Five Awe-Inspiring Places in Yemen

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Aug 10

You won’t see Yemen on many bucket lists. It does not enjoy the same prosperity and political stability as its neighbours on the Arabian Peninsula. Since 2014 a multi-sided civil war has raged within its borders. To make matters worse, a famine brought on by the war continues to ravage the land.

Few people in the West would be able to pinpoint Yemen on a map, and most of those who know anything about the country would not consider visiting it due to the ongoing conflict. This is a pity as Yemeni people are incredibly warm and hospitable, and their land is exceptionally rich in culture and natural beauty.

The excellent news is stability has now returned to some areas of the country to the extent that guided travel is possible in those areas.

In this article, we will be looking at some of the most breathtaking places in the country.

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1. The Socotra Archipelago

The Socotra Archipelago, located off Yemen’s southern coast and close to the Horn of Africa, is one of the most intriguing places on the planet. It is incredibly biodiverse, and 37 percent of its plant species and 90 percent of its reptile species are not found anywhere else in the world.

The archipelago is home to white-sand beaches and craggy mountains populated with dragon blood trees, an endemic species with a distinctive shape reminiscent of inside-out umbrellas.

Image by Nicole Smoot / www.adventuresoflilnicki.com

The archipelago’s main island is inhabited by roughly 70,000 people, which works out to about 18 people per square kilometre, so its natural environment is mostly untamed. This makes it an excellent spot for hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.

Although the Socotra Archipelago is politically part of Yemen, it is in some ways a world unto itself and has remained mostly unaffected by the conflict on the mainland. If you’re interested in making a trip, check out Engage Socotra to book a trip. They use only local guides and are committed to community based tourism on the island.

Like most of the places on this list, the Socotra Archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

2. The Old City of Sana’a

Photo by Kevin Perry / @ventureforthphoto

Yemen’s largest city, Sana’a, has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years, making it one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. It is brimming with history, culture and unique architecture.

One of the city’s main attractions is the Great Mosque, which is said to have been built within the Prophet Muhammad’s lifetime. The mosque contains carved wooden ceilings, a domed structure dating back to the 16th century, and a minaret built in the style of mosques in 12th-century Cairo.

Islam’s influence on the city is evident, with 103 mosques and 14 hammams, or Turkish baths, found among the multi-storeyed mud-brick structures that form its skyline. The city also contains the remains of Christian buildings constructed by the Abyssinian Empire before Islam’s arrival in the region.

The ruins of the world’s earliest known castle, Ghumdan Palace, can also be seen in the Old City of Sana’a. The palace’s foundation stones are said to have been laid by Shem, one of Noah’s sons and the supposed founder of the city.

Sana’a is technically the capital of Yemen but, following its occupation by Houthi forces in 2014, President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi declared Aden the temporary capital. While Sana’a is safer than other parts of Yemen, travelling to the city is still risky due to the possibility of terrorist attacks. Let’s hope the situation improves soon for the sake of those who live there and those who want to explore its ancient streets and marvel at its architectural wonders.

3. The Walled City of Shibam

The British explorer Freya Stark dubbed Shibam the “Manhattan of the desert” and it’s easy to see how the city earned this appellation. Tower-houses made of rammed earth jostle for space on a strip of rocky ground surrounded by a wadi at the edge of a desert known as the Rub’ al-Khālī or Empty Quarter. But the residents of Shibam were building vertically centuries before Manhattan existed, or any other modern skyscraper city for that matter.

Shibam’s tower-houses are some of the finest examples of Yemen’s distinctive architecture, unlike anything found elsewhere in the world. The adjacent ochre-coloured structures rise from the desert floor in one seemingly impenetrable cluster, reaching eleven storeys in height. The buildings are ringed around by an ancient defensive wall built to keep out rival tribes and backed by the dramatic Hadhramaut Mountains.

Established in the 16th century, Shibam boasts a rich heritage. Sadly, the city’s historic buildings are threatened by wind erosion, flooding, and armed conflict.

4. The Historic Town of Zabid

Zabid was the capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century. Like Shibam and Sana’a, it is full of ancient architectural treasures. Minarets tower above cobblestone streets, traditional houses, and a formidable citadel.

The city has the highest concentration of mosques in Yemen, 86 in total. The most famous is the Great Mosque of Zabid, or Al-Asha’ir Mosque, built-in 628 AD by Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, a companion of Muhammad.

Zabid was founded before Islam came to dominate the region. However, it rose to prominence following its development in the 9th century by Muhammad ibn Ziyad, the Ziyadid dynasty founder.

At one time, Zabid was an important centre for Islamic scholarship. One of the world’s first Islamic universities was established in the city, and people came from all over the world to study there. The relics of the university can still be seen.

In 2000 UNESCO added Zabid to the List of World Heritage in Danger since around 40 percent of the city’s traditional houses have been replaced by concrete buildings, and the ancient souk is in a state of deterioration.

5. The Coffee Terraces of the Haraz Mountains

Not many people know this, but Yemen gave the world one of its most-loved beverages — coffee. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, coffee beans were shipped around the world from the port city of Mocha in western Yemen. Though the country does not currently play a big part in the global coffee trade, the cafe mocha and the Moka pot, both named after the port city, bear witness to its coffee legacy.

Coffee exported from Mocha was brought to the city from plantations in the country’s interior. Today coffee is still grown on ancient terraces carved into the spectacular Haraz Mountains. In recent years farmers in the Haraz region have begun to make a concerted effort to revitalize the country’s coffee industry, replacing khat plantations, a popular narcotic leaf, with coffee plants.

Blanketed in mist, the coffee terraces follow the mountainsides’ contours between medieval villages perched on rocky outcrops. The idyllic surroundings feel far removed from the country’s war-stricken regions.