Why Al-Baha is emerging as one of Saudi Arabia’s favorite tourist destinations

Special Why Al-Baha is emerging as one of Saudi Arabia’s favorite tourist destinations
The 400-year-old stone settlement of Dhee Ayn, the name of which translates as “of spring,” a reference to the water source that runs through it. (Supplied)
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Updated 24 December 2022

Why Al-Baha is emerging as one of Saudi Arabia’s favorite tourist destinations

Why Al-Baha is emerging as one of Saudi Arabia’s favorite tourist destinations
  • New tourism and hospitality ventures are flourishing in Al-Baha thanks to Vision 2030 
  • Gulf visitors flock to Al-Baha for its mild climate, ancient settlements and proud heritage

AL-BAHA: Located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, Al-Baha region is home to a wealth of natural wonders and ancient heritage sites, making it one of the Kingdom’s most attractive up-and-coming tourist destinations.

The bare, granite slopes of the Shada Al-Asfal mountains provide an awe-inspiring backdrop to an area rich in the distinctive culture and traditions of the Hejaz.

Dotted with ancient fortresses, villages and agricultural terraces dating back hundreds, if not thousands, of years, Al-Baha reflects Saudi Arabia’s long history and captivating natural beauty.

Situated about 310 kilometers from the pristine coastline of the Red Sea, and 2,270 meters above sea level, Al-Baha enjoys a mild climate all year round. Yet, despite its appealing location and many attractions, the area has remained largely unexplored by foreign visitors.




Mohammed Mosfir Almahfoz Al-Ghamdi, right, at his Al-Malad (or “Two Brothers”) Museum, named after its towers. (Supplied)

That is about to change. A new development was recently completed in Al-Baha as part of the Kingdom’s drive to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons into sectors such as leisure, tourism and hospitality.

In September, the Heritage Commission of the Ministry of Culture unveiled the Dhee Ayn Museum. As the name suggests, it can be found at the 400-year-old stone settlement of Dhee Ayn, the name of which translates as “of spring,” a reference to the water source that runs through it.

Built atop a hill of marble, the village is surrounded by a breathtaking mountain range and the lush vegetation of Wadi Rash, where banana trees flourish and the scent of wild herbs and seasonal blossoms fills the air.

The multi-story homes in Dhee Ayn, which are built from large, flat stones, offer a window into the history of domestic life in the Arabian Peninsula long before the rise of nation states. From afar, the abandoned settlement almost appears to glow as sunlight reflects off its bright marble facades.




Al-Baha region is home to a wealth of natural wonders and ancient heritage sites. (SPA)

The village sits in an area known as the “region of 1001 towers.” The mountainside is littered with stone fortresses that once protected communities, plantations and travelers from bandits and rival tribes.

Situated along an ancient trade route, Al-Baha was long a popular destination for merchants and nomadic hunters, and offered one of the principal routes through the southern Arabian Peninsula to Makkah. Remnants of the ancient road can still be seen in the form of fragmented black-and-gray slabs.

Established as an administrative region in 1964, Al-Baha now includes six towns, of which the most important are the capital, Al-Baha City, Al-Mikhwah, Baljorashi and Al-Mandaq. The region is the ancestral home of Al-Ghamdi and Al-Zahrani tribes, and as of 2020 its population numbered 506,866.

Abundant in fertile soil, fresh water, forest and lush pasture, the region remains ideal for human settlement and has long been considered one of the most attractive parts of the Arabian Gulf.

In villages throughout the area, homes, businesses and places of worship are built from regionally sourced granite and basalt, decorated with quartz, and with roofs made of juniper wood covered with mud.

Construction methods are not the only traditions still celebrated by the region’s inhabitants. Al-Aqiq Museum, for example, contains a treasure trove of artifacts, jewelry, fashions and perfumes collected over the years by its owner, Sahla Al-Ghamdi.




Al-Baha City at night. (Supplied)

Visitors to the museum are greeted with dates and a cup of Arabic coffee, along with a performance of Ardah, the traditional Saudi sword dance. Female visitors can have their hands decorated with henna and try on some of the traditional robes and abayas that reflect the evolution of fashion in the region.

Other interesting attractions for visitors include Al-Malad, or Two Brothers, Museum, named after the siblings who built the two imposing towers that still stand there, originally to protect the village and store its food.

Museum owner Mohammed Mosfir Almahfoz Al-Ghamdi salutes visitors to the museum, which opened in 2020, with a volley of gunfire from a collection of antique rifles. The exhibits include photographs, books, weapons such as rifles and swords, traditional garments and cutlery that he collected over several decades, which offer visitors a glimpse of the region’s past and its cultural heritage.




