head with a black cloth before taking a picture. That is how old his camera was!

I grew up surrounded by all these photos and videos. Every couple of weeks, we would sit down and look through old albums or watch videos they recorded. So history was a big part of our lives growing up.

My grandfather on my mother’s side also worked in the army — he was a general — so the family moved a lot around Saudi Arabia. My mum always told us about the different places they lived.

When you are a kid and you are growing up surrounded by all these stories, it shapes you. Plus, my family placed a big emphasis on education — most of them are doctors. My grandmother even worked at the Ministry of Media as a translator, which was pretty amazing for a woman 40 years ago.

When it came time for university, there were no tourism and hospitality majors yet — they opened about two years after I graduated. So, I chose to study zoology, simply because I love animals, not because I was thinking about work.

— Wow, that was unexpected!

— Yes! And during my university years, I got married and moved to Germany. I originally planned to shift into photography and media design because I loved storytelling through images. But learning German took a lot of time, so I continued with zoology while taking a few optional courses, and some of them were about tourism.

That is when I really found my passion. Tourism and hospitality just made sense for me — it matched my personality perfectly. I was always the girl leading the team, helping others, organising things — even back in first or second grade.

Later, I worked in a medical company, but quickly realised that office life was absolutely not for me.

In 2020 and 2021, I started taking free tourism courses offered by the Ministry of Tourism. I realised that a lot of the things I naturally loved — helping people, sharing stories, making experiences memorable — are the core of hospitality. It felt like I had found myself.

Then I got the opportunity to attend a short scholarship programme in Switzerland — it was only 10 days, but it was very intensive and opened my eyes even more. That is when I decided: this is what I want to do.

I applied for my licence, and since 2022, I have been working full-time as a freelance tour guide.

Photo: Kholoud Abdulwassie

— Making a tour interesting is an art. What is your approach?

— I love sharing stories about my family — it really helps create a personal connection. And I have plenty of stories to tell, especially since my grandparents’ house still stands in Al-Balad, Jeddah’s historic district.

My grandfather’s house was always full of people. In front of many old homes, there was a space called a decca — a built-in seating area meant for people to gather outside. Since the interiors of these houses were often small and not ideal for hosting guests, the real social life happened just outside the front door. My grandfather’s house happened to face a wide open area, which made it even more inviting. He and his friends would sit out there for hours, chatting, laughing, and spending time together. It was a big part of the culture — community life took place outdoors, in shared spaces like that.

Kholoud and her cousin at the spot where their grandfather used to gather with friends and relatives in the 1950s. Photo: Discover Albalad

Sometimes I weave personal stories into the facts I have learned, giving people a perspective that is not just historical, but human. That is what really draws them in — they feel like I truly know the place and its people, because I do.

And it is true — when I walk through the old town, locals often greet me. My guests always notice. They say it makes the experience feel more personal, like I’m not just guiding the tour — I’m part of the place.

Sometimes I even connect my guests with the locals. I love asking questions — learning what people care about, what they are into, what grabs their attention. If someone tells me, “I love handmade cups,” and I know a local who collects or makes them, I’ll take them there. I’ll say, “You know what? I have someone I want you to meet.” And just like that, they are talking, connecting — and suddenly, it is not just a tour anymore. It is a memory.

And it is not only in the old town. Even on city tours, I try to personalise the experience. I take people to places that aren’t typical tourist spots — places that reflect who they are. It makes the whole thing feel more real, more meaningful. More them.

Where to Go in Jeddah — Kholoud’s Picks

There is a really special antique shop right at the entrance of the old town. From the outside, it may not look like much, but once you step in, it is like walking into a mini museum. You’ll find old items that reflect local history — many of them no longer exist elsewhere. Not everyone even knows about this place, even though it is right there and very visible. What makes it even more special is that many of the objects once belonged to families who lived in the old town.

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Also, there is one Italian restaurant called Portofino — the owner is Italian, married to a Saudi woman. The food is truly authentic. It is not modern or overly fancy, just real Italian flavour.

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Jeddah is also a very artistic city. It has over 600 public art sculptures scattered throughout, many of which have been there since the 1980s. The mayor at the time wanted to make the city more beautiful, so now you’ll find works by artists like Henry Moore, Joan Miró, and others in public spaces. One hidden gem is the Open Air Museum by the lake — most people, even locals, are surprised when I take them there. They had no idea it existed.

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Now, something a bit unusual — the cat buffet. In Islamic culture and in Saudi tradition, feeding any living creature is a good deed. So in the old town, people used to feed the street cats informally. But to keep things clean and organised, the Ministry of Culture set up official cat feeders. It is stocked daily with food and water as part of a scheduled program. And it is not just a government thing — locals are involved too. We even have a WhatsApp group for cat care. If someone notices an empty feeder, they let us know, or bring some dry food themselves. It is a shared effort. Caring, kindness, and hospitality are a big part of our culture. People feed the birds, too. Or reuse leftover bottled water to give to plants and animals. Helping living souls — that is something we are raised with.

Cat buffet. Photo: Kholoud Abdulwassie

And of course, you can’t talk about Jeddah without mentioning ALBAIK. It is the most famous fast-food spot here — fried chicken with a seriously strong garlic sauce. It is so iconic that people used to carry boxes of it through airports to other cities. I remember seeing it all the time when I lived in Cairo.

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Central Fish Market. Photo: Kholoud Abdulwassie

The Central Fish Market is a real hidden gem. Everything is super fresh. Sellers are allowed to keep fish for one extra day, but they have to be transparent and tell buyers it is not a same-day catch. After two days, it is not allowed to be sold at all. The government monitors everything — hygiene, freshness, everything. All my guests who visited loved it. It is one of those unexpected places that turns out to be a highlight of the trip.

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by Alexandra Mansilla