Taif – Saudi Arabia
Taif is a city located in the Mecca province of the Hijaz area in Saudi Arabia. It is situated at an altitude of 1700 meters on the slopes of the Sarawat Mountains, making it quite a cool place. It is for this reason that the Saudi Arabia Government has made Taif as its summer capital and operates from here during the summer months. The city has adequate rainfall and it has an excellent climate throughout the year. The city of Taif is also known as ‘the Garden of the Hejaz’ as the elevation and cool climate is responsible for the production of a lot of rich agricultural products including fruits. You will find many beautiful parks and an abundant variety of roses here on the hills of Taif. If you are a nature lover, you can spend your time watching the flora and fauna, especially the exotic birds.
The population of the city of Taif is 300,000 which more than doubles in the summer months due to the influx of visitors who come here to escape the summer heat. It is an extremely popular holiday resort with a continuous stream of visitors throughout the year. The city provides a contrast of the past and the present – you will find old mud houses with wooden windows and carved doors alongside modern buildings made of marble and glass.
The people of the Taif area are a hard working lot; they are Bedouins who were earlier nomads but now settled down to lead a life of shepherds and farmers. These people use the terraced type of farming to produce crops, which are predominantly vegetables, fruits like pomegranates and grapes, and the exquisite roses. The roses and other fragrant flowers found in and around Taif attract hordes of bees which make Taif one of the major honey producing areas. The honey here is light colored and has a particularly pleasing taste and smell. The area of Taif is famous for its excellent quality of fruits and vegetables.
Taif is easily accessible by air and it has a modern airport. It is a shopper’s delight and you will find a variety of shops ranging from the traditional souks to the ultra modern shopping malls and boutiques. You are bound to find everything here, but the best things to buy would be electronic equipment, gold jewelry and perfumes. If you like shopping you can have a gala time looking for things you like, and you can have a lot of fun bargaining with the shopkeepers in the souks. The traditional Bedouin souks are famous for their collection of carpets. It is said that in the ancient times Taif was famous for the best annual fair in entire Arabia. Bedouins would bring in items such as rugs, camel-hair tents, sheepskins, perfumes, pottery and other items for trade.
Taif has a booming tourism industry, which sees about 300,000 visitors every year. The tourism industry provides thousands of jobs to the local residents to look after the maintenance of the tourist spots. There are more than 400 parks in and around Taif, the most famous among them being the King Fahd Park.
Do not forget to include Taif in your schedule when you visit Saudi Arabia – it is a must see holiday resort.