Al-Fayfa is home to the largest museum in the Jazan region with literally a treasure trove of artifacts and assorted historical items.
The geography of the area deep in the valley near Diyar Bani Malik, which is on the way to Al Fayfa, is a never-ending trail of photo opportunities.
Traditional flowers are among the many items on offer at the market in Al-Maha near Sabia and Baish, which are located near Jazan.
Employees in Jazan enjoy ‘escape therapy’ with visits to Al Fayfa and Al Soudah.
by Arshad Nake
Going places and taking in the sights is a good way to break out of your routine, and Saudi Arabia offers no shortage of sightseeing opportunities.
Fortunately, Jazan is well placed for employees to be within easy reach of two hill stations in the Kingdom — Al Fayfa and Al Soudah — and earlier this month, Jazan Refinery Complex (JRC) management organized a trip to these hill stations.
Al Fayfa offers visitors a unique scenic view, and for those who take on the challenge of hiking up the mountain, a bird’s-eye view of the area.
Greenery and High Peaks
A group of Saudi Aramco employees, consisting of expatriates and Saudis, set off to Al Fayfa by road. Al Fayfa, a little known paradise of Saudi Arabia, is about 125 kilometers (km) due east from the Jazan City for Primary & Downstream Industries. Mountains adorned with sheets of greenery and high peaks — some of which are more than 8,500 feet tall — offer tremendous photo opportunities for visitors.
The group witnessed terraces built on the mountains that had been developed over time to aid agriculture. Many houses have been built on those steep slopes, shrouded among the trees and vegetation. The land itself is fertile and the weather is humid.
In today’s modern world, observing people living such a simple lifestyle was very soothing to watch — a far departure from how we know and do things as the people in Al Fayfa seemed very relaxed and carefree.
Al Fayfa is also home to the largest private museum in the Jazan region. Built inside a castle so to speak, the inventory has stuffed animals, vintage weapons and bandoliers, ropes, carriage bags, tools, fire lanterns, and traditional utility dishes, including some impressive golden teapots. There was even what seemed to be a medieval warrior helmet and chain vest hung on a peg.
Many of the Al Fayfa mountains breach the cloud layer with their peaks often disappearing into the thin veil of visible humidity. As this happened, when the air cooled and the clouds formed, many people seized the opportunity to take pictures. The rain and hail that followed was just the icing on the cake as the environment was soaked into an even more refreshing breath of pure energy. As the rain decreased, the visibility was down to a few feet due to the low clouds, which was simply astonishing.
At the end of the glorious day, the group returned to Jazan to prepare for a visit the next day to another beautiful hill station, Al Soudah, near Abha.
The trip to Al Soudah is approximately 160 km from the JRC and provided the employees with another beautiful view of the countryside and mountains with serene greenery and openness.
The Al Soudah region is situated on the Sirwat Mountains — 28 km west of Abha, and about 10,000 feet above sea level. This spot is the highlight of any trip to this area for a breathtaking sight of the city and the surrounding area. The site also serves as an excellent location for the paragliding competition that is held every summer during the Assir Festival.
The mountainous landscape of Al Soudah near Abha is quite a departure from the endless sand dunes found elsewhere in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Green Mountain
Al Soudah is covered in dark trees that grow all over the mountain, offering ample evidence as to why it’s known as the Green Mountain.
Trekking is an important part of any hill adventure and we partook of what we could of the hills. As we walked along, with the thick vegetation on both sides, we were greeted by a group of anxious wildlife primates and baboons.
Having treated our eyes to the cool greenbelt and with our lungs filled with fresh mountain air, we descended on Abha in a cable car. The view was simply spectacular, and everybody took photos and videos as we traversed over the buildings, cars, and people.
Abha itself offers more than just hills and greenery. This was evident when we visited the Abha Art Street Festival, which was established by Saudi Arabian artist Awad Al-Zarib. Spread along 850 feet in the heart of Abha, his plan was to connect the idea to tourism, and it worked.
The art pieces, trees, flowers, and paintings — which are covered by a roof made completely of umbrellas of various colors, added to the whole montage — provided a phenomenal experience for us all. The fact that it attracts a lot of visitors is not surprising.
During the day, we also visited the Al-Jahal Museum — the largest private collection of artifacts in the Kingdom under one roof. We were amazed that the entire collection was privately held. At the museum, we enjoyed a delightful lunch consisting of traditional Saudi Arabian dishes.
‘Escape Therapy’
Touring these hidden places offers an opportunity for people to revive themselves with “escape therapy.” If a mind and body relaxation index could be measured after such visits, our scores easily would have been sky-high.
Hillside visits are also easy on the budget and less crowded, and the sightseeing is truly spectacular. The trip also allowed us to strengthen employee relationships and left us with much to talk about back home.
So rewarding was the tour that the JRC management has decided to offer these memorable trips on a regular basis for the “professional stimulation” of our workforce. It is certain to be rewarding, both professionally and personally.