Lan Wandered

“Al Ahsa is one known as the largest natural oasis in the World with incredible natural wonders”

Hello, Marhaba. I’m allan an OFW living for two years in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Most of the time, especially during the holiday season, I usually search for a place to visit here in Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, it is no wonder to discover Al Ahsa as this is only 2 hours away from Jubail. On top of that, it is also one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country. I have already traveled to this city twice, from 2022 to 2023, thus, I can say that this place is wonderful and should be part of your travel bucket list.

About Al Ahsa         

Al Ahsa also called Al Hofuf is situated in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, about 50 km away from Dammam and Al Khobar. It is known for being the largest natural oasis in the world and is listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site.  The city was named after the Al-Ahsa Oasis with world-renowned date palms, in classical Arabic, ‘Ahsa’ means the sound of water underground. Al Ahsa is one of the most beautiful cities in Saudi Arabia and recognize for its awesome and incredible natural wonder.

When is the best time to visit Al Ahsa

The best time to visit Al Ahsa is during the winter, from Mid-November to Early March, when temperatures range from 10°C to 23°C. This month’s you can enjoy and marvel at all tourist spots with chilly temperatures.

Avoid summer months from April to September, as the temperature is mild to extremely hot. The only advantage of summer is that there are fewer crowds, so you can take as many photos & videos without people in the background.

Where to book Tours in Al Ahsa/ How many days to stay

There are a lot of tour packages available in Al AHsa. You can book through Viator or you can request that your hotel accommodations be arranged for you. If you are from Jubail, Dammam or Khobar, I suggest doing DIY (Do it your own). If you have your own vehicle, it is better, otherwise rent a car. A one-day tour is enough to roam around Al Ahsa, travel early in the morning, and return to your place in the afternoon.

If you are a Filipino expat living in Riyadh or a nearby area, I suggest joining a group tour available on Facebook that caters every weekends or holiday, depending on the season. The more joiners the lower the price of the tour.

Transportation

If you are a solo traveler with no car, you have the option to travel by train from Dammam to Al Ahsa/Al hofuf. Once arrive in the train station, you can book a taxi or uber to the place where you want to go. But if you have your own vehicle it is better, otherwise rent a car.

Where to stay in Al Ahsa

Resorts and hotels in Al Ahsa are everywhere, so you have a numerous selection of accommodations, from standard to medium up to luxury hotels. You can check in Agoda .com, Booking.com or directly on the hotel’s website. But again, if you are living in Jubail, Dammam, Khobar or even Riyadh, a one-day tour is enough, so there is no need for hotel accommodation, just allocate your budget to your food.

Places to Visit in Al Ahsa

Al Qarah Mountain

One of the most popular and visited tourist attraction in Al Ahsa is Al Qarah Mountain an important natural sights which was registered in the UNESCO world heritage center’s list in 2018, after the inclusion of  Al-Ahsa Oasis. It is also called “Al-Shaba’an”, because it is located among palm trees and rivers. It has also caves which are cold in the summer and well known for its biblical story, where legend believed that this was the cave where Judas hid after he betrays Jesus Christ. So mostly Filipinos called it “Judas cave”. But locals are not aware about this story, so they don’t know if you ask them about Judas Cave.

By the way, restaurants are available here, as well as a café near the ticket both. But, I suggest eating first before coming here since the selection of food is limited. Otherwise, you can take your lunch at a nearby restaurant in Al Ahsa. The entrance fee here is 57 SAR.

For more details, please see my link video for Al Qarah Mountain

Yellow Lake

Photo above is from Trip Advisor, for reference only

One of the most beautiful lake you will found in Saudi Arabia is yellow lake also known as Al Asfar Lake. It is a Wet land which is surrounded by sand dunes and plants with various species of animals. The view here is spectacular and consider to be a hidden gem and part of Historical landmark of Al Ahsa. Going here is a little bit challenging though, as you need to travel using 4WD Car. If you have this type of vehicle it is good, otherwise join a group or book a tour in viator who cater this type of trip in Al Ahsa.

Uqair Fort

If you are looking for a Roman colosseum inspired structure in Saudi Arabia, then you must visit Uqair Fort. This is an abandoned seaport situated on the Persian Gulf in eastern Al-Ahsa. In the past, this seaport operated as a fishing and transport site, however, nowadays, it has become an outing place for people in the region. We visited here in the summer, so it was really hot during that time.

Uqair Beach

Looking for a beach to relax while in Al Ahsa, then visit Uqair Beach. It is open and free, so you can swim here and do some camping with your friends or your family. What I like about this beach is the view of the shipwreck on the shore of the bay.

Please see link for my My Al Uqair Video

Jawatha Park

Another tourist destination you should visit while in Al Ahsa is Jawatha Park. This spot is recommended for families with kids, as there are rides dedicated for children to enjoy. Entrance fee is 10 Sar.

Please see link for my Jawatha Park Video

Strawberry Farm

As a farming enthusiast, I was amazed to know that strawberry farms also exist in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. For picking season, I suggest coming here in the months of December to January during the winter season, when the production of strawberries is high.

Budget for Visiting Al Ahsa

Visiting Al Ahsa is considerably budget-friendly, especially if you are traveling with a group of 3 or more, since you can divide your expenses. If you have your own car, the cost will be lowered, which means you will just spend on fuel, and knowing Saudi Arabia, fuel costs here are cheap compared to other countries around the world (around 2 SAR only per liter). In regard to the entrance fee, only Al Qarah Mountain & Jawatha Park have an entrance fee of 57 SAR and 10 SAR respectively, others are free. Overall, we only spent around 130 to 150 SAR each back and forth to Jubail on a one-day tour, not including the Yellow Lake since we didn’t have a 4WD Car during the time when we visited. We were not also aware at that time that only 4WD could travel in this remote area.

So, have you been to Al Ahsa? Please let me know your thoughts and share your experience.

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