Al Hada sits right on the lip of the escarpment, a small town of a few thousand people perched at the top of the great drop to the Tihama plain, and it has the feel of a place that knows the view is its fortune. From the terraces and viewpoints the land falls away in rocky folds toward a hazy plain, and on a clear day the haze gives way to a long reach of the lowlands. The air is cooler than in the cities, and the sense of being above the rest of Arabia is real.
The town grew up as a mountain retreat, part of the Ta'if hill country that Saudis have long used to escape the summer heat. Ta'if is known for its roses, which are grown in the highlands and distilled into rose water and oil in the spring, and also for fruit, honey and an air of old Hejazi elegance. Al Hada is more of a leisure spot, with cafés, small hotels and viewpoints where families come to picnic and watch the sunset, and in the evening the whole place takes on a cheerful, lively atmosphere.
As a riding stop, it is the head of the famous descent. After the open road up from Ta'if, past scrubby hills and rocky outcrops, you come into town and see the cliff edge, and from here you can look down at the line of hairpins you will ride. The surface in town is generally good, though traffic builds in the evenings and at weekends, and on hot afternoons the roads can shimmer. Early morning is calm and clear, and the cooler months from October through spring are the most pleasant. In summer, mist and cloud sometimes cover the slopes, which makes the place feel like a different country.
Fuel and shops are easily found, since the town is large enough to have petrol stations, cafés and small supermarkets, and Ta'if is only a short ride away if you need anything larger. Local food includes grilled meat and rice, fresh bread, sweet tea and honey; the mountain honey is well known and worth buying.
Baboons are common along the cliff, so keep food out of sight and keep your distance from the animals. Park carefully near the viewpoints, where space is tight, and take your time to enjoy the panorama before the descent.