Originally Posted on 21st May 2013:
Al Hofuf
A-Hofuf is one of the major cultural centers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It is the closest city to the famous Ghawar oil field, one of the world's largest conventional (land-based) fields. Al Hofuf is lead producer of the dates because it is situated in one of the largest oasis in the world with large groves of palm trees counting more than 2 million.Al-Hofuf offers a great number of history landmarks and souvenirs to visit along with all the modern developments. The climate here is hot and arid in summer, and cold in winters getting warmer when it rains.
There is also Railway Service from Riyadh to Dammam with a stop at Al-Hofuf with following schedule: http://www.saudirailways.org/portal/page/portal/PRTS/root/Home/02_Passengers_Services/02Train%20Schedule
This city was under Ottoman Empire and one can see its reminiscence in the town while strolling. Al Hofuf was also the capital of the eastern province till 1953. Besides this, Al Hofuf is a great cultural and educational center sheltering the most prestigious families of the country. King Faisal University is an educational and learning center facilitating a separate section for women to study dentistry, medicine and economics related to home.
Industrial activities at Al Hofuf include manufacturing of copper and brass wares, cloth, swords, daggers and food processing. There are many water sources, it grows date palms, wheat, rice, barley and fruits supporting agricultural business.
1. Al Ahsa Archaeological and Heritage Museum
The museum was built in 1983 on a land area 7000 m2 and it was opened to visitors in 1987. It has lots of information on geology.Operating Time:
Morning time: 8:00 am to 2:30 pm
Evening time: 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Thursday: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Friday: 4:00 pm to 8:3 0 pm
Ticket: Free
Time Required: 1hr
Address: Museum, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Prince Sultan Street, Al Hofuf, Tel: 5802639/03 5803942/03 Fax: 5816141/03
Coordinates: 25.359704,49.599358
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/6E5UT
Update(01-05-2015): I visited this museum again on Friday, 1st May 2015 at 5:15pm with colleagues but it was closed. As per its operating time it should have been open, there were no other people/cars there and the entrance looked like as if it has been closed for a while. I am not sure if it has been closed for good, plz check in advance if you are planning to visit it.
|
On 16th May 2013, we left Riyadh at 6:08am and headed straight to Al Ahsa National Museum. We reached there by 9:20am. It is a small museum, we spent an hour there.
   |
| From 20130517-16 - Trip to Al Ahsa (Complete Album) |
|
2. Qasr Ibrahim (Ibrahim Palace)
 |
| From 20150502-01 - Hofuf Trip |
 |
| From 20150502-01 - Hofuf Trip |
 |
| From 20150502-01 - Hofuf Trip |
Operating Time: From dawn to dusk
Ticket: Free
Time Required: 1hr
Coordinates: 25.378797,49.586073
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/BlaVy
1st May 2015: I visited this Fort again on Friday 1st May 2015 at 5:35pm with colleagues. It has a little different view in the evening because of the lighting. I think it looks better in the evening and that is also because it is quite hot in the day time, most of the year. The mosque inside is still functional thus it is not closed for Zuhar, Asar or Magrib prayers.
You can walk to Qaisariah Souq which is nearby. Infact it would be better to walk to Qaisariah Souq if it’s a weekend evening due to the traffic and no parking availability in front of the Qaisariah Souq.
    |
| From 20150502-01 - Hofuf Trip |
|
18th April 2014: I visited this Fort again on Friday, 18th April 2014 at 6:42pm with another family. Last time I visited it, it was morning time, this time, it was completely dark and the fort gave a different picture altogether. Due to lighting, it looked different and nicer.
|
16th May 2013: We left museum at 10:30am and reached Qasr Ibrahim at 10:45am. It is big with nice architecture. There is also a small museum present inside. We spent an hour there. The mosque contains a large single dome and is unique in its construction and style in the Kingdom. Although it was very hot outside but inside the masjid it was very pleasant, also the way to an underground room was very Indiana jones style.
   |
| From 20130517-16 - Trip to Al Ahsa (Complete Album) |
|
3. Al Jaalaaneyah Mosque
16th May 2013: We left the palace at around 11:40pm and reached Jaalaaneyah Masjid by 12:15pm. The idea was to offer Zuhar Salah there but the masjid was closed. It is a small masjid and it seems regular salah is not conducted there anymore. On the internet we could only find that it’s a historical masjid but couldn’t find any other information about its history. You can safely skip this place in your visit.  |
| From 20130517-16 - Trip to Al Ahsa (Complete Album) |
Time Required: 15min
Coordinates: 25.431115,49.625845
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/WDVBN
4. Jabal Al Qarah (Lime Caves)
Jabal Al Qarah Caves are an intricate cave system developed in the calcareous sandstone, marl and clay of the Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene Hofuf Formation. Jabal Al Qarah is known for its tall, linear cave passages and narrow canyons. Morphology of caves suggests that these caves resulted from erosional enlargement of a series of very deep and narrow joint-controlled fissures in the Hofuf Formation. The massively tall monoliths that stand outside the entrances of the caves are like soldiers guarding treasures. The shapes they have taken, through time, by sand storms and wind erosion would make anyone with a creative mind, blush. Jabal Qarah is a flat-topped hill with a maximum elevation of 225 meters above sea level. By the passage of time, water and wind transformed this hill into an abode of caves and fascinating landscape. The caves (known as Ghar Al Hashshab in Arabic – caves of the arrow maker) .
