Visited January 2023.

At the moment most of us from WH travellers want to see this site, this kind of a village, inscribed on the UNESCO list. And I do not understand why, ‘cos I could not see any universal value (not speaking about outstanding universal value) of this very pretty nice, very well maintained and recently partly rebuilt village.

It is old, but the oldest houses are 200 years or less old… Probably underpinnings of some of them are much older but it was never researched. Yes, it was never researched. The village used to be a very important stop on the caravan route. But not the only one, ‘cos in the amazing landscape of Asir Mountains (there are some walking and signed trails, monkeys and species of deer) there are other similar villages that were never rebuilt (and looks more picturesque) and are more remote… I spent two days in the area walking and hitchhiking (being a solo traveller without a driver license meaning no car), talking to the people, losing myself in the mountains and following the paths local people show me… And discovering that the thing being unique the area is already registered on UNESCO list – al-qatt al-asiri paintings (photo of the inside of one of the nominated house; https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/al-qatt-al-asiri-female-traditional-interior-wall-decoration-in-asir-saudi-arabia-01261).

Getting there without a car from the nearest city (Abha) is another adventure. You can take a taxi from Saptco bus station to Clock Roundabout in Rijal Almaa (around 100 SAR) or take a taxi/uber (around 30 SAR) to the Green Plaza Hotel and then just wave and – probably with waiting long and some stops and car changes on the way – you’ll get to the site having some new friends who’d be more than happy to invite you for a cup tea or dinner… To get out of the area, it is even easier – you do not even have to wave, local people would stop and help you when they see you walking alone… And bring you closer to your final destination.