You will look in vain for large shopping centres, malls as you know them from Jeddah, Riyadh or Dammam, in the Province of Al Bahah. Only in the city of Al Bahah will you find a somewhat larger shopping centre, the Ghunaim Mall (King Faisal Rd). In Baljurashi, there is the Baljurashi Mall of the same name and the Al Attiyah Mall, both on motorway 15 (King Abdulaziz Rd). Otherwise, there are shopping opportunities in the supermarkets of Panda, Al Raya, Farm Superstores or in smaller shops. Some of these smaller shops only sell one type of product, for example date or honey or fruit and vegetables.
Souqs (Bazaars) are traditional shopping markets that also serve as social centres and meeting places for the population. In the Province of Al Bahah, they are essentially still original, perhaps not always ‘beautiful’, but worth a visit. Two of them are regularly mentioned among the local souks. These are
- Souq Alsabt – ‘Saturday market’ in Baljurashi: It is said that this market has been organised on Saturdays for four centuries
- Souq Tholathaa – ‘Tuesday Market’ in Al Makhwah: It is currently one of the largest local folk markets in the area and can still be considered quaint and original.
