Tourism is new for Saudi Arabia so the kinks are still being worked out. Tourist visas have only been issued in the country since 2018. When I researched this trip, I contacted several travel companies. Only 1 company really responded to me. My guide said most guides don’t want to work holidays or weekends and this trip was over a major holiday.
I have been posting the highlights of each place. Charlotte has a whole list of lowlights for each hotel we stayed at. Every hotel in the region was sold out so I think we got what was left. One hotel had a light duct taped to the wall in the bathroom. Another bathroom had a big crack in the shower basin allowing water to leak onto the floor. WiFi was terrible at all hotels. This is part of traveling using local hotels.
Half the places we were taken to were either closed or not worth seeing. Most of the museums were closed since it was a holiday.
Here is itinerary for worst day in Abha. Other 3 days were really good.
Drive to see the famous Green Mountain. Park is closed for renovation. Next drive to see Abha dam and reservoir so we can see the water. Fog is so thick you can’t see anything.
Next we go to lunch around 11:00am because we are ahead of schedule. Burger place is out of nearly everything on menu including cheese and vegetables. Restaurant was very busy night before due to holiday and hadn’t restocked yet.
After lunch we go to the “Made in Aseer” park where locally made goods are sold. Park is really nice. Guide rips half the front bumper off on a high curb pulling into parking spot.
A traditional dance show was being performed so we stopped to watch. A police man yells at us from outside the railing to keep moving. They were not allowing people to stop and watch the show in order to avoid crowds forming. This was to maintain 2 meter social distancing. Our guide starts arguing with the police man and tells us to stay where we were. After some arguing, the police man walks around the fence and comes right up to our guide. More heated arguing goes on. I say we can move. I already have pictures. Guide insists we stay where we are. After some more arguing, the police man moves on down the pathway telling other people to keep moving. Guides tells us that the police are very weak. We end up staying and watching the show where we were until it starts pouring down rain.
Next we decide to go to dinner at The High City which is new restaurant complex that over looks the Green Mountain. We drive for an hour, but traffic is so bad we can only get within a mile so we decide to walk the rest of the way. The walk is uphill in dense fog with rain and muddy sections.
Eventually we get to restaurant for this view of the Green Mountain.
At the restaurant, it takes at least an hour to get food. If Charlotte and I would have been on our own we would never have been served. Our guide had to argue with several people threatening bad reviews if we weren’t served. Turns out much of the restaurant staff didn’t show up for work because of the holiday. Food was really good once we got it.
The last two days in Abha were amazing which more than made up for this day.
On a side note. Do I look like an American? Many times Saudi’s came up to me to say “Hello” and “America”. The only English words they know. Charlotte and I did try to blend in.
Matthew of Arabia 