Naser Alshdui, left, wears many hats: cave-tourism volunteer, bean-farm tour guide, researcher, historian, writer. (Supplied)

In the nearby town of Baljurashi, another gem awaits visitors: A stunning rural lodge owned by Sharifa Al-Ghamdi, a local woman who after years of teaching mathematics in Jeddah decided to return to Al-Baha and turn her home into a boutique hotel.

The property, which has been carefully refurbished to retain its traditional character and heritage, is decorated with colorful objects from across the region that she collected over the years. She said her thriving hospitality business would not have been possible but for the government’s national reforms in recent years.

“I wouldn’t have been able to decorate and refurbish this home had it not been for Vision 2030 and the increased freedoms given to women,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News.

The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reforms agenda is designed to transform social and economic life in Saudi Arabia. Among other things, it aims to make it easier to establish a businesses in a host of new sectors, and increase the empowerment and participation of women and young people in civic and commercial life.




Abundant in fertile soil, fresh water, forest and lush pasture, the region remains ideal for human settlement. (Supplied)

Al-Ghamdi said the reforms, including the easing of guardianship laws that previously required women to be accompanied by a male relative in public, allowed her to hire workmen, purchase the materials to repair and refurbish her property, and to welcome guests.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom aims to increase the sector’s annual contribution to national gross domestic product from the current 3 percent to at least 10 percent by 2030.

Over the past year, the Saudi government has launched several investment schemes designed to help bolster tourism in Al-Baha. In September 2021, the Kingdom’s Tourism Development Fund signed a deal with travel services provider Seera Group to develop a 200-room luxury resort in the region, featuring shops, restaurants and facilities for outdoor activities. The Raghadan Tourist Resort, the first sustainable tourism project in the region, is one of the key investment destinations identified by the National Tourism Strategy.

“Al-Baha’s rich history, cultural heritage, climate, topography and geographic location in the southwest of Saudi Arabia make it an attractive area for tourism and one that will further diversify the country’s offering,” a TDF spokesperson said when the plans were officially launched.




According to the Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom aims to increase the sector’s annual contribution to national gross domestic product from the current 3 percent to at least 10 percent by 2030. (Supplied)

At the inauguration of the project in July, Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, the Saudi environment minister, said local authorities in Al-Baha had spent more than $152.5 million on various initiatives, including seven projects to construct dams and wells to secure drinking water supplies. There are also plans designed to promote afforestation and to protect vegetation.

Since the beginning of this year’s summer season, Al-Baha has welcomed a growing number of visitors from across the Kingdom who are keen to take advantage of the region’s picturesque landscapes and temperate climate.

One attraction that has proved especially popular is a lavender garden that is located in the middle of the Raghadan Forest Park in the cool Sarawat Mountains west of Al-Baha City.

To reach it, visitors follow a path of natural stone surrounded by waterfalls. It is illuminated by 270 decorative lamps and the flowerbeds are complemented by seating and kiosks, all of which provides an idyllic and peaceful oasis of calm.

The investment in Al-Baha certainly seems to be paying off. Like the many of the giga-projects taking shape along the Kingdom’s Red Sea coast, Al-Baha looks likely to become a must-visit destination for Saudi and foreign travelers in the decades to come.




The stunning scenery of the Hejazi mountains. (Supplied)

Much of its initial success is thanks not only to state investment, the region’s natural beauty and its ancient settlements steeped in history, but also to the commendable efforts of the local population to preserve and share their heritage, culture and traditions.

Thanks to them, Al-Baha clearly has the potential to become one of the Kingdom’s most celebrated attractions.


Saudi Arabia among top 5 donors for Turkiye quake fund

Saudi Arabia among top 5 donors for Turkiye quake fund
Updated 12 min 52 sec ago

Saudi Arabia among top 5 donors for Turkiye quake fund

Saudi Arabia among top 5 donors for Turkiye quake fund
  • UN raises quarter of $1 bn Turkey quake funds target
  • On Feb 6 a 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed more than 50,000 in Turkiye and nearly 6,000 in Syria leaving entire cities in ruins

RIYADH: The UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs on Friday thanked Saudi Arabia and other donor countries who contributed to raising over a quarter of the flash appeal issued by the UN following devastating earthquakes in Turkiye, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The UN said it had raised $268 million in response to the $1 billion humanitarian funding appeal for relief work in Turkiye following the 7.8-magnitude quake on Feb. 6 and its aftershocks that devastated swathes of southeast Turkiye and parts of war-torn Syria.
OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke said that 27 percent of the appeal had been funded and the largest donors were Saudi Arabia, the US, Kuwait, the European Commission, and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, while urging countries to provide support and contribute to financing the appeal.


