Perched at a precarious 2,200 meters above sea level in the fertile mountains of Asir, Abha is officially the Kingdom's most visited hill station and the capital of Asir Province. Home to 300-year-old stone and mud houses (a lot of which are still standing and inhabited) and glitzy malls that house the latest brands, Abha has a well known local marketplace and a famous women's souq where veiled local women sell fruits, vegetables, herbs, henna, mint, coffee and ornate silver Bedouin jewelry or hand-woven baskets. The Kingdom's highest peak, Jabal Al Sooda (3300 meters above sea level) and Asir National Park are a short drive away. How to get there: Abha regional airport is connected to most major cities by direct flights. The other -- more enjoyable -- option is to drive up along the scenic Taif-Al-Baha-Abha highway.Al-Baha Surrounded by more than fifty forests and majestic ravines, Al-Baha city is the capital of Al-Baha Province. Come summer, this sleepy little town is transformed into a bustling tourist centre. Al-Baha was once a major gold mining site and the village of Kuna still houses over a hundred ancient structures. Al-Baha is famous for its honey, and you'll come across many locals selling pots of honey and mounds of fresh fruit, vegetables and dates in the local market and around tourist sites . Must-see sites: Forests and parks developed in and around the city like Raghdan forest, Al-Mulad valley forest, Amdan forest, Wadi Al-Feiq, Wadi Al-Aqiq, Bida valley, Marzouk and Al-Kharara waterfalls, Al-Zurayq, Al-Shahba, Jadr, Beni Zubian, Al-Khira, Al-Qama and Al-Kasran. Other sites: u Baljurashi is a town close-by, at the head of an ancient seasonal camel trail with steep man-made “camel steps“ that allowed camels to climb all the way up from the bottom of the mountain. u Dhee Ayn (The marble village)is 24 km southwest, across ‘Aqabat al-Baha and is built on a small marble mountain. According to local lore, the 400-year-old marble village glows at sunset. Tabuk The capital city of Tabuk province in north western Saudi Arabia, Tabuk is the city that frequently has the world wondering if they're reading the weather news right. While summers are hot, winters in Tabuk can be freezing with temperatures dipping to -5°C, with snow and frost covering the desert in a sea of white. Taif At a height of 1700 meters on the slopes of the Al-Sarawat mountains, Taif is known for its honey and grapes and has a long history as a popular resort. Even in pre-Islamic times, people from Makkah used to visit Taif in summer, which was then populated by the Thaqif tribe. Places to see: Al-Rudaf national park (which has a small zoo), Wadi Mitna where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came to preach Islam and gain support of the Hawazin and the Thaqif tribes, but was stoned by them. He was later given sanctuary in a small house, which is now used as a mosque. 40 km north of Taif, there is the site of the largest and most well known pre-Islamic souqs or gathering places, Souq Okaz. The buildings remain, including prominent outlines of walls of basaltic stone. Al-Hada mountain preserve and a Turkish Fort, where it is rumored Lawrence of Arabia once fought are other interesting places near Taif. __
