Living In Salwa

Here we take a look at what it is like to live in the Salwa area of Kuwait and interview one of its residents for the insider view:

How long in Kuwait? 6 months

Why did you move to Kuwait? We relocated with my husband's work

Family circumstance: Married with two young children

A bit about me/us: We have travelled and lived in some beautiful countries, so arriving here was a bit of a shock at first. However, we have made lots of lovely friends with expats and locals and have got involved with the school etc., so life here is now very enjoyable.

Accommodation Options: There is a good choice of villas and apartments in Salwa. Generally those closer to the Arabian Gulf Street with views of the Gulf are more expensive as are the larger villas with good facilities. You can find apartments with a shared pool and sometimes small green areas for children to play in.

Facilities: There is a nice Sultan Centre and two Co-ops, the larger of which is located within the centre of Salwa. Here you will also find a selection of shops such as Body Shop, Starbucks, Mothercare, Photoshop and various fast food outlets. The centre does look a bit run down but is very popular with shoppers and the car park is often full. Fortunately there are many spaces around this are so parking should not be a problem.

There is a park, however this is not very well maintained and McDonalds also have a playground, which is okay.

There are a few international schools and nurseries in Salwa including:-

BSK- British School of Kuwait, The English School for Girls, Kuwait English School, The Oxford Academy, Modern English School,The English Paygroup Infant School and TSK- The Sunshine Kindergarten.

Along Arabian Gulf Street you will find The Palms, a very popular gym and beach club, the Radisson Blu hotel and the Al Hashemi 2 Maritime Museum.

Why I/ we like living here: We like living in Salwa as we enjoy the beach (although we wouldn't advise swimming in the sea here). Access to the 30 and Arabian Gulf Street is also very good so the school run is not too bad. Our apartment is in a very friendly compound which has been lovely for barbecues and making friends. This has helped us to settle in and feel at home quite quickly.

What do you enjoy doing with your time: My life at present revolves around my children, so play areas, the beach and good access to the school were priorities. It is nice to go be close to Messilah beach which is a family friendly place to go.

About Salwa

Salwa (meaning place of the casuals) is a suburb of the Hawalli Governorate in Kuwait, bordering Rumaithiya to the north and Messila to the south. To the east (across Cooperative Road), it overlooks the Arabian Gulf.

Like all suburbs in Kuwait, Salwa has its own government-run clinic and its own shopping center. This includes a supermarket and various restaurants (including Burger King, McDonald's and Starbucks coffee).

Houses in the area are generally 2-3 stories high, and a large number of Westerners reside in Salwa. It is home to a lot of private American and English schools.