A visit to Abha is incomplete without a trip to Honey Cottage in Rijal Almaa.
It is heavily featured by visitors across social media and often touted as one of the Asir region’s premier tourist destinations.
And quite rightfully so. The rustic wooden cottage nestled between mountains looks like something straight out of a fairytale.
The hilltop property was once home to a local beekeeper who transformed it into a tourist destination to give tourists a glimpse of the local honey industry and the gorgeous view of the valley.
An entrance ticket to the cottage of SR20 ($5.30) allows access to the picturesque cottage.
Arched pathways draped in lush pink bougainvillea lead up a stone staircase, where a gigantic wooden windmill and watermill can be seen at the top.
The site also features a charming wooden caravan and a lighthouse inspired by traditional Asiri architecture.
Along the way to the cottage, pieces of uncut white quartz, abundantly available in the region and deeply rooted in Asiri architecture, strategically adorn the sides of the pathways.
Inside, the cottage is warm and cozy with wooden interiors and displays featuring nuggets of information about the honey harvesting process, tools, and real hives.
For an additional SR10, visitors can sample up to 40 varieties of organic honey, some of them classified as rare, sourced from across the Kingdom.
Index cards behind the honey jars outline the benefits of each variety, and a price chart shows the cost per half a kilo and 1 kg for those interested in purchasing.
The price of the honey fluctuates based on the production, a staff member explained.
According to locals, the cottage is convenient to access during spring and summer when driving through the rugged terrains and steep mountain curves is easier. During the rainy season and winter, navigation becomes a little difficult.
