Al-Ahsa
Saudi Arabia · Eastern Province · 160 m
Description
Al-Ahsa is the largest oasis in the world, some two and a half million date palms fed by artesian springs on the edge of the Empty Quarter, and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2018. Its centre is the old town of Hofuf, where a Qaisariah market of covered lanes still sells cloth and spices beside an Ottoman fortress. What most visitors actually come for is Jabal Al-Qarah, a limestone outcrop split by cool, narrow caves that stay pleasant when the plain outside is at fifty degrees. Al-Ahsa dates go out from here across the Gulf.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: November – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Jabal Al-Qarah caves and its Land of Civilizations centre
- Al-Qaisariah Souq in Hofuf
- Al-Ahsa Oasis palm groves (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Qasr Ibrahim Ottoman fortress
- Jawatha Mosque, the oldest in eastern Arabia
- Al-Ahsa dates and the date factories
- Yellow Lake and the Al-Asfar wetlands
- Ain Najm hot spring
- Al-Ahsa National Park and its dunes
- Uqair, the old Gulf port and its beach(Day trip)
- Ibrahim Al-Qurashi heritage house and pottery workshops
Getting there
- Airports:
- HOF
- Train stations:
- Hofuf