A Saudi town lost in time

This might be one of the most overlooked towns in the entire Arab world—and almost no one talks about it.

Welcome to Dhahran, a hidden village deep in the mountains of southern Saudi Arabia, just 15 kilometers from the Yemeni border.

It’s not flashy. It’s not famous. But its mudbrick towers echo the legendary architecture of Shibam, Yemen—often called the “Manhattan of the Desert.” The resemblance is uncanny. But this isn’t Shibam. It’s Saudi. And it’s empty.

As I drove from Abha to Najran through the breathtaking Asir mountains, I found Dhahran by pure chance. One curve in the road led to a town that felt like it hadn’t changed in centuries.

The homes are built from thick, sun-resistant mudbrick, with carved wooden doors and winding staircases. Rooms stack upward like a vertical maze, and you can walk right in—no tickets, no signs, no tourists.

Just silence.

It’s like wandering through an open-air museum that time forgot. A place where you don’t just see history—you breathe it.

If you’re ever down south in the Kingdom, make the detour. Dhahran isn’t just a forgotten village. It’s a reminder that Arabia’s past lives in more places than we think.

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Видео A Saudi town lost in time канала Surreal Traveler