Ah, Taif, you breath of fresh air, you. Always there to unburden our senses which have been coated with a layer of Jeddah car pollution and dust. Reminding us that Saudi has farms, greenery, mountains, and animals other than pigeons. We’ve been to Taif several times in our 3.5 years in Saudi –with other expats, with Saudis, on our own, and most recently with a local tour guide. I finally feel like we’ve cultivated a decent list of spots to visit in the area. Although I’m certain we have much more to learn, I’m ready to share what we know.
A 2 hour drive east of Jeddah, Taif can be a day trip, but I would recommend at least a weekend. With young kids we’re not yet brave enough to embark on anything longer than a 5-hour road trip (our trip to Bahah being the furthest), so Taif has been our respite when we want cooler temperatures and a change of scenery. If you’re not Muslim, note that you should follow the “non-muslim” route from Jeddah which will avoid going through Mecca. There will be signs as you approach Mecca, but they’re hard to miss. So just keep a lookout and do your best.
If you’re interested in history, the city has a bit of a gruesome past (see: Taif Massacre) as Saudi’s first king was consolidating power. But since Saudi became a unified country in 1932, Taif has served as a summer retreat for the royal family and was the place where King Abdulaziz (first king and founder of the country) spent his last days. Today it’s still one of the top summer destinations within the country, for locals and expats alike.
Though it’s been modernizing rapidly, following suit with the rest of the country – adding fancy malls, Instagram-worthy cafes, and catering more to tourists– it still has an unblemished Saudi charm and clings to its roots as an agricultural hub. There are hundreds of rose farms on the hillsides and distilleries working to extract the infamous Taif rose oil for perfumes during the blooming spring season. Pomegranate, figs, blackberries, grapes, and honey make a strong showing in the area too.
With the list of places I’ve recommended below, you would be fine to spend a couple days exploring Taif on your own. But if you would prefer a more thorough introduction to the area by a local guide, and would rather have a stress-free experience where you’re driven or guided to each place, I would be happy to introduce you to the guide we had the pleasure of using. He was very patient with our little kids and willing to be flexible according to our needs.
OUR TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN THE TAIF AREA
FYI: in this post I lump Al Hada, Taif, and As Shafa together under the umbrella of “Taif,” although they’re technically separate cities. If you’re driving from Jeddah, Al Hada is the first area you’ll come to as you zigzag up the mountain. It’s where luscious fruit markets abound, where the cable car (aka Telefric) and amusement parks provide entertainment, and where the baboons live to terrorize naiive food-toting tourists.
TRAVEL TIP: Before you climb the mountain, stop here for a mosque bathroom break, gas, or Al Baik. Don’t get hot tea from a roadside vendor until you get to the top of the mountain (unless you’re fine with second degree burns). And if you get carsick or have a fear of heights, maybe just keep your eyes closed.
AL HADA
Al Hada Fruit Markets
https://goo.gl/maps/Vms2xSmATD52YN2P9
You’ll come upon the market stalls on the side of the main road after you reach the top of the mountain. Ask the sellers what’s in season and tastes best now (they’ve been honest with us). They’ll give you samples if you ask, and haggle for final prices (good luck). We love the blackberries and mangoes.
Al Hada Lookout Point
https://goo.gl/maps/Eb5xYvDydESoUBuE6
Drive past the fruit stands and soon you’ll veer off the road. After a minute or two you’ll get to a clearing with this view of the “necklace” road. It would be nice to spread out a picnic blanket and drink tea as the sun goes down, but if you have little kids the drop off is frightening and the rocky terrain is a beginning walker’s nightmare, so maybe snap a few photos and hop back in the car like a typical scenic viewpoint. You’ll have to turn right on the main road once you get back down to it, and do a U-turn at the nearest opportunity to head back toward Taif.
Telefric Cable Car
https://goo.gl/maps/5D5AGtPFAXg5irvq7
The entrance is next to the Ramada hotel complex. Park in the big dirt lot and you’ll see the sign for the ticket booth. Tickets are not cheap (85 SAR/person roundtrip), but they’re worth it – it’s supposedly the longest cable car in the Middle East after all. The car is mostly enclosed, with seats, and fits 6 people comfortably. We folded up our stroller and brought it with us too. As you drift down the mountain, over the curvy highway you just drove up earlier, look for camels and baboons underneath (there’s a historic camel route). At the bottom, you’re deposited into Al Kar Tourist Village – a water park/amusement area with go-karts, a toboggan ride, a café, and shops. We’ve tried the go-karts and toboggan (40 SAR/person for each one) – they’re nothing amazing, but fun nonetheless. Then when you’ve had your fill of manufactured thrills, you return to the cable car for your lift back up the mountain. Time it with the sunset for gorgeous views, or ride back up in the dark to see the headlights of the cars winding beneath you.
Bird Park
https://goo.gl/maps/E58hSMFae3dDbaoq6
https://www.instagram.com/bird__park/
One man’s private collection. Enter the bird atrium, scoop some seed in your hand and wait for the vivid colors to swoop around you. The brave birds will land on your hand or even perch on your head. There’s a curious ostrich in a corner cage, as well as peacocks and deer.
Rose Farm
https://goo.gl/maps/RDg5oer7ZF716xzz9
March & April is rose season in Taif. We visited this farm (مزرعة جميل بن مشيهب) with a local tour guide who arranged for us to have a sumptuous breakfast outdoors and frolic in a pile of rose petals. Highly recommend. I don’t know that you could visit this location without the help of a guide, so you could call their Google Maps number or contact our guide, Khalid Sherbii, if you want info. There are many other rose farms, but I’m not sure of their accessibility to the public either.
