The Best Places to Visit in Yemen
Note: Many Government Travel Advisories worldwide advise against travel to Yemen due to civil unrest and terrorism.
Yemen is a country in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula with coastlines on both the Red Sea (west) and the Gulf of Aden (south). It is estimated that over 35 million people are now living in Yemen, however the situation in the country right now is extremely unstable, thus making Yemen one of the worst places to be in the entire world right now. Visiting the mainland of Yemen is genuinely a terrible idea, and for anyone willing to take the risk, exercise extreme caution. Despite all the warnings, Yemen has a landscape filled with rugged mountains, long coastlines, and famously beautiful islands. It also has some of the most ancient histories in the world, being home to ancient kingdoms with archaeological sites dating back thousands of years.
Capital: Sana’a
Currency: Yemeni Rial
Language: Arabic
When to visit: October to April
1) Socotra Island
Socotra island is one of the most bizarre, unique islands on earth. It sits about 350km off the coast of Yemen, and about 250km from Somalia in the Indian Ocean. The crazy, alien like feel of Socotra comes from the fact that almost all of the reptile and snail species on the island can only be found there in Socotra. Plus, it has over 315 plant species which are the same - only found there on Socotra. You will quite literally see things you’ve never seen before on Socotra.
Things to do:
The unique native plant shown in most photos is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. To see them and their unique shape, check out the Dragon's Blood Tree Forests. You can see a lot in and around the Hajhir mountains, Firmihin Forest and the Homhil Plateu. Now onto the beaches; Some of Socotra’s most incredible white sand beaches are Arher Beach, Aomak Beach, and Detwah Lagoon. You can also check out Hoq Cave, which features stalactites, stalagmites, and large pools of water. The marine areas around these beaches are pristine and untouched. There is also local villages scattered all around the island, with the largest being Hadibu. You can literally walk anywhere on this island and it will feel so insane and unreal.
How to get there:
You HAVE to go through a tour operator from the island. They’ll get you there and sort the visa. It is extremely difficult to get to Socotra.
2) Sana’a
Sana'a is the capital of Yemen and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history stretching back more than 2,500 years. It sits in a high mountain valley at about 2,200 meters elevation. The historic city is famous for its unique multi-story mud-brick tower houses. It feels like a place frozen in time. Currently, Sana'a is under Houthi control and remains heavily affected by Yemen's ongoing civil war, humanitarian crisis, and security risks.
Things to do:
If you ever find yourself in Sana’a, check out the UNESCO Listed Old City, which has over 100 mosques and countless mud and brick built houses. You can see the Old City’s wall, the Great Mosque of Sanaa, local markets, and the National Museum of Yemen too. Outside the city, Jami ash-Shaab is a gigantic mosque in the city which is open to tourists. Just walk around, stay safe, and look at what is around you.
How to get there:
N/A - Security risks block travel to mainland Yemen.
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