Even though I grew up in the Middle East, Abha was a hidden gem I only heard about after the pandemic. When people think about Saudi Arabia, they imagine deserts, sand, camels. However, Abha eliminates expectations as it is found in the mountains, there are wild monkeys, trees, grass and the weather is 20 degrees celcius in the summer (80F). Making it an INCREDIBLE tourist destination for expats and locals in the Arabian Peninsula.
There are incredible little towns and tourist villiages all around Abha and in the Aseer mountains. However, if you were to spend a few days in Abha. Here are some things I suggest doing/trying out while adventuring Abha.
What is Abha like?
Abha is a beautiful little town in the south of Saudi Arabia. With incredible history, architecture and art. It has been the tourist hub of Saudi for Saudi’s and Gulf Nationals for years. Since Saudi opened to tourist visas in 2019, it is now becoming more of a well known tourist destination thanks to Social Media and advertisements. Abha is a city in the mountains with the tallest mountain in Saudi Arabia right next to it called Al Soudha Mountian (Arabic: ٱلسّوْدَة). Al Soudha moutain is found at 3,015 meters (9,893 ft) above sea level. It is possible to drive from the center of Abha to the tallest peak of Al Soudha mountain within 30-40 minutes.
The city is found on a “ring” road which is often referenced as a belt by locals. On the main road is many of the main spots like Art Street, Abu Kheyal Park, High City, most of the fun coffee shops and several hotels. Out of the main circle road towards the other large city Khamis Mushait. Khamis is where most of the locals live and a lot of the nicer restaurants are located. Heading the other direction up is Soudha Mountain.
There are a lot of AMAZING day trips to different places that are 1-3 hours away from Abha. You can go hiking or mountain climbing in Tanomah, visit old castles in Tabab or Rijal Almaa, eat amazing food, go to coffee and tea shops. Abha is like taking in a breath of fresh air while still finding yourself in the Arabian Peninsula. The people are very kind and hospitable, they love to share their history and heritage with everyone. In the little towns surrounding Abha there are lots of mini museums that families have brought their art and artifacts together to make these adorable little museum’s that tell the history of the Aseer. Abha is like taking in a breath of fresh air while still finding yourself in the Arabian Peninsula. If you find yourself in the AP and are looking to travel somewhere soon, I highly recommend Abha as your next travel destination!
Do you need a rental car in Abha or can I use Taxi’s?
I would highly recommend getting a rental car.
While in the city of Abha, you can get taxi’s anywhere, there are car hailing applications such as Uber, Careem and Bolt. However, if you are hoping to go to Soudha mountain, you can get a taxi up the mountain but it is almost impossible to get a taxi back down. So if you hope to experience that part of Abha, the mountains and the nature (disenclduing the several and amazing parks that are sprinkled all over Abha) I would highly recommend getting a rental car.
We personally have never rented a car, but I have heard you have to be willing to wait 30-60 minutes to get your rental car at the Abha airport as they are still learning how to use other nationalities drivers licenses. The rental car brand Yelo is a Saudi owned rental car company that is found throughout the country and many Saudi’s rent from them. If you don’t know the name of any of the rental car companies I’d suggest trying them out.
What to do in Abha:
Art Street, is an outdoor walking area and park. In the spring (months of April and May) there are trees BLOOMING with gorgeous purple jacaranda flowers. On the street you can find several cute coffee shops and a decent Indian restaurant called Raj. A few minutes walk from Art Street is a street market that is perfect for buying souvenirs!
Thulathaa Traditional Market, is an outdoor market which sells traditional dresses from the Abha/Aseer region, pottery, little nicknacks, fresh fruit and herbs. Its an adorable little outside market that is a perfect place to buy gifts for your family and friends.
Abu Kheyal Park & Jorry Elite, a beautiful park in the center of Abha. Its several tiers with playgrounds for kids. Its a beautiful overlook over all of Abha, with stunning trees, Jorry Elite is probably the fanciest resturant in all of Abha with it overlooking the park. Its got an Italian restaurant, Lebanese restaurant and a cafe. Its 3 stories, with stunning views and it makes you feel like you’ve stepped foot into heaven a tiny bit.
High City, right across the street from Abu Kheyal Park with a walking bridge to it, is High City. An outdoor walking mall, with also incredible views down the mountain. Our favorite coffee shop Fog Coffee is located there. There is a kids trampoline park, its a great place to spend an afternoon. It has coffee, tea, and a few resturants. It gets super crowded in the evening especially in the summer. Parking can be hard to find after 7pm however I highly recommend it! There is also a cable car located very close to High City where you can get a glimpse of the beautiful natural landscape of Abha and the Aseer Region.
Explore Al Soudha Mountain. Many people find empty spots and buy a tea and set up a picnic to view the gorgeous sunsets! There are lots of great picnic spots all throughout Soudha Mountain. You can drive an hour from Abha to Al Soudha’s 360 Viewpoint and see incredible views down the mountain to nearby cities of Rijal Almaa. Rijal Almaa is a downhill drive the mountain where you need be careful for your breaks. Be sure to confirm with your rental car company before you decide to drive to Rijal Almaa. On Soudha you can find Strawberry farms where you can pick fresh strawberries. There are hiking spots, or participate in Saudi’s #1 hobby which is picnicing! Grab a picnic blanket from Al Sanidi or Al Rimaya and head up the mountain! Try visiting Abu Sarah palace or Tabab village!
Explore Aseeri dishes such as Kabsa, Areesh, Foul and more. There are incredible traditional resturants sprinkled all throughout Abha! If you would like to explore see the link to our playlist on google maps of our recommended spots.
Explore the coffee scene:
Abha does not fail to let you explore the coffee scene. Every coffee shop is an adventure and incredible! Here are 3 coffee shops we recommend. All three of these coffee shops we would rate a 5 out of 5 chickpea experience!
Go to Be You Coffee Roasters. Probably one of the best coffee roasters in Abha! We always buy our coffee beans from them. They are also a co-working location where there can be different events. They have training rooms to teach their staff on how to make coffee, spaces to rent, and fresh coffee beans!
Go to Fog Coffee in High City. Fog Coffee is run by a brother and sister. The brother went to university in Australia and has been sharing the techniques and style he learned there. If you sit on the roof you will have an incredible view!
Go to Camel Step found in the heart of the old town of Abha. Camel Step is a Saudi roasting franchise that you can find in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Known for incredible Chemex’s and v60s. They are a Saudi coffee chain that is a must try!
Recommended Resturants:
Each of these three recommended resturants we would rate a 5 out of 5 chickpea rating!
Traditional Saudi Breakfast we recommend Al Sadf \ سدف. They have upscaled their traditional saudi menu which at other restaurants are cheeper. However their Foul beans are to DIE for and they excel at atmosphere and vibes. Highly Recommend! You might need to book a reservation.
For Lunch I would recommend Furn Aldayaa. They have incredibly fresh food baked within minutes of you coming! You can always get it for take away and eat it outside at Art Street which is found very close by!
For Dinner I highly recommend Shandal. Every time we order food there we leave feeling so full and happy. The experience never disapoints. They excel at using spices compared to every other restaurant! In the summer you might need to book a reservation.
We hope you enjoy your time exploring the city in the clouds! Enjoy our little chickpeas! If you follow our Google Maps you can find many reviews and pins to different locations found in Abha. Including breakfast, lunch and dinner options! Find us on google maps searching for Hummus with Habibti!
