Al-Ahsa or Al-Hasa lies in the south of the Kingdom’s Eastern Province and is bounded by the Al-Dahna and the Al-Daman deserts. It consists of several cities like Al-Hofuf and Al-Mubraz, Al-Emran, Al-Eyon and Salwa.

Al-Hasa oasis is the largest oasis in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the municipality of Al-Hasa constitutes the largest administrative area in the Kingdom. The total area of 536,000 square km approx. has a population of 1.300,000 (87 percent of them are Saudis), according to the latest figures from the Central Department of Statistics and information. Al-Ahsa has about 60-70 springs and freshwater sources.

In ancient times, Al-Hasa was at the center of the trade routes which traders followed between the East of the Arabian Peninsula and India, Persia and the Far East. In 2008, Al-Hasa oasis had been nominated to compete for the seven natural wonders title by UNESCO.

Al-Hasa enjoys the benefit of copious reserves of underground water which has allowed the area to develop its agricultural potential. Nevertheless, Al-Hasa has to deal with tons of sand which the wind carries and deposits over the land. To counter this problem, the Kingdom has planted large barriers of trees to prevent the wind-borne sand from damaging inhabited and agricultural areas.

Major attractions:

Masjid Joatha: It is the second mosque where Friday prayers were performed, after the Prophet’s Holy Mosque, as when the sons of Abdul Qais became Muslims they were about to build this mosque, which is in ruins at present.

Ibrahim Palace: An Archaeological site north of Al-Kut, it was the headquarters of the garrison of the Ottoman Empire in Hofuf in Al-Hasa.

Al-Hasa National Park: Opened in 1962 as part of desertification and after a growth of trees it was converted into a tourist destination. The area of up to 4500 hectares is distributed among parks, swimming pools and children’s playgrounds.

Jebal Garah: It is one of the most prominent natural attractions away from Hofuf. It consists of sedimentary rocks and natural caves and has a distinct climate.

Qaisariya Souk: It is one of the oldest traditional markets in the Eastern Province and is one of the biggest indications of the status of Al-Hasa as an important commercial hub. It is a link between the Gulf Coast and inland through the port of Al-Uqair. It was built in 1862 and the souk has some 422 stores. The souk is unique with its mud walls, wooden doors with iron motifs and ceilings built from trunks of palm trees and resembling the Ottoman-style.

Sahod Palace: It is located in Al-Mubaraz, north of Al-Hofuf, and covers an area about 10,000 square meter and has six meter high walls. It is characterized by round towers in the four corners, in addition to the three rectangular towers at the main entrance. This palace was under siege by the troops of Suleiman Pasha for two months, who tried to demolish the walls but was unable to do so because of its durability and strength.

Al-Hasa National Museum: It was opened in 1983 and contains an overview of the history of Al-Hasa through different historical eras, in addition to pictures of folklore in the region. The museum also contains a library and a photograph studio.

Things to do:

Jebal Garah caves: The high walls of the caves of Jebel Garah, coupled with the cool limestone walls and gentle breezes, create an unusually soothing atmosphere on a hot day.

Al-Hasa bird watching: Al-Hofuf means ‘whistling wind’ and Al-Hasa means ‘wells’. The cool relief of so many trees has been a welcome stopping point for generations of travelers and migratory birds. Al-Hasa Lagoons near towns of Hofuf and Abqaiq are the only large body of fresh water in the Eastern Province, caused by the over-flow from the Al-Hasa oasis.

Al-Hasa date palms: The extraordinary oasis covering about 20,000 hectares give nourishment to three million palm trees in the largest date palm oasis in the world.

Off road trip in the sand: Exploring the Empty Quarter requires preparation. The desert’s status as a nature reserve also acknowledges that this is a very delicate environment. The animals and vegetation that live here can survive in seemingly impossible conditions on very little.

Tradition meals: Al-Hasa is known for dishes like Aish Hasawi (Hasawi bread), makbos or Majbos and tharied.

What to buy: Al-Hasa has the best types of dates in the world, such as Khalalas, Alrzizi, Barhi and others. This is in addition to the production of high quality Hasawi rice and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Best time to visit: Al-Hasa has a dry, tropical climate, with a long summer season and a relatively cold winter. The best time of the year to visit Al-Hasa is between October and April.

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