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| Asir has a joyous outlook which is reflected in the local arts and handicrafts; vibrant hand-woven rugs and fabrics with distinctive geometric patterns, colourful beaded necklaces in coral and silver. |
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Conditions are also ideal for hiking and mountain bike riding. And the Asir mountains provide the natural resources for some of the most beautiful camping in the world. |
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Travellers have been coming here throughout history; merchants traveling the spice routes; armies seeking the high ground; adventurers wanting to make a name for themselves. The English geographer Philby described Asir as, "the very backbone of Arabia," and he, like all those before and since, was beguiled by the awesome beauty and grandeur of the landscape.
Every mountain village in Asir has a different character - and a different color. Some are towering terraced houses clinging to the cliff faces and decorated like cakes with white icing, while others seem to nestle together into valleys in earthy shades of brown and tan. In another village, every house is painted a different color; wildly bright and yet happy and harmonious. This strong personal identity is also reflected in the local arts and handicrafts.
The mountains provide outstanding sporting activities; paragliding, hang-gliding, rock climbing and mountaineering are all professionally supervised here.
Cable cars are laced around the valleys. They afford the most spectacular views over Abou Khayal when you take a ride from New Abha to the Green Mountain, or from the misty forests of Al-Soudah where you can travel 1600 metres down to Qaws Valley; or best of all from Jebel Sawdah the highest point in the Kingdom which rises to 2910m above sea level and has a cable car which plunges down past the hanging ghost town of Habalah. Magical, mystical journeys into the landscape.
Asir receives 28 cm of rainfall a year - enough to make it the most fertile agricultural region in the Kingdom. These conditions are perfect for growing grapes, peaches, apricots, limes, oranges, lemons and mangoes, wheat and other cereals. Most importantly it is the ideal climate for sugar, indigo and coffee. Asir is so fertile, in fact, that it contributed to the classical geographical notion of Arabia Felix: "Happy Arabia". |
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The Asir mountains provide outstanding sporting activities; professionally supervised paragliding; hang-gliding; rock climbing and mountaineering. Conditions are also ideal for hiking and mountain bike riding Read more
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This is one of the smallest wildlife areas in the Kingdom - and an absolute gem for that. Its steep walls and abundant food means that it is an oasis of wildlife for many of Saudi Arabia's endangered species Read more
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Incorporating mountain, desert and seascapes, this is one of the great national parks of the world in terms of size and beauty, as well as in ecological importance and archeological interest Read more
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The Abha Festival was the pioneer summer festival within the Kingdom. It has become a major popular concert which is televised by several satellite stations around the Middle East Read more
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Every mountain village in Asir has a different character - and a different color. Some are towering terraced houses clinging to the cliff faces, while others look cakes decorated with icing Read more
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The Province shares aspects of its unique culture with other mountain areas such as the Hejaz, and, along with the rest of Saudi Arabia, owes much of its cultural identity to the nomadic and poetic Bedouin Read more
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