A new eco-tourism destination has opened southern Saudi Arabia. Nestled in the scenic Wadi Bin Hashbal village, just north of Khamis Mushait, Al‑Wadi Resort has officially opened its doors, offering an experience that blends lush natural beauty with thoughtfully designed infrastructure. Spanning more than 300,000 square metres, the project stands out as one of the key highlights of Aseer Summer 2025, underlining the region’s ambition to become a year-round destination.
The resort’s most striking feature is its expansive farm area, home to more than 75,000 trees and 56 varieties of fruit, including strawberries, berries, and figs. On-site nurseries add to the rich biodiversity, making the location feel more like a living botanical park than a traditional leisure resort. Guests can explore the grounds by golf cart, or take to the skies on a zipline ride that glides above the orchards for sweeping views of the cultivated landscape.
But Al‑Wadi is not just about passive enjoyment of nature. The resort includes a dedicated shopping village, a theatre, children’s play areas, and two new amusement parks currently under construction. This blend of nature and entertainment reflects a broader vision: to create a multi-functional leisure destination that appeals to families, nature lovers, and cultural tourists alike.
What truly sets Al‑Wadi apart is its future-facing approach to accommodation. Plans are already underway to build mountain-inspired hotels, traditional rural inns, and a heritage village, offering guests a variety of ways to stay and connect with the local environment. The idea is to position the resort not only as a day-trip destination but as a fully integrated base for exploring the wider Aseer region.
This project aligns closely with the goals of the Aseer Development Authority and Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 tourism agenda. The region, which welcomed eight million visitors in 2024, is aiming to increase that number to nine million by 2030. Tourism investment in Aseer is already reaching into the billions, focused on creating sustainable, nature-led offerings that support local communities and celebrate cultural heritage. Al‑Wadi exemplifies this approach — prioritising open space, agricultural sustainability, and family-friendly recreation over more traditional resort models.
Visitors to Al‑Wadi are treated not only to a showcase of modern Saudi hospitality, but also to an immersive natural setting. Shaded seating areas, walking paths, a cascading waterfall, and traditional snacks such as warm Mifa bread served with local tea make for an atmosphere that feels authentic yet forward-thinking. It’s a place where children can run free, couples can relax in tranquillity, and multi-generational families can reconnect — all within a landscape carefully shaped to reflect the spirit of Aseer.
In many ways, Al‑Wadi Resort represents a new chapter in the story of Saudi domestic tourism: a locally rooted, thoughtfully developed, and visually captivating destination that brings the best of nature, culture, and leisure together in one place.
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Photos courtesy of SPA
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