Travel to Yemen

Overview

Yemen

FCO update: advises against all travel to the whole of Yemen and advises British nationals to leave Yemen now by commercial means. There is a high threat of kidnapa and on 15 March 2012, a Swiss national was reportedly kidnapped in Hodeida, west of Sana'a. (28 March 2012)

Visitors to this country return home transformed thanks to the pure and authentic emotions this country provokes. Desert landscapes to mountain plateaux via the beaches of the red sea and the arabic sea, Yemen invites you to discover an amazing sight. The population lives in stone, earth, straw or brick structures that look like they haven't been modified in centuries. A journey through time to discover a welcoming population and a culture that is still intact.

The high architectural and esthetic value of the area.
Magnificent craftsmanship.
A liberal Muslim country
The kindness of the people

cons

Rainy season June-September on the higher plateaux of the North-West.
Internal political problems, "kidnappings" of tourists occasionally in the North.
The tourist infrastructures are still small-scale.

Country Guide

Yémen, All you need to know!

Our Editorial team's advice

Spend 2 or 3 days at Sanaa (7709 ft above sea level) and in the surrounding areas to get a feel for the country.
To go (and you must) to Chibab, "Manhattan of the desert" with its adobe house skyline, we would choose to spend a night in Marib, the country's most biggest archeological site. This allows you, with a driver and a 4x4, to cross the desert by leaving very early and arriving after breakfast, to see the sun rise over the dunes.
Children have taken the habit of asking for money from foreigners. We reccommend the purchase of dried raisins (delicious) from a market. The children love to receive these.
Aden isn't really worth the detour. Aden is Yemen's commercial captial. The house where Rimbaud stayed still exists, but needs major restoration for a site of already limited interest.