Operating Time: From dawn to dusk
Ticket: Free
Time Required: 2hr
Coordinates : 25.411406,49.693206
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/T3UrI
Update(28-04-2016): A colleague (Muhammad Tayyeb) checked with Saudi Tourism and they confirmed that the caves are still closed for 2 to 3 months.
"Message received from Saudi Tourism Facebook page about Jabal qarrah
hello mr: muhammad
its closing at this time and i contact with the responsible there and they told me it will open after 2 - 3 months
thank you for contact us"
1st May 2015: I visited these Caves again on Friday, 1st May 2015 at 9:27am with colleagues but it was closed. The guards there informed us that the caves are under renovation and they will open after Eid. We roamed around, took some pictures and then left. It was a big disappointment for us because this is the best attraction in Hofuf area and we were really looking forward to visit it. Plz check in advance if you are planning to visit it.
|
18th April 2014: I visited these Caves again on Friday, 18th April 2014 at 3:23pm, with another family. Last time when I visited these Caves it was afternoon and it was very hot outside, this time, it was cooler and better. This time, I also climbed the mountain of these caves, which was not easy and it came out to be an amazing experience. The top of the mountain is plain but with gaps, opening in the caves, thus, it was not easy to move around. Also at that time, the sun was setting thus it gave a beautiful view of the mountain top as well as the ocean of date palm trees, the biggest oasis in the world.
|
16th May 2013: We left Jaalaaneyah Masjid by 12:30pm and reached Jabal Al Qarah Caves by 1:15pm, it took us some time to find the entrance of the caves because we had the wrong coordinates. The coordinates given above are the correct ones. The caves are magnificent, a must visit for everyone. The entrance of the caves is like of a giant castle in a fantasy story, like "khul za sim sim", it was very hot outside but the temperature inside was totally opposite and it was pitch black inside, this mountain was once an island and the waves of the sea and wind with the passage of time developed these caves, nature's way of playing with the clay. It is a good idea to bring a torch light for visiting these caves. Some paths inside the caves are only suitable for slim people. We spent an hour there.
   |
| From 20130517-16 - Trip to Al Ahsa (Complete Album) |
|
5. Levitating Rock
1st May 2015: As Jabal Al Qarah Caves were closed thus we tried to explore the area near by, we saw a small hill and headed towards it and at 9:54am we found the famous levitating rock which was Photoshopped and went viral on the internet a few years ago. The actual rock formation is also amazing but it is not levitating in the air without any support. There was also a small cave across the road which we explored. It seemed its being used for BBQ picnics by the locals.Operating Time: From dawn to dusk
Ticket: Free
Time Required: 30hr
Coordinates : 25.423616, 49.689944
Levitating Rock pic which went viral:
http://www.disclose.tv/forum/the-levitating-rock-in-saudi-arabia-t8777-30.html
Actual Rock:
 |
| From 20150502-01 - Hofuf Trip |
6. Qasr Sahud (Sahud Palace)
16th May 2013: On our way from caves to Sahud Palace we offered Zuhar and Asar salah and reach Sahud Palace by 3:35pm. It was closed and it seems it has been closed for some time now so you can skip this place in your visit. There was no information found on the internet about this palace.  |
| From 20130517-16 - Trip to Al Ahsa (Complete Album) |
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/GTgvw
7. Jawatha Mosque
16th May 2013: We reached Jawatha Masjid by 4:15pm. It was in the middle of the desert. It was also closed but the door was not locked so we were able to open it. The ruins of the original masjid are not left. It has a small park around it. We spent a half hour there.   |
| From 20130517-16 - Trip to Al Ahsa (Complete Album) |
Jawatha Mosque also incorrectly spelled Al-Jawana is located in the village of Al-Kilabiyah. It was the earliest mosque built in east Arabia. The site is still used for prayer.