He said that the aid comes in support of the response led by the Turkish government, adding that 9 million people were directly affected by the quakes and 3 million people had been displaced.
On Feb. 16, the UN launched the $1 billion appeal to help more than five million people in Turkiye and a twin flash appeal for Syria to help survivors over the first three months. The latter has raised $364 million of the $398 million requested.
The UN and other humanitarian agencies have reached more than 4.1 million people with basic household items and clothes, and 3 million with emergency food aid, while more than 700,000 people have received support to improve their living arrangements, including tents, relief housing units, and tent repair tools, Laerke said.


He added that 1.6 million have received water, hygiene and sanitation assistance and about 1 million liters of drinking water were delivered.
The UN humanitarian agency’s spokesman said that the Turkish Ministry of Health has been supported with 4.6 million vaccine doses, and 16 mobile health clinics, in addition to medicines and medical supplies for reproductive health and treatment of trauma and injuries.
“Now we are involved in the humanitarian emergency phase, where we look at what the survivors need,” Laerke told reporters in Geneva.
With AFP


Smile brighter in Ramadan with the magic of miswak

Smile brighter in Ramadan with the magic of miswak
Updated 30 min 26 sec ago

Smile brighter in Ramadan with the magic of miswak

Smile brighter in Ramadan with the magic of miswak
  • Local sellers note increase in sales of teeth-cleaning twig during the holy month

RIYADH: As the holy month of Ramadan begins, Muslims across the world are observing fasts that require abstinence from all food and drink from dawn to dusk.

The blessed month is rooted in faith, history and culture, and few practices emphasize that as much as the use of miswak, a teeth-cleaning twig. Many Muslims use miswak during the day to maintain freshness, oral hygiene and to protect overall dental health. In the Islamic tradition, using miswak is a well-known sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Various ahadith document the elevated status and significance of miswak. Abu Hurairah once narrated that the Prophet said, “Were it not (for the fear) of overburdening my Ummah, I would have ordered them to (brush their teeth with) Siwak at every Salat.” (Sahih Muslim)

According to the Islamic tradition it is sunnah to use a miswak. (Supplied)

Aisha narrated that the Prophet said, “The siwak is a means of purifying the mouth and pleasing the Rabb.” (Nasai)

Abu Hurairah further narrated that the Prophet said once on a Friday, “O Community of Muslims! Allah has made this day an Eid for you, so take a bath and needfully brush your teeth with siwak.” (Tabarani, Majma’uz-Zawaid)

In Saudi Arabia, miswak is typically sourced from the Salvadora persica L. trees, known as arak in Arabic. The variety is also found in Sudan, Egypt and Chad. The bitter-tasting palm or olive trees are also used for miswak. The neem tree is a popular option in South Asia.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Miswak has even gained recognition beyond the Arab region. The World Health Organization recommended the use of miswak for oral hygiene in 1986 and in 2000.

• There is now increasing scientific evidence that miswak has medicinal properties and helps fight plaque, recession of gums, tooth decay, bleeding gums and deep periodontal pockets.

Miswak can be sourced from various trees except for those known to cause harm, such as pomegranate and myrtle trees.

The arak trees contribute to environmental sustainability and preservation as well. In various parts of the Arab region, the arak trees are indigenous to arid regions and planting them reduces desertification where little else is capable of growing. This also helps local communities across the Middle East to develop a sustainable income while preserving an important part of their cultural and religious heritage.

Miswak has even gained recognition beyond the Arab region. The World Health Organization recommended the use of miswak for oral hygiene in 1986 and in 2000.

There is now increasing scientific evidence that miswak has medicinal properties and helps fight plaque, recession of gums, tooth decay, bleeding gums and deep periodontal pockets.

“The repeated process of chewing sticks releases fresh sap and silica (a hard glossy mineral), which acts as an abrasive material to remove stains,” noted a study conducted by a panel of dentists at King Saud University.

The study identified 19 natural substances found in miswak that benefit dental health. It contains natural antiseptics that kill harmful microorganisms in the mouth, tannic acids that protect gums from disease, and aromatic oils that increase salivation. Researchers also noted that the miswak bristles are parallel to the handle rather than perpendicular, therefore it can reach areas that a conventional toothbrush often fails to.

Mohammed bin Zahid, a dentist, said that miswak is a “natural toothbrush” that, among other benefits, also “creates a fragrance in the mouth and sharpens memory.”

