When Iraqi troops were driven out in early 1991 and reconstruction work
began in the ruins of Kuwait City, the government quickly became obsessed
with meticulously
re-creating the country's pre-invasion appearance - right down to the pink marble steps at the entrance to Kuwait City's leading
five-star hotel.

Kuwait is once again the prototypical oil state, and travellers looking for a relaxed entry into the Muslim world can expect their share of mosques, souks and other sandy traces of bygone Bedouin days.

The Persian Gulf provides ample opportunities for swimming, windsurfing,
sailing, snorkelling and scuba diving almost year round.

The best time to visit Kuwait is in May or October - right before or right
after summer, when the temperatures are civilised.