Abha lies in the south west of Saudi Arabia near the
border with Yemen. It’s a mountainous area with a surprising amount of
greenery. Most visitors choose the summer time to visit when its altitude
makes it pleasantly cool. When I visited the city in February 2002, clouds
were rolling down the hills and it definitely had an out of season feel.
Cable cars that ran between the peaks were out of service and the streets
quiet. While much of Abha is new, there are traditional houses. They are
dotted around the centre and still lived in. One place called the Shada
Palace is open to the public and you can get an idea of how people used to
live in the area.
Shada Palace, Abha, Asir Region (South West) of Saudi Arabia
Built in 1927 for governors of the region, this building is now a museum
open to the public.
