AlBaha
Cliffs and Woods
With soaring mountains, long green forests and valleys with a bevy of flora and fauna, Al Baha in the south west of Saudi Arabia is nestled between the resorts of Makkah and Abha, offering all fun for tourists and feast for the eyes of visitors—men, women and children.
By Ghazanfar Ali Khan
These are precisely the reasons Al Baha has been called the "Pearl of Resorts", that can boast to have a range of swamp forests, sites of trekking and traditional towers. The hanging village in Baha is yet another attraction, which is attracting an increasing number of visitors. Travelers can explore the Baha forests by trekking or they can walk around the woods and the mountains, which are located just five kilometers away from the provincial capital named Baha City. In fact, visitors from inside the Kingdom and nearby countries are particularly attracted to Baha because of its forests, whose number exceeds 53.
These forests include the well-known Raghdan forest, that covers an area of 600,000 square meters. It has been provided with children's playgrounds and other amenities. Another forest range called Amdan is 55 kilometers to the north of Al Baha, which abounds in olive trees, shrubs, flowers, green grasses and other natural vegetation.
Another forest is Wadi Feign, which is encircled by a green valley littered with apricot, pomegranate, and grape orchards. It is hard to imagine a more enjoyable place to hike and trek than that of the winding trails of Al Baha's high-peak forests. Raghdan Forest is one of the most appealing hiking spots in Al Baha. It is 5 kilometers north of the city and covers an area estimated at 2.5 kilometers. The area attracts numerous visitors, and all basic services are available within the park. The forest grows on a mountain slope and offers visitors a breathtaking view of the valley below. If a tourist moves a bit further, he or she will find Al Kharrara waterfall, another major attraction; which is 30 kilometers to the south of Al Baha.
Their scenic views of these mountains and waterfalls attract a large numbers of visitors, especially in summer, when Al Baha Tourism Festival is also organized. The festival takes place every summer and holds a number of activities and sports events, as well as a number of cultural, literary and religious programs. Equestrian and Olympic marathon activities are organized besides the air shows. Another attraction is Shehba Valley, which is 5km north of Al Baha. A narrow winding path runs through it leading to a shaded picnic area and BBQ sites among pine trees and juniper shrubs. It is very easy to access, and it includes playgrounds, family seating areas, and restrooms. At the tip of the forest sits Al Baha Private College of Science where you can enjoy great views of Al Baha. Not only this, Al Baha has had its own commercial importance as it is also known for honey production worldwide. Al Baha farmers organized the third International Honey Festival in 2010. The festival featured honey from 10 Arab states besides the locally-produced honey. Al Baha has contributed a lot in promoting honeybee colonies in the Kingdom.
In fact, the honeybee colonies have increased to over one million that produce about 9,000 tons of honey annually, according to an expert in the industry. Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Al-Khazim, supervisor of the Abdullah Bugshan Chair for Bee Research and chairman of the Apiarists Cooperative Society in Al-Baha, that there are over 5,000 Saudi beekeepers, the most in the Arab world despite the Kingdom's desert climate and lack of rain.
He said Apiarists Cooperative Society is striving to achieve the aspirations of its 200 members. It has provided an integrated plant for filling and packaging and is now working in setting up an advanced and permanent laboratory for testing honey that will be ready in two months. It also obtained a consignment of more than 200 beekeeping products from the most experienced companies in the field in Europe. Hence, Al Baha is a major destination for travel, tourism and commercial activity. It enjoys a pleasant climate. Al Baha City lies in the south-west of Saudi Arabia. It is the smallest of the Kingdom's provinces (11,000 square km). It is surrounded by a number of cities, including Taif on the north, Beesha on the east, Abha on the south and the Red Sea coast city of Al Qunfuda on the west.
This tourist city is situated in an area characterized by natural tree cover and agricultural plateaus. It consists of six towns, the most important of which are Beljarshy, Almandaq, and Almekhwah, in addition to the Baha city in the center of the province. The province comprises 31 administrative centers. The mountain road links Al-Baha to Tihama plain. As far as mountain adventure is concerned, the different mountains in Al Baha offer striking natural environments and suit all types of sport activities including hiking, trekking, climbing and mountain biking, amidst a striking natural environment. The province is known for its beauty and has wildlife areas, valleys and mountains that attract visitors from all parts of the Kingdom and the Gulf region.
The highest peak in Saudi Arabia is located near Abha on the mountains of Aseer. Historically speaking, Al Baha is the homeland of the Ghamid and Zahran tribes and is divided geographically into three distinct parts. One district is Sarah, which contains the high mountains characterized by temperate weather and rich plant cover due to relatively high annual rainfall.
Tihama, the lowland coastal area to the west of the Sarah, is characterized by very hot and humid weather and very little rainfall average, and the eastern hills characterized by an altitude of 1550 to 1900 meters above sea level with cool winters, hot summers and sparse plant cover. The largest city in the province, both in population and area, is Bajjurashi (it was the first capital of Al Baha province), the second one is Almandaq. In Tihama, there are two major cities: Qilwah and Al-Mikhwah. The number of tribes are 18, branching from the main ones, Ghamid and Zahran. The province has 13 settled tribes working in trading and agriculture sector besides the five nomadic tribes. Baha is also known for their traditional towers, called in Arabic "qasaba". "Apparently unique to Asir architecture are the qasaba towers. Controversy surrounds their function—some argue that they were built as lookouts, and others that they were keeps, or even granaries," said a report published recently. Perhaps it is a combination, although the right position of a watchtower, on a hill top, is the wrong place for a keep or granary."
Another interesting place to visit is hanging village on the outskirts of Abha. The hanging village is called Habbalah. This village was built one the side of a steep cliff during the Ottoman rule. Today, it is accessible by cable car providing breath-taking views of mountains and desert landscapes. Adults and children can equally enjoy the cable car ride, while looking at the panoramic view. Another interesting village is Dhee Ayn Village situated about 24 kms form Al Baha. The famous village of Dhi Ain is sometimes known as "marble village" as it is built on a small marble mountain. The groves of palm trees are lush green due to a small stream nearby. The villagers say that the marble village glows at sunset and presents a pastoral setting for picnic, walking and sports. It also has a steep escarpment road, running into and out of tunnels on the way up and down. Dhi 'Ain was famous for its fruits and banana plantations which still grow there. The village dates back about 400 years, and it witnessed the battles between the Ottoman Turks and its inhabitants. Even the road that leads to the (Dhee Ayn) village is impressive, and several historical stone and slate towers dot the way. Al-Bahah Province is known as the region of 1001 towers, once built to protect villages, roads and plantations from rival tribes. Today, these towers are abandoned, and many of them are partially or completely in ruins. The Al-Baha region is also rich in ancient mining sites. The sites of Khayal Al Masna and Al-Aquiq were major gold mining areas, while the village of Kuna, where over 100 building structures are located date back to South Arabian civilization.
Last but not the least, Baha city is also known for its healthy and nutritious traditional meals such as Dagabees, Areeka and the Southern wheat bread with butter oil. The region is also very rich in vegetation, greenery and fruits. Grapes, grapefruits, lemons, oranges, pomegranates and dates are abundantly grown in different parts of Al Baha region.
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