Introducing Asir

‘Asir’ means ‘difficult’ in Arabic, after the legendary difficulties involved in crossing the Asir Mountains by camel. It is perhaps this above all that has preserved the distinctive cultural heritage of the Asir region.

With much closer historical ties in fact to Yemen than the rest of Arabia, the Asir is home to beautiful (albeit fast-disappearing) stone, slate and mud-brick architecture nestled among towering mountains of rare beauty, forests barely a hundred kilometres from the Empty Quarter and valleys that drop steeply down to the Red Sea coastal plain.

In the coastal region, look out for the traditional, conical huts showing the African influence from across the water, and around Abha, keep your eyes peeled for the famous ‘Flower Men’, locals who traditionally wear garlands of flowers on their head (apparently to attract women and detract the flies!).

In the mountains, and easier to spot, are the ubiquitous Arabian baboons now living the easy life from the picnic leftovers thrown to them by passing Saudi tourists. Don’t let children get too close; they’ve been attacked or bitten in the past.

Merhaban alf’ – ‘a thousand welcomes’ is the traditional greeting of the Asir people; it sums up their supreme hospitality and you’ll soon find yourself pressed to accept an invitation to eat or stay overnight everywhere. If you’re invited to a wedding, don’t be alarmed if the whole village starts shooting off guns – it’s a traditional form of celebration (as in Yemen) !