The sprawling Cultural Plaza in Chinatown is a shopping square surrounding a courtyard that hosts an incense-enveloped shrine and the Moongate stage for holiday performances. Near the canal, you will meet local community members playing cards and mah-jong.

The Honolulu Zoo is home to over 900 different animals from the tropics, including Komodo Dragons, orangutans, elephants, primates, and a variety of African mammals. Distributed on 42 acres of tropical greenery, the aviary is especially charming, as visitors can here admire a variety of native Hawaiian birds, including the nene and 'apapane.

Beit Nassif stands as one of Al-Balad’s most significant restored coral houses, a 19th-century merchant’s mansion that later served as a royal residence for King Abdulaziz. Its Ottoman-inspired design includes distinctive bay windows and ramps built for camel messengers to access the upper floors. The interior reveals grand rooms and a library, while a 130-year-old neem tree — once Jeddah’s only tree — guards the entrance. Visiting can be a logistical exercise; access is not always straightforward, and some areas, like the rooftop terrace with its panoramic views, may be closed without notice. It’s wise to call ahead to confirm opening times and avoid a fruitless journey.

This popular lookout point offers a beautiful view over the Christ the Redeemer statue and the Sugar Loaf Mountain. Given its proximity to the city, many photographers prefer to shoot from here rather than climb to the top of Corcovado. The two places, however, are very close and easy to visit on the same day.