TOURISM

he word corniche was originally coined to describe a road on the side of a mountain or cliff, with the ground rising on one side of the road and falling away on the other.  Derived from the French route à corniche or road on a ledge, it was applied to some mountain roads in the Cote d'Azur in southeast France.  The name was also used on a famous Rolls Royce model. In the Middle East, corniche typically describes a waterfront promenade, usually parallelled by a main road.  In Arabia, the corniche runs along the coast.  During May 2006, I had a chance to directly compare the latest corniche developments at these three locations.

Jeddah's North Corniche

The cosmopolitan city of Jeddah embraces 2,500 years of tradition as Saudi Arabia's most important business centre. The fashionable and magnificent North Corniche is a must-see location for any visitor to this vibrant and invigorating city.  From the outset, the development of the corniche was directed towards creating an integrated recreational area.  There are several striking features to this wonderful corniche: sea pools created by loops described by the road, foot piers to cross the coral reef and admire the sea and several mosques located by the sea or on islands.  The North Corniche is certainly a major showpiece offering many unique attractions.  The striking Fatima Mosque, situated right on the Red Sea, is one of its most beautiful and impressive sights by day or night.  This unmistakable landmark is located towards the northern end of the beach.

The North Corniche has been a popular destination with locals for decades. Families in particular enjoy their outdoor picnics overlooking the sea after sundown.  There are also now a clutch of amusement parks, as well as many refreshment stalls and fast food outlets, plus several restaurants and five star hotels to choose from.  Some of the new high-rise hotels are dramatic structures and the top floor restaurants at these boast impressive, panoramic views of the corniche and Red Sea.  Additionally, the corniche features an even more futuristic looking hotel - the Corniche Rosewood -that claims to be Jeddah's first ultra-luxury hotel.

In the evening, there is a definite buzz about the place and it can even become crowded.  Mornings are much quieter, so if you can stay at one of the hotels, an early morning walk is rewarding. You might even see a few fishermen, trying their luck from the piers or by the shoreline.  Sunset is also a wonderful time, especially in the cooler months, when the skies briefly transform into a beautiful, almost incandescent, orange glow at sundown. 

For birdwatchers like myself, early mornings can also be very productive. Two distinctive gull species, the White-eyed and Sooty gulls, are easily seen in the early morning, when they are on the lookout for scraps of food left by picnickers.  The summer plumaged White-eyed gull is a very handsome bird indeed.  The relatively small Green-backed heron is also found here, where it can be seen fishing from the rocks: on a recent visit, I also saw a pair of these birds perched on a small boat at the open marina at Sharm Obhur. 

Jeddah is a city of remarkable greenery and flower beds, which are nothing short of a tribute to the foresighted municipal authorities.  Beautiful bougainvillea and oleander are abundant; the latter often planted on the central reservations of the dual-carriaged corniche road.  Several palms are grown, not least date and coconut, and these present a distinctly tropical image.

Obhur Sharm is a wonderful natural bonus: this is an attractive, relatively narrow creek that extends a few kilometres inland.  Furthermore, the sharm forms a perfect natural harbour: there are boat marinas on the south side and several exclusive developments on the north side.  The chic Al-Sambouk Marina moors some impressive sea vessels, while on the creek itself, one can often see small speedboats demonstrating their prowess.      

New developments at Al-Khobar

Until very recently the corniches at Al-Khobar and Dammam did not match Jeddah's. However, these two eastern cities are now definitely beginning to narrow the gap. The magnitude and scope of some exciting new developments is literally amazing.  Al-Khobar's attractive Central Corniche is already maturing with palms, and a host of shrub and flower beds. 

The new South Corniche is planned on a major scale.  The Shubaily Grand Mall promises to be a unique shopping experience, anywhere in Arabia.  Construction of this remarkable development is already well underway.  Artists' impressions at the mall construction site show an interesting Arabesque architectural style, with a lagoon bordering the leading edge of the mall, which has an island with palm trees on it.  The multiple 'fingers' of the corniche seafront are already completed and planted with mature date palms.  The three sets of palms on 'islet' mounds right by the seashore form an aesthetically attractive feature that scores top marks for me.  These are especially noticeable upon returning to the Kingdom on King Fahad Causeway, an impressive road link between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. This palm feature is best appreciated during the very early morning, with low sunlight rising from the east.

White-cheeked and Saunder's terns are common all along the shore over summer.  Reef herons and various shore birds can also be seen on the edges of the finger inlets.  Occasionally, out to sea, it is also possible to spot large flocks of Socotra cormorant - an endemic seabird species that is practically restricted to the Arabian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.  These cormorants nest in large colonies on selected Gulf islands including Samamik in Saudi waters and on Bahrain's Hawar Islands, the latter perhaps the world's largest colony, possibly exceeding 25,000 pairs. 

Dammam Corniche and Al-Murjan Island

Dammam's Corniche is centred on a wide semi-circular bay in which Al-Murjan Island has been constructed.  The original part has a promenade backed with palms planted on extensive lawns.  More modern additions and substantial extensions to the corniche are currently underway. These include various children's theme and amusement parks, supported by restaurants and fast food outlets.  In the Gulf, the tidal movement is large and it is always fascinating to watch the incoming water and the ever-changing shoreline.

Al-Murjan Island is connected to the northern part of the bay by a curving causeway.  There are attractive coloured sunshelters and picnic places, though the area is practically deserted during the early morning, except for a few active fishermen,  who seem to enjoy good catches of small fish, which they say are delicious when grilled.  While talking to them, a handsome breeding-plumaged Lesser crested tern flew by and effortlessly caught a fish at close range.  As sea terns and other seabirds are abundant in the Gulf, even inshore, this underlines the great biological productivity of this shallow and warm sea.

Which corniche to visit?

This is really an open-ended question, one that depends on individual preference, as all three now promise excellent recreational facilities and amenities.  Personally, I still prefer Jeddah's North Corniche, with its added bonus of the natural creek at Obhur.  All three have their merits and the corniche's at Al-Khobar and Dammam are currently being rapidly upgraded and extended.