Al Bahah is 1005 km southwest of Riyadh and 265 km southeast of Makkah. Dhee Ayn, a 400 year old abandoned stone settlement built atop a marble hill, is 24 km south of Al Bahah along Al-aqabah
Road. It is also known as 'Marble Village'. This dramatic
landscape is surrounded by Palm groves, banana, vegetable
and herbal plantations, a permanent stream and natural
wilderness.
From Riyadh we drove west in the direction of Taif to take a short distance route to Al Bahah. 150 km before reaching Taif, a diversion onto the left takes you to Al Bahah road.
As you ascend Al Bahah, the temperature drops variably. Most of the
part, clouds are gathered, shooting droplets of
water at times.
Banana plantations are a common sight in the valleys of Al Bahah. Before reaching the Marble Village as you descend the escarpment of Al Bahah, you feel the smell of village life with these banana sellers on the roadside.
The Marble Village at wide angle
Constructed by shale slabs, slates and rarely of marble pieces, this huge construction is a marvelous art of creation. Parts of the settlements are dilapidated and a serious renovation of the village is under way.
The off-white marble hill
and grayish black stone structures provide a high
contrasting image during the early morning (with
rising sun) and evening (by the setting sun).
