In the Sarawat (Sarat) mountains between Al Bahah and Abha there are several ancient villages, forts and palaces. These are all not very well known (in fact tourist guides do not mention them) and are in various restoration stages.
The Al Malad heritage village is located a few km east of Al Bahah and lies on the border between the Bani Abdullah tribe and the Bani Zabyan tribe on a rocky outcrop, along the highway 15. The village is more than 500 years old. Around it, almonds, grapes, apricots, apples, prickly pears various cereals were cultivated. On its highest point there is a fort with two towers, which nowadays houses a café. Attached to these two towers is a building that served as a council and dealt with political, social and commercial affairs.
The village of Al Touf lies 124km south of Al Bahah, near the village of Al Shaaf on top of a small hill. It consists of a number of white houses which are being restorated by the local population.
70km further south there is the city of Al Namas. Here there is the Al-Siddiq district where there are some heritage buildings: the Turban palace, a large stone palace with towers and the Al Namas museum which houses a collection of traditional items and agricultural tools
The Al-Dhahara heritage village lies 10km futher south along the road. This looks like a big fort, or perhaps it's a fortified village with all houses inside city walls.
01 Al-Malad heritage village 02 Al-Malad heritage village 03 Al-Malad heritage village 04 Al-Malad heritage village
05 Al-Malad heritage village 06 Al-Malad heritage village 07 Al-Malad heritage village 08 Al-Malad towers 09 Al-Malad towers
10 Al-Malad heritage village 11 Al-Malad heritage village 12 Al-Malad towers 13 Al-Malad heritage village
14 Al-Malad heritage village 15 Al-Malad heritage village 16 Al-Malad heritage village 17 Al-Malad heritage village 18 Al-Malad heritage village
19 Al-Malad heritage village 20 Al-Jahhafin mosque 21 Sarawat mountains
22 Sarawat mountains 23 Sarawat mountains
24 Al Touf heritage village 25 Al Touf heritage village 26 Solanum incanum 27 Solanum incanum 28 Al Touf heritage village
29 Al Touf heritage village 30 Al Touf heritage village 31 Al Touf heritage village
32 Al Touf heritage village 33 Sarawat mountains 34 Al Touf heritage village 35 Al Touf heritage village
36 Al Touf heritage village 37 Al Touf heritage village 38 Arabic inscriptions on stone
39 Al Touf heritage village 40 Al Touf heritage village
41 Al Touf heritage village 42 Al Shaaf mosque 43 Bisha University branch for girls in Obeid
44 Bisha University branch for girls in Obeid 45 Owais Al-Qarni mosque in Balqarn Al-Zaria 46 Herfa mountain near Bani Amr 47 Herfa mountain near Bani Amr
48 Clouds on road 15 near Almadanah 49 Clouds on road 15 near Almadanah 50 Turban palace in Alnamas 51 Turban palace in Al-Siddiq 52 Turban palace in Alnamas
53 Turban palace in Al Siddiq 54 Turban palace in Alnamas 55 Al-Namas museum 56 Al Namas museum
57 Al-Namas museum 58 Al Namas museum 59 Al-Namas museum 60 Turban palace in Al Siddiq
61 Al-Dhahara heritage village 62 Al-Dhahara heritage village
63 Al-Dhahara heritage village 64 King Abdulaziz mosque in Al-Dhahara
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