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Yemen |
Capital: Sanaa
Official Language: Arabic
Currency: Yemeni Rial
Yemen situated on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia is a beautiful Middle Eastern country. Yemen borders Saudi Arabia to the north, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean to the south, Sultanate of Oman to the east and the red Sea to the west. One of the ancient countries of the world Yemen played an important role in Middle Eastern trade, dealing with exotic items like frankincense, myrrh, and Arab spices. Yemen consists of rich and varied topography. Captivating natural beauty of flat sandy plains, mountainous terrains, high fertile plateaus and crescent shaped san dunes overwhelms tourists from all over the world. The towns and cities of Yemen display spectacular Arab architecture souks and spice markets, mosques and ancient city walls. The adventurous tourist can enjoy camping and trekking in the unique Socotra archipelago, which is a treasure trove of diverse flora and fauna.
Major Cities
Sanaa is the capital city of Yemen. Other major cities are Aden, Al-Hudaydah, Al-Mukalla and Taizz. Aden is a natural port, built on an old volcanic site in the 5th and 7th centuries B.C. Today Aden is a busy port city with large oil refinery and government complexes. 18 Cisterns of Aden, the Ethnographical museum and the military Museum are worth seeing in Aden. Sanaa lies in the heart of Yemeni highlands surrounded by several mountains, notably Jabal Nuqum and Aiban. The city of Ta'izz lies in the south of Yemen. The ancient city with modern skyscrapers still retains some of its antique flavors with beautiful old buildings and mosques. Notable are the gates of Bab Musa and al-Bab al-Kabir. Al-Qahera is an old fort in the city and an interesting tourist site. Barakesh is the most impressive among all ancient sites of Yemen. The fortified city wall of Barakesh made from a beautiful calcite stone offers awe-inspiring spectacle.
Tourist Attractions
The old city of Sanaa declared as a World heritage City treasures some splendid architectural masterpieces consisting of numerous mosques, baths and houses. Suq al-Milh is the colorful souk of Sanaa and a place of major tourist attraction. A wide variety of goods such as spices, vegetables, corn, pottery, raisins, copper, woodwork, silverware and host of other goods make brisk sales in Suq al-Milh. The National Museum Sanaa is located next to al-Mutwakil mosque is also an interesting place of visit. The museum contains artifacts from the ancient kingdoms of Saba, Marrib and Main. To the north of Sanaa is the beautiful Garden city of Rawdha. The mosque built by Ahmed ibn al-Qasim and Rawdha Palace are interesting places situated here. Kohlan is a charming mountain village. Mountain paths leading down to the village make interesting leisure walk. Al-Ashrafiya and Al-Mudhaffar mosques in Taizz attract tourists coming to Yemen. The museum in the Palace of Imam Ahmed contains the personal effects of the last Imam. The Salah Palace, to the east of Taizz houses artifacts of the royal family. Mount Saber in Ta'izz offers a picturesque view of the city and the Ta'izz basin.The walled city of Sa'dah was an iron mining and tanning center in the ancient times. Later, Sa'dah became the capital of the Zaydi state and the main center of Zaydi learning. The al-Hadi Mosque is still a major educational institution in Zaydism.
Getting Around Yemen
Many European airlines fly to the Yemeni international airports situated at Sana'a, al Hayadah and Ta'izz. The Yemen Airlines flies to major Yemeni cities, remote areas, and the Soqatra Island. Yemen Airways (IY) operates services between Sana'a, Ta'izz and Hodeida. There are also flights from Aden. There is no rail network in Yemen. Dhabar or the black-striped mini-buses are the chief transports in the northern cities. There are also regular intercity bus services. Taxis recognized by yellow license plates are comparatively cheap. Service taxis also have designated routes, but no scheduled timetable. These taxis are white in color with horizontal stripes and a large plate on the front door. Chauffeur-driven cars are also available. In the larger cities, private taxis are also available but the price should be negotiated at the time of booking. Superb accommodation and lodging facilities with delectable dishes are available in the major cities of Yemen. There are many travel and tourist agencies that organize tours around the country. These agencies offer tour guides and other facilities like car hiring, car booking, hotel booking etc.
For further details and information on Yemen and its tourist destinations flip through the pages ofallwonderscountries
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