Al Shuyoukh Rose Factory and Perfume Store
https://g.page/AlShuyoukhsectarianrosefactory?share
You can, however, visit this nearby rose distillery and see the large copper pots where the petals simmer and the bulbous glass jars into which the distilled rose water drips. They have a café, restrooms, and a gift shop full of fragrant souvenirs.
TAIF
Al Balad, Traditional Market Area
https://goo.gl/maps/s1fMdtGZ6ZMFDqyr5
Park near Bab Alrea (they have public parking for a small fee) and meander into the center of the old town where you can find gold shops, honey storefronts, antiques, etc. We visited on Saturday morning around 10am and it was a shady, pleasant time to wander around. Maybe dress more conservatively if you don’t want any trouble. We were chastised by some guy for wearing open abayas but our tour guide set the man straight and informed him we were following the country’s guidelines regarding clothing.
-Trustworthy honey spot
https://goo.gl/maps/UALNmhRkFkjyAYFb8 – this guy is the “sheikh” of the honey stores here – meaning he’s legit and makes sure everyone else is following regulations. He gave us samples of the different types of honey and we ended up buying a container of honeycomb which has lasted a couple months. I’m not a big honey fan, but this honeycomb is gold. Look for this sign outside his shop:
-Make sure to stop at مقهى ومطعم امان وزمان for a snack or meal! The upstairs is beautiful.
https://goo.gl/maps/daNWuChvvD2HnFBC8
Arruddaf Park
https://goo.gl/maps/w3gSV9hsFownMM6TA
Huge green space to explore. Chill, clean, family-friendly. The park boasts a dancing fountain show (although the fountain was broken during our visit). Snack and coffee kiosks are around, as well as some fast-food chains. When we went, our kiddos were little, but now I can imagine it would be a great place for them to ride bikes/scooters and release some energy!
Tara Mall
https://goo.gl/maps/9aDN1JEyPGDDwQaF8
Fancy-looking, modern restaurants. Right across the street from a larger mall (Jouri Mall).
Tower Cafe & Revolving Restaurant
https://goo.gl/maps/dNw2CixT4BY6bA6B8
We’ve visited the cafe to drink coffee with panoramic views of the city. You have to pay a small amount to be let in and it was nice enough. We didn’t attempt eating at the revolving restaurant because it was expensive and we’re not huge fans of spinning while we eat. They say you can hardly tell, but you can…you can tell. If you want a place to eat with good views, I would recommend Khayal Restaurant over this.
Beit Alward at Jabal Dakka
https://g.page/BeitAlward?share
Pleasant café and terrace overlooking the mountains. Also a hotel.
SHAFA
Ash Shafa Viewpoint
https://goo.gl/maps/aPoYtd1S8w1cY7xC9
Great spot for the obligatory happy-family-on-edge-of-mountain-cliff photo. There’s also wildlife to look out for: exhausted camels outfitted with bedazzled saddles, donkeys staring blankly, and hangry baboons. The Shafa area is known for having good rock climbing/hiking too but you need to find the right people who know where to take you.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
Aman & Zaman مقهى ومطعم امان وزمان – This is a must-visit place! Located in Al Balad, we had fabulous tea, local bread and honey within a breezy, eclectic Arab atmosphere. The local bread is called “mallah” and it comes topped with cheese wedges, honeycomb, and dates. It was also served with ghee, jams, olives, and tahini.
Khayal Restaurant – This Turkish restaurant never disappoints for delicious food at an affordable price. It’s on the upper floor of a mall and has outdoor seating with great views.
Sabahwmassa – Charmingly decorated, beautiful food dishes, owned and managed by a few ladies who were so kind and happy to have us
Route66 – Fun outdoor seating and western food
Mashwee Restaurant – Good Turkish food. I wouldn’t make a special trip for this restaurant, but if you’re in the north and need somewhere to eat, this would do.
WHAT TO BUY
Rose water, perfume, soaps
Honey, honeycomb, ghee, fruit from the Al Hada market
Plants and flowers from the Al Hada market or other garden stores
ACCOMMODATIONS
We’ve stayed here twice, once in the “three-bedroom with private pool” villa when we came with two other families. And in their “two-bedroom villa” when we stayed with my father-in-law. The location is great because it’s so close to Arruddaf park.
3-Bdrm Villa: large living room space next to open kitchen, big majlis, small pool for kids (if I remember correctly it was small but not super shallow like a kiddie pool). A large window from the living room looks onto the pool, which is enclosed by a glass door (wouldn’t be easy for little kids to open). They have some cookware and utensils, but if you plan to cook in the villa, I would bring all necessary materials. And toilet paper. Always bring toilet paper in Saudi.
We stayed in the “Superior Chalet with private pool.” It was perfect for our family of 4. The baby slept in our bedroom and we set up a pack-n-play in the kitchen for our toddler. The unit has its own little outdoor space with a BBQ grill and patio furniture, a separate room with a tiny pool, and the management brought over a tray of Arabic coffee and dates in the evening. Nice touch. The location is a bit far from most things though.
When we booked a weekend trip with a tour guide, this is where our group stayed. Clean hotel with spacious rooms. We had the “two bedroom suite” that had a bedroom with two twin beds, another with a king bed, two bathrooms, and a kitchenette with sitting area. Once again, no cookware or utensils so you should bring your own.
TRAVEL TIP: we always travel with our internet modem (we have the portable one with the data chip) and a Chromecast bc wifi at motels here is lacking.
2 Responses
Love reading about your wonderful adventures! You have such a beautiful gift for writing Jamie! It gives me a glimpse into a part of our world I will most likely never get to experience in person!
Thanks so much for reading, Carmen! <3