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Things to Do in Yemen

From the ancient towers of Sana'a to the otherworldly trees of Socotra Island - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them, when conditions allow.

Travel guide - last updated September 2026

Yemen holds one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and an island so isolated it evolved plant life found nowhere else on Earth - but ongoing conflict has made most of the country inaccessible and unsafe for travel in recent years. This page records the country's natural and cultural significance for reference; check your government's official travel advisory carefully before considering any visit.

Top attractions

The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.

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Old City of Sana'a

A UNESCO World Heritage old city with distinctive multi-story tower houses decorated with white gypsum trim, inhabited for over 2,500 years.

📍 Sana'a

🚉 Check current travel advice before anything else. Sana'a's airport has had only limited humanitarian and UN flights for years, and the walled old city is walked once you are inside it - there is no public transport within.

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Socotra Island

An isolated archipelago in the Arabian Sea, often called the 'Galapagos of the Indian Ocean' for its extraordinary level of endemic species, including the umbrella-shaped dragon's blood tree found nowhere else on Earth.

📍 Socotra Island

🚉 Socotra is reached by the seasonal charter flights from Abu Dhabi or Cairo that operate for tour groups, not by scheduled service - on the island, 4x4s with local drivers are the only transport.

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Shibam

A UNESCO World Heritage town sometimes called the 'Manhattan of the Desert,' with mud-brick tower buildings reaching up to 11 stories, among the oldest examples of vertical urban planning in the world.

📍 Shibam, Hadhramaut

🚉 The mud-brick towers stand in the Hadhramaut valley, reached by road from Seiyun, which has an airstrip - travel in the region requires permits and a local escort.

Mark Yemen, get the stamp

🇾🇪YEMENVISITED

🇾🇪YEMENLIVED

🇾🇪YEMENWISHLIST

In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.

Open MyPassportStory

Planning questions

How many days do you need in Yemen?

Not a straightforward answer under current conditions - check your government's official travel advisory before planning any specific itinerary.

What's the best time to visit Yemen?

Current safety and access conditions should be your primary consideration, not seasonal weather.

Is Yemen good for a first-time visit?

Not currently recommended for most travelers given the ongoing conflict - check your government's official travel advisory carefully, as conditions vary by region and change over time.

Do I need a visa to visit Yemen?

Visa requirements vary by nationality, but this is secondary to the current travel advisory situation. Check the official information for your nationality: mofa-yemen.net.

What are some things to do in Yemen on a tight budget?

Not applicable under current conditions - this section will be updated once travel to Yemen is broadly considered safe and accessible again.

Can I rent a car in Yemen, and what licence do I need?

Almost every government advises against all travel to Yemen because of the armed conflict, and that answers the question: there is no functioning visitor car-rental market, and independent movement is not possible. The exception in practice is Socotra, which is reached on organised charter tours and travelled by 4x4 with local drivers included in the trip. Anyone considering travel should speak to their own foreign ministry and to a Yemeni embassy first, and should not rely on ordinary travel insurance, which will not cover it.