History, traditions and beyon.
The richness of the Saudi culture is not limited to history and monuments; it is also preserved and passed on through its people. Here are a few immersive cultural experiences that you can participate in to feel closer to the country’s traditional practices.
Beekeeping
Al Baha
Al Baha is the country’s honey production hub. The region is known to produce some of the best honey in the country. We reached out to Dhawi al Ghamdi, a tour guide located in Al Baha, who gave us insight into the region’s beekeeping practice. “To protect beekeeping and honey production in Al Baha, The Bee Association was set up. It allows visitors to train and become experts when it comes to beekeeping.”
If you are looking to learn more about the exciting field of beekeeping, visit the Beekeepers Cooperative Association.
You can:
1. Train to become a beekeeper yourself
2. Learn about bees and their lifecycle
- Beekeepers Cooperative Association
Location: Al Baha Region, Belgrache
Web: bca.saudibi.com
Tel: +966-463722017
- Tour guide
Location: Dhawi Al Ghamdi (Arabic – English)
Tel: +966-543789331
Olives
Al Jouf
Home to the best olives in Saudi, Al Jouf is renowned for its green and black olives that grow in small oval shapes. Apart from olives, olive oil also plays a prominent role in Saudi culture. If you teleport back in time, growing olives was a prominant practice for approximately 6,000 years. Al Jouf flows with various locations that fill your bags with olives and olive oil.
After contacting Mohammed Tarfawi, a tour guide in Al Jouf, he informed us about the Jouf Agricultural Development Company. “The company produces more than 5 million olive trees per year, all year along as well as olive oil,” said the tour guide himself.
Try Al Jouf Olives at
- Al Jouf Agricultural Development company
Location: Busaita, Wadi Alsarhan, Aljouf district
Web: aljouf.com.sa
- Al Jareed Farm
Location: Sakaka, Al Jouf, 72345
Bseita Olive oil farm
- Tour guide
Mohammed Tarfawi
(Arabic – English)
Tel: +966-557367072
Traditional Souks
Abha
Abha is home to numerous local and traditional souqs. Noticeably, the city names its markets after the days they operate in, the most famous of which is the Tuesday Market, offering local favorites including herbs, textiles, crafted pots, and clay ovens. Likewise, another well-known souq is Souq Al Nissa; the women’s market, known for selling local women’s garments along with traditional herbs, spices, flower crowns, and purses.
- The Tuesday Market
Location: Al Muftaha, Al Malik Khalid Rd, Abha
- Souq Al Nissa
The new Women Market
Location: Al Irq Ash Shamali, Khamis Mushait
Roses
Taif
Local guide, Khaled DaifAllah AlSherbi, helped us understand how the industry evolved to where it is today. “A tree-type from Arabia, Damascus Joury, has been present for more than 400 years. As the years passed, people saw its potential as an investment, and that gave birth to the oil and perfume industry in Taif, which jumpstarted the process of rose farming and various byproducts.”
Rose farms have become a tourist spot flowing with cafes and entertainment services.
Visit a Rose Farm and Factory:
- Bin Salman Rose Farm
Location: Alhuda, Taif
Tel: +966-564343001
- Al Gadhi Rose Factory
Location: Adam St, Taif
Tel: +966-12-7334133
- Tour guide
Khalid DaifAllah AlSherbi
(Arabic – English)
Tel: +966-505359174