Ha'il (Arabic: حائل) is the capital of the Ha'il Region in Nejd, north-central Saudi Arabia. Ha'il is famous for ancient rock art and rugged mountain scenery.
Understand
[edit]
Historically it was a stop on the camel caravan routes and the Hajj pilgrimage path from Iraq.
It has a population of 500,000. Ha'il is at a higher elevation (approx. 1,000 m) than Riyadh or Jeddah, making its climate slightly more temperate.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]Ha'il Regional Airport (HAS). 10 km south of the city center. It handles frequent domestic flights from Riyadh and Jeddah. There are also a few international flights to regional hubs like Dubai, Kuwait and Cairo.
By train
[edit]The North-South Railway, operated by SAR (Saudi Arabia Railways), connects Ha'il to Riyadh (approx. 4. hr 30 min) and Al-Jouf/Qurayyat. The station is about 15 km north of the city center. Trains only operate six times per week.
By car
[edit]Ha'il is well-connected by modern highways:
From Riyadh: Approx. 600 km (6 hours) via Highway 65.
From Medina: Approx. 430 km (4 hr 30 min) via Highway 15.
Get around
[edit]
By taxi
[edit]Uber and Careem are plentiful.
By car
[edit]Several car rental companies have desks at the airport.
See
[edit]- 1 A'arif Fort (قلعة أعيرف). A 17th century mud-brick citadel perched on a hill overlooking the city. Good views.
- 2 Jubbah Rock Art (about 90 km northwest of the city).
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Features petroglyphs dating back 10,000 years depicting humans, cattle, and chariots. - 3 Al-Rajhi Masjid mosque (جامع الراجحي), ☏ +966165439362.
- The grave of Hatim al-Tai.
- Barzan palace
- Qishlah Fortress
Eat
[edit]- 1 Alwadi Almubarak (مطعم ومطبخ الوادي المبارك), ☏ +966547377773. Daily 12:00-00:30. Traditional Saudi cuisine. Eat lying down. SAR 20-40.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Al Afaq Suites (الافق سويت للشقق الفندقيه), ☏ +966535355798. SAR 375.
Go next
[edit]Al-Ula: 4 hr 30 min-drive west.