[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Young Saudis head south to spend summer" ids="74215,74216,74217,74218,74219"] THE southern hill resort of Abha, about 2,200 meters above sea level, is one of the Kingdom's major tourist destinations. It attracts thousands of tourists, including young and old, from within the Kingdom and neighboring Arab and Gulf countries. Many young Saudis spend their summer holidays in Abha along with their friends and families, engaging in their favorite hobbies of Tahjeer (decorating cars with stones) and Takhyeem (desert camping) while enjoying the region's cool and moderate climate. Asir hosts an annual festival every summer to attract tourists from within the Kingdom and neighboring countries to the region. This year, the festival kicked off on July 11. "Young Saudi men stage a variety of comedy shows during the summer festival to entertain visitors," said a member of the organizing committee, while speaking to Al-Madina Arabic daily. He said a number of stage programs are held in Souda mountain, purportedly the highest point in Saudi Arabia at 3,133 meters from sea level. Al-Madina met with a group of Kuwaiti youths at Hablah. "We came to this place to enjoy its beautiful weather," said Dhafir Bin Saad Atiran. "In Kuwait, the temperature has crossed 56 degree Celsius and we came to Saudi Arabia to spend our vacation in summer resorts like Abha," added Hussein Al-Saada. Abdullah Mohammed Al-Ajami was all praise for the salubrious weather and enchanting natural scenes in the Asir region. "There are places for desert camping, cooking and excursion in Abha and around," he told the newspaper. The Kuwaiti tourists came 15 days ago and plan to stay until Aug. 15. "Hablah is the most beautiful place I visited in the Kingdom," said Ahmed Naif Al-Saada. "Hablah attracts a large number of young visitors from Kuwait and other Gulf countries every year," added Abdul Aziz Bin Suhaib Al-Saada. Hamad Al-Abdan spoke highly about the Saudi youth's hobby of decorating cars with stones. "It's a fascinating hobby," he added. He also commended the improvement of services at Saudi tourist centers in Asir and other regions. The cable cars in Souda and Hablah draw a large number of youths who enjoy the region's marvelous scenery sitting in the cabins. Hablah, a village 35 minutes' drive south from Abha Airport, attracts many visitors daily. Inhabited until the 1970s, the traditional stone and thatch houses perch precariously on narrow terraces down an escarpment. Previously reachable only by ropes and pulleys, cable cars have made the village more accessible now. Ali Mubarak Al-Rayeh, founder of Hiking Saudi Arabia who came from Riyadh, said his group intends to organize a mountain climbing trip for youths as part of the Abha tourism festival. Many young Saudis were visiting Hablah for the first time. "We came from Tabuk to visit our relatives in Abha and we used the opportunity to see Hablah, which is one of the beautiful places in the Asir region," said Abdul Rahman Al-Shahri. Abha Municipality has arranged a variety of recreational programs for the youth, including parachuting on the Souda mountain and equestrian contests. Painters are also given space to show their creativity. The capital of the Asir region, Abha is located on the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia, near the National Park of Asir. Its mild and salubrious climate makes it a popular tourist destination for Saudis. The city has a population of about 300,000. Abha is the seat of Asir governorate and hosts several government departments. It has extensive medical and educational facilities including King Khalid University and Prince Sultan College for Hotel Management. There is an international airport in Abha, which connects Jeddah, Taif, Riyadh, Dammam, Dubai and Cairo with direct flights. The Saudi government has been promoting Abha as a major tourist destination and has been organizing events, such as the Abha Festival during the summer, to draw people to the city. Events are organized to attract visitors to discover the city and its surroundings. The Shadda Palace, built in 1820, is one of the traditional buildings preserved in Abha. It has new been converted to a museum. The village of Rijal Alma, a 40-minute drive down the mountains to the west of Abha, has many traditional houses that rise up five and six stories. From 400 to 600 years old, the houses were built with stones cut from mountains in the region. One of these houses has been converted to a museum, which contains samples of traditional clothes for men and women, ornamentation and agricultural equipment. The traditional market in the center of Abha, near the Miftaha tourist complex, draws a large number of people every Tuesday. The market sells locally produced wares, spices and clothes, with buyers and sellers coming from nearby villages. The city center is a soothing place for an evening with shisha, tea or coffee. Paragliding has become an increasingly popular sport in the region. In winter, paragliders launch from Jebal Huda near Mahayil, an hour's drive north of Abha toward the Tihama. In summer, they start from a purpose-built launch site near the InterContinental Hotel. With the patronage of the Asir governor, a four-day paragliding competition takes place at this launch site in Souda during the Asir Festival.
