ABHA — The picturesque city of Abha is located in the fertile mountainous region of Asir in the southwestern part of the Kingdom. Here clouds seem to sit on top of the mountains for most of the year. Abha can, therefore, rightly be called a ‘capital of clouds' where their meeting with the delightful and charming places increased the city's beauty coupled with the cool air that the region enjoys throughout the year. Situated at high altitude of 2,270 meters above the sea level, the city enjoys pleasant weather all year round. Abha's mild climate, natural beauty, historical, social and cultural heritage, its unique agricultural environment, and its particular brand of festivals has earned it the title of Arab Tourism Capital a few years ago. The Asir region houses more than 4,275 heritage villages, including Rijal Alma, which is expected to be registered in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. Rijal Alma is one of the Kingdom's most prominent cultural and archaeological destinations and is considered an architectural icon. Asir is also renowned for its stunning scenery such as the woods and forests in Dulghan and Al-Habala, in addition to the spectacular scenery of Al-Sawdah, which has the highest mountains in the Kingdom, including the tallest peak. The picturesque region is characterized by many parks that attract tourists throughout the year, including Al-Faraa, Dulgan, Al-Habala, Al-Jarrah, Al-Sahab, Tamniyeh, Abu Khayal and other natural beauty sites scattered along the Asir Al-Akhdar green areas known for its distinctive heritage, unique architecture, groves, green lawns and valleys. Fertile freshwater is permanently flowing in the area. With 70 percent of vegetation cover of the Kingdom, Abha enjoys a clean and pollution-free environment. Not to forget the parks and natural sanctuaries, and the phenomenon of the rising fog from the valleys of Tihama to accumulate at the peak of the mountain, in addition to myriad plant species. God has granted natural beauty to this region that was drawn on its green mountains, and its temperate atmosphere that follows the moments of rain that falls from top of its mountains to irrigate its green terraces, valleys and Tihama plains. This made it a major destination for tourists from different cities and regions of the Kingdom as well as from among the Gulf, Arab and foreign countries. The inflow of tourists gained momentum especially after Abha airport was upgraded to become an international one and it started receiving international flights carrying tourists to Asir. The beginning of 2020 witnessed holding a workshop to design the new Abha airport under the slogan of "To make Asir a global destination." The region also enjoys its interlocking forests known for its shadows and gentle hillsides, and its ancient traditions that span thousands of years in famous archaeological sites including Tabalah, Al-Ablaa, and Darb Al-Feel. Modern technologies have contributed to advancing the process of discovering the tourist treasures in Asir and charming nature. As part of this technology, cable cars were introduced in Al-Sawdah and Al-Habala that give picnickers a mesmerizing experience of an exciting tour for viewing the region's historical treasures and beautiful scenery of misty mountaintops and exquisite beauty of its valleys.
