Saudi Staycation: What To Do In Al Bahah

Borders are still closed in Saudi, which has led everyone to set their sights within the kingdom for vacation this summer. My feed has been filled with people embarking on road trips across the country, flocking to the cooler mountains of the south, and hopping aboard boats for snorkeling and diving trips in the northwest.

Although we are all for exploring more of Saudi, anytime we’ve decided to take a week-long vacation in the past three years, we’ve fallen temptation to European escapes because traveling around Saudi is just hard. There’s a lack of accurate information online (at least in English), mediocre accommodations are very expensive, and customer service in the kingdom leaves much to be desired. If we can spend a comparable amount of money on a Saudi vacation or stay in a charming AirBnB in Florence where I can walk down the street in a sundress on my way to a wine bar, I mean…

However, I’ve actually been grateful for the “opportunity” to stay within Saudi borders this summer and visit other cities and regions. We’ve figured out that the key to vacationing in Saudi is staying flexible. The museum you planned to visit might have changed their opening hours, or the hotel you booked refuses to honor your reservation…but you also might get invited to a random person’s family farm for a big meal, or stumble upon a peaceful park with an amazing view. As long as you can go with the flow, you’re bound to discover beauty in the landscapes and encounter friendly and generous people that make the culture come alive, which overshadows the inevitable frustrations.

OUR LATEST TRIP: AL BAHAH

In July, we took a few days and visited Al Bahah, a city 5 hours southeast of Jeddah. It was a pretty last minute trip – we booked a hotel the morning we decided to leave. I had done a little research on what we could tour or see in the area but, like I said before, there isn’t much reliable info out there. As we drove, I pieced together what I could from various blogs, Wikipedia, and travel sites but we were honestly just happy to get out of Jeddah for the first time in 7 months, so a detailed itinerary was not needed.*

As we approached Bahah, we started seeing clusters of historic abandoned buildings and watchtowers scattered throughout the hills. If you’re fortunate enough to travel without screaming babies and impatient toddlers, it would be fun to spend a few hours getting lost in the hills and pulling over to explore the old buildings. But alas, with kids we have to add a little more structure into our travel so we relinquished to “oohing” and pointing from the main roads as we passed by on the way to our hotel.

The Bahah area is less westernized than Jeddah so we were excited to experience a different side of Saudi and we tried to fit in as much as possible in the four days we were there. I compiled a list of what we consider to be the top spots to visit if you’re planning to make a quick trip to Bahah.

THE PLACES WE VISITED

Thee Ain Ancient Village aka the Marble Village

https://goo.gl/maps/vpBg1ABovnhZGZ91A

This is an absolute must if you’re going anywhere near Bahah. When we got there, the place was empty except for one guard. We had the entire village to ourselves to explore – wandering through the houses, up and down staircases, taking in the view from the rooftops, and relaxing next to the spring at the base of the village. Packs of baboons curiously watched us as they swung from the trees and perched around the spring. Recently the village has undergone renovation, and they’re still in the final phases, but it is very visitor-friendly and apparently a lot safer than it used to be (the abandoned structures liable to cave in have been reinforced). The drive within the mountains just to get to Thee Ain from Bahah was thrilling, in an i-could-plunge-off-this-cliff-at-any-moment kind of way. Check out my 100 Day Project post for more about Thee Ain. And make sure you stop for roadside tea on the drive through the mountains!

Al Khulb Park & Restaurant

https://goo.gl/maps/X5gRfLpwKZJb4XSi8

This park is a nice little stop on your way into the city if you’re coming from Jeddah via the Taif route. It’s a manufactured park (fake cave, waterfalls, moat, new traditional-looking buildings) but very clean and pretty for photo ops. There isn’t an entry fee and it’s a comfortable place to hang out for an hour or two. The park is designed in a circle with little building huts lining the perimeter – they’re rentable by the hour (around 50sar/hr) and provide a relaxing, air-conditioned spot to recline on a majlis and eat food with a scenic mountain view. We opted for this so I could feed Abel in private and we ordered shish tawook, rice, and appetizers from the restaurant and had them delivered to the hut. You can also rent majlis cushions for sitting outdoors if you prefer. Overall it’s a pleasant, family-friendly place to grab a meal and stretch your legs.

Raghadan Forest Park

https://goo.gl/maps/pGNhvcNatAwbEsvb6

Impressively massive park atop a mountain that somehow seems to be in the city yet also feel like you’re in the middle of a large national park. It definitely has an American campground vibe to me – foresty yet also with a ton of amenities. Raghadan provides crazy cliffside views where you’re looking down on the clouds, sprawling playgrounds, tent camping areas, concession stands, and the ever-popular packs of baboons. Plus, super kind people who will give you their flower crown if you compliment them on it. 

