The Essential Guide to Travel in Sana’a, Yemen (2024)

Traveling to Sana’a, Yemen

Most travelers to Yemen will fly intoSana’a even if their final destination is Aden or Socotra. Sana’ais Yemen’s largest city, with a population of approximately 2 million inhabitants (Hodeidah, Taiz, and Aden only have around500-600kinhabitants each).

Views Over the Old City of Sana’a

Sana’a became the capital of Yemen in 1994 after a civil war united North Yemen (formerly the Yemen Arab Republic) and South Yemen (formerly the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen) into the Republic of Yemen. As the capital, Sana’a features better infrastructure than much of Yemen, and features government buildings including thepresidential palace,parliament, supreme court, government ministries, and Al Saleh Mosque.

Sana’a is surrounded by mountains and, at 2300 meters, is the 7th highest capital city in the world. This altitude provides a wonderful climate, with the average daily high temperature ranging from 20-28°C (69-83°F) through the year. Sana’a has also been inhabited for more that 2,500 years, giving it the distinction of also being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Sunset over Sana’a

My