The Al Waba crater is 254 km from Taif. It is 250 m deep and 2 km in diameter. The bottom of the crater is covered with white sodium phosphate crystals.

While it was thought for some time that the crater was formed by a meteorite, as its appearance resembles that of the Barringer Crater, with its circular form and high sides, it is now commonly accepted by geologists that the crater is a maar crater, and was formed by volcanic activity in the form of an underground phreatic eruption - a massive steam explosion generated by molten basaltic magma coming into contact with subterranean water.

To reach the site from Jeddah take the Taif-Riyadh highway. After 161 km from Taif leave the highway at Khanfariyah - Umm Al-doom exit and turn left over the bridge (this is the second bridge after the town of Radwan). After 31 km turn left again to Umm Al-doom town and after another 61 km turn right where the brown Al Wabah signboard is located; the road ends at the crater's edge (Wikipedia)
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Kwah Al Wahbah berjarak 254 km dari Taif. Kawah sedalam 250 m dan dimeter 2km, dasar kawah ditutupi natrium fosfat yg berwarna keputih2an.

Banyak orang mengira kawah Wahbah terbentuk krn tumbukan meteorit, seperti penampilannya yg menyerupai Kawah Barringer (bentuknya yg melingkar dan sisinya yg tinggi); sekarang sudah dipastikan bahwa kawah Wahbah adalah kawah maar dibentuk oleh aktivitas gunung berapi dalam bentuk letusan freatik bawah tanah - ledakan uap yang sangat besar yang dihasilkan oleh magma basaltik cair yg bertemu dengan air bawah tanah.

Untuk mencapai lokasi ini dari Jeddah dgn mengambil jalan raya Taif-Riyadh. Setelah 161 km dari Taif, belok kiri di Khanfariyah - Umm Al-doom (jembatan kedua setelah kota Radwan). Setelah 31 km belok kiri lagi ke Umm Al dan setelah 61 km berbelok ke kanan di mana papan cokelat menunjukkan lokasi Al Wabah.

Regards,

Archie