Sales of miswak tend to triple in Saudi Arabia during Ramadan as people opt for the traditional hygiene technique. Ahead of Ramadan, every shop ensures that miswak is available for buyers and it is often placed at the prime location of the check-out counter.

Abdullah Al-Otaibi, a miswak seller in Riyadh, said: “I am expecting sales to rise during Ramadan by almost 300 percent.”

Bilal, a miswak vendor near a mosque in Al-Wazarat district in Riyadh, said that his daily profit during Ramadan tends to be anywhere between SR50-SR200.

To use a miswak, simply chew off about one centimeter of the twig at one end and then continue to chew it until it softens and forms bristles. The softening can be sped up by dipping the end in water to separate the fibers. Once bristles are formed, the miswak can be used like a regular toothbrush, without paste.

 


Saudi transport minister inspects services, operational plans at King Abdulaziz Airport

Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser visits King Abdulaziz Airport facilities in Jeddah. (SPA)
Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser visits King Abdulaziz Airport facilities in Jeddah. (SPA)
Updated 31 min 5 sec ago

Saudi transport minister inspects services, operational plans at King Abdulaziz Airport

Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser visits King Abdulaziz Airport facilities in Jeddah. (SPA)
  • The minister toured the screening points that were equipped by Jeddah Airports Company to regulate the entry of Umrah buses to the terminal facilities

JEDDAH: Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, who is also chairman of the board of directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, accompanied by Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, head of GACA, and number of senior officials, inspected the facilities and services at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

Al-Jasser checked the smooth flow of passengers and the progress of work to ensure it was in line with the approved operational plan during the current Umrah season.

The minister toured the screening points that were equipped by Jeddah Airports Company to regulate the entry of Umrah buses to the terminal facilities. He was also briefed on the work and tasks carried out by the team in charge of the control and rapid intervention room.

Al-Jasser also inspected the control center, the passports and security procedures area, and the travel check-in area, and was briefed on the system for receiving pilgrims.

He was given a visual presentation on the operational plans implemented by Jeddah Airports with the participation of more than 27 governmental, security and operational agencies.

 


Media can help boost Asir tourism

Travel and media experts gathered at the Abha Forum to discuss how the media can revive tourism in Asir. (SPA)
Travel and media experts gathered at the Abha Forum to discuss how the media can revive tourism in Asir. (SPA)
Updated 18 min 20 sec ago

Media can help boost Asir tourism

Travel and media experts gathered at the Abha Forum to discuss how the media can revive tourism in Asir. (SPA)
  • 'The role of travel media has become increasingly important within the Kingdom’s tourism strategy'

ABHA: Experts in the travel and media sectors gathered at the Abha Forum to discuss the role the media can play in revitalizing tourism in Asir region.

Abdullah Al-Marei, an associate professor of media at King Khalid University, spoke during the annual event in the city of Abha about ways in which travel journalism can be developed to raise awareness among citizens and help stimulate the tourism industry in villages, cities and resorts across the region.

He said the media can highlight natural, historical, archaeological and other types of tourist attractions using advanced tools and techniques, including films and advertisements, to grab the attention of potential visitors.

Tourism conferences are also important mechanisms for tourism businesses to generate publicity, Al-Marei added, as they introduce delegates, sales teams, tourism agents and affiliated professionals to new programs and initiatives.

The role of travel media has become increasingly important within the Kingdom’s tourism strategy, he said, and is helping to establish the Asir region as a prominent, year-round tourist destination. This requires intensive promotional activity and the development of media products that contribute effectively to introducing and promoting the region and its attractions throughout the year, he added.

 

 


12,000 inspection visits conducted in Al-Kharj markets

The inspection aim to ensure the abundance and quality of products. (SPA)
The inspection aim to ensure the abundance and quality of products. (SPA)
Updated 10 sec ago

12,000 inspection visits conducted in Al-Kharj markets

The inspection aim to ensure the abundance and quality of products. (SPA)
  • The campaign is continuously implemented 24 hours a day, and consumers can submit their reports through the consumer service line on 940

AL-KHARJ: Authorities in Al-Kharj municipality are conducting 12,000 inspection visits to shops and food markets.

The visits aim to ensure the abundance and quality of products, as well as the compliance with health requirements and operating standards. Other undeclared visits will take place based on reports from the public.

Al-Kharj Mayor Khaled Al-Zaid, said: “The supervisory plan of the campaigns aims to ensure the safety of the products and the compliance of workers with the health and technical requirements.

“The campaign is continuously implemented 24 hours a day, and consumers can submit their reports through the consumer service line on 940, in addition to the municipality’s accounts on social media platforms.”