The mysterious and unique 'hanging village' of Al Habala is one of the genuine wonders of Saudi Arabia. This series of sandstone houses hewn from local rock perches on a ledge 400m down a sheer cliff and was accessible only by habal (rope ladders). The Khatani tribe, who built it more than 370 years ago, chose this most inaccessible of spots to avoid the Ottomans. They lived here self-sufficiently on small livestock and terraced gardens up until the 1980s.
Access to the village is by a cable car that only runs during the summer season (May to October). The rest of the year, head for the nearby viewpoint to admire this amazing human feat from afar.