Saturday Souk

https://goo.gl/maps/ipWSL5aErY8AFqkZ6

This souk is in Baljurashi, a smaller town about 30 mins south of Bahah. On Saturday mornings, around 9am-12pm, the souk is bustling. It’s not an expansive market by any means, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in character. Men sell honey and ghee out of truck beds, women display handmade baskets and trinkets on blankets spread on the ground, and there’s an animal area off a side street with chickens, rabbits, and exotic birds. The sellers are more than happy to give samples and explain their products, though it’ll probably be in Arabic. We ran into a helpful gentleman who had studied in the UK and spoke decent English – he offered to barter for us and he led us through the market to make sure we tried all the honey varieties they had available. If you look western and confused, chances are some nice local person will do their best to help you. 🙂

When you’re in Baljurashi and hankering for a treat or caffeine fix, Mizar had decent coffee and delectable pistachio & nutella pancake bites. Within the same plaza there’s also a cafeteria with yummy shakshuka.

Reservoir Park

https://goo.gl/maps/18wE1adAQHoxr4QL6

Refreshing, oddly quiet, and off the beaten path. This is a well-kept park with multiple pavilions and playgrounds overlooking a large reservoir. It’s a decent place to view some water and have a picnic if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful. Bathroom facilities and a concession stand are a plus!

We passed a pair of donkeys hanging out by the side of the road on our drive there. Ezra had just learned to say the donkey sound HEEHAW, so it was necessary that we stop and have him practice. The donkeys weren’t amused.

Bin Musbeh Museum

https://goo.gl/maps/cB7i9HCHsjDnAAUq6

 We tried to go in the morning but the museum ended up not opening until after asr, so make sure you call and double-check the time. We were the only visitors when we got there around 5:30pm. The guard let us in, took our 10sar/adult entry fee, then disappeared, so we took our time exploring the rooms. They’re mostly full of old items (gardening/farming tools, cooking utensils, weapons). All the labels and signs are in Arabic, which meant we breezed through pretty fast and played “guess the artifact” to make things a little more interesting. This is the first museum we’ve visited in Saudi, and even though it was small and smelled like my grandma’s attic, we enjoyed the hour we spent there.

Overall, we loved the change of scenery from Jeddah. Driving through the mountains was exhilarating and the people in Bahah were kind and welcoming. Saudi is very diverse culturally and I tend to forget that when we don’t leave the borders of Jeddah. Traveling to other areas is helping us have a more well-rounded understanding and appreciation of the country.

*Because our trip was somewhat spontaneous, we didn’t have time to book tour guides. You can have a great time in the area without a guide, like we did, but I highly suggest hiring a guide if possible because they can really give context to what you’re seeing and enrich your overall experience, as well as turn you on to lesser-known sites. (I have contact info for a guide in the area – message me if you’re interested.)

What to buy

Honey – you can get this at the Baljurashi souk or there are tents selling honey alongside the road as you come in and out of Bahah. Just make sure you taste it and are happy with the product because it’s still quite expensive

Ghee – this is another regional product you can get at the souk. I’ve tried to like it because of its health benefits but ick… hopefully your taste buds are more forgiving!

Flower crowns – more typical of the Asir region as you go further south, but they also sell them at stands within Raghadan Forest Park. If you’re sensitive to smells, beware…I think they spray them with the fake flower scent.

Where to eat and drink

Backyard Specialist Café – legit coffee shop serving a variety of roasts and utilizing modern brewing methods (chemex, v60, etc.). They have a cute little patio. We went multiple times on our trip.

Falafel Experts – one of the best falafel sandwiches I’ve had in Saudi. We got our food to go and spread out our picnic blanket at this park – great playgrounds

65 Burger – one night we were craving something healthy but we failed to find a place that served salad, or anything not fried really. We ended up here and, although it didn’t satisfy our healthy craving, the burgers were decent.

General expat tips

I wore colorful, open abayas and didn’t have any issue, however I did stand out. Black abayas and hijab/niqab are standard and I wish I would’ve brought one just to blend in a bit more.

The restaurant options aren’t great if you’re looking for something healthy or more western. There aren’t many American chains, like in Jeddah, but all the Saudi staples are there (rice, chicken, kabsa, etc).

I suggest booking a hotel in advance and making sure you check reviews. We were not happy with our stay at Patto Suites but it was basically the only option available (which should’ve been our first clue to keep our expectations lowww ha).

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Have you been to Al Bahah? What would you add to this list?