Ticket: Free
Time Required: 15min
Coordinates: 25.470244,49.677086
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/7Oqjc
|
8. Qaisariah Souq
It is a very old market which caught fire and thus it has been rebuilt again, it is full of traditional items for sale.Ticket: Free
Time Required: 30min
Coordinates: 25.376771,49.588938
Google Maps Link: http://goo.gl/maps/SseiT
1st May 2015: I visited this Market again on Friday 1st May 2015 at 6pm with colleagues. This time, we also visited the entrance on right side of the market which is a big traditional gate. It looked nice. My colleagues had tea there.
|
18th April 2014: We couldn’t find this market in our first visit, but this time I had noted down the coordinates from the internet. We reached there at 9:45pm, most of it was closed by then. It is a big market with narrow streets, constructed in traditional style, over the actual 100s of years old market. We purchased Zam Zam water, some spices and oils from there. The prices were reasonable.
   |
| From 20140419-18 - Trip to Hofuf and Uqair |
|
9. Al Ogair/Uqair Old Port
 |
| From 20140419-18 - Trip to Hofuf and Uqair |
 |
| From 20140419-18 - Trip to Hofuf and Uqair |
Al Ogair is the first ever seaport in the Kingdom and a major seaport for successive civilizations in Al Ahsa.
Ticket: FreeTime Required: 3hr
Coordinates: 25.64481,50.215298
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/B1OMP
2nd May 2015: We reached there at 6:57am and the sea looked like a big calm lake. There were no waves, no blue colors, it looked very different. This might be due to the time, I have not been there that early. The old port, market, masjid, government and custom buildings all were closed. Not sure if those were closed for good or just because it was early. My colleagues were not comfortable swimming in this kind of sea and they requested to visit Uqair Corniche Park thus we left soon.
18th April 2014: I visited this beach again on Saturday, 19th April 2014 at 10:30am, with another family. There was some renovation work going on in the old port, market and masjid and it was closed but the supervisor of that renovation work was a Pakistani guy and he let us in. After visiting the historic building we went for a swim and it was great fun.
17th May 2013: We left the hotel in the morning at 6:45am and started our journey towards Al Oqair. We reached there by 8am. This place has old port, market, masjid, government and custom buildings. The beach has blue colored water in different shades based on the depth. There are dedicated places for swimming in the sea. I swam in the sea for the 1st time. There were a very few people there. We spend 3 hours there.
   |
| From 20130517-16 - Trip to Al Ahsa (Complete Album) |
|
|
10. Uqair Corniche Park
Ticket: FreeTime Required: 1hr
Coordinates : 25.778864, 50.170956
2nd May 2015: We reached there at 7:45am and there were already a few families there enjoying their time. We crossed the shallow water and the safety markers rocks and we found chest high water after that. Initially, the seabed was uneven and rocky but after that we found even, sandy seabed and it was great fun swimming there. You would need waterproof sandals to reach there, if you would like to see inside the water then swimming goggles are required. I had GoPro for underwater photography. After a while, the coastal guards signaled us to come back inside the safety markers and thus we had to leave swimming.
18th April 2014: I had seen a picture of this park in Janadriyah Festival and since then I wanted to visit it. If you want to know about Janadriyah Festival then visit the following link:
|
After getting free from Uqair Old Port, we reached Uqair Corniche Park at 12:33pm and it was a very pleasant surprise. It has proper parking, play areas for children, grassy plains and then shallow beach for 100s of meters, even a 2-year-old can enjoy in the sea without any danger. It is not suitable for swimming because the water is not deep enough but it is great for a family picnic. I experienced lying on the seabed for the first time.
11. Camel Market
17th May 2013: We left the beach by 11am, offered Jummah Salah on our way, bought some lunch and went to the Camel Market which was on the way to Riyadh. There were camels and goats/sheep available for sale but there was not much to see thus you can skip this place in your visit. On the internet it is stated that camel races are conducted in this market but there was no such activity when we visited.Ticket: Free
Time Required: 30min
Coordinates: 25.368303,49.446802
Google map links: http://goo.gl/maps/blGIp
The places we couldn’t visit:
12. Afsar Lake
You need a 4x4 to reach there.Pics from The Internet:
Ticket: Free
Time Required: 1hr
Coordinates: 25.518277,49.770813
Google Maps Link: http://goo.gl/maps/IuxXl
13. Abqaiq Salt Mines
It is 5000 years old Salt Mine and it is still operational. I couldn’t find its location.17th May 2013: You can see the complete pictures and track info on this link:
|
Contributions From: Amnah Anwar and Nisa
|
|
-urShadow
References: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Hofuf
Nice Post, Please Keep it Up , Book Hotels in Hasa
ReplyDeleteHi... Which is the best place for some photo shoot. Of course bachelors only.
ReplyDeleteBest would be Jabal Al Qarah (Lime Caves) in the afternoon and at sunset. If possible climb this mountain and you can see a sea of dates trees
Delete