“Experiencing this with a cup of locally made gahwa is some of the most magical things I have experienced, and if that doesn’t tempt you, I don’t know what will” JEDDAH: Residents in Saudi Arabia are finding comfort by visiting the cool highlands of Abha in the southwest of the Kingdom to cool off amid soaring summer temperatures. Despite popular coastline destinations along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf remaining busy, many people are searching for cooler climates and natural scenery to escape the heat and break away from the concrete jungle for a while. Fahd Abid, a 32-year-old Pakistani account manager living in Jeddah, recently traveled to Abha, as he “finds comfort in the cooler surroundings,” which “remind him of his childhood” growing up in the area. He told Arab News: “I wanted to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of the city and visit someplace that was quiet and had better weather. “Abha is a package, especially with recent developments, I feel like it is becoming the perfect spot for vacations. It’s green and the weather is always pleasant, unlike Jeddah which is hot and only gets hotter. Another thing I love about Abha is how it is still true to the culture here,” he said. “I live in Jeddah, but I long to live in a small town and Abha is the place for that. In Jeddah, you cannot really enjoy an outing without turning into a puddle of sweat and misery. I mostly traveled to be able to walk outside without having a heatwave knock me down, but the views and destinations just blew me away.” HIGHLIGHT Despite popular coastline destinations along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf remaining busy, many people are searching for cooler climates and natural scenery to escape the heat and break away from the concrete jungle for a while. With his special connection to the city, he told Arab News: “It is where I spent the best days of my life, so the feeling I get when I get back to the city is of freedom and happiness. I like to visit our old house, my favorite spots and hunt places that serve authentic Asiri food like areeka, kabsa and madghoot.” Abid prefers sunsets on the mountain over sunsets on the sea, and recommends people visit a beautiful place near Abha, Alsudah, where clouds envelop mountain and produce a floating sensation for lucky visitors. “Experiencing this with a cup of locally made gahwa is some of the most magical things I have experienced, and if that doesn’t tempt you, I don’t know what will.” Sharing the same sentiment, 23-year-old Layla Ashour, a graphic design student, visited the cloudy city with a group of friends in July to experience something other than the usual beach trip. “It’s always expected to go to the beach in the summer. I wanted to try something different and actually get away from the hot sun for bit,” she told Arab News. Ashour said that she saw flowers of all colors, experienced refreshing rain after sunset and traversed the city as a true tourist. “The trip was so much fun. The locals gave us flower crowns to wear and we tried different treats for the first time, like hininy,” she said. “It rained during our trip when the sun went down, and it felt amazing to cool off for a change instead of experiencing the scorching heat. It’s the best place to cool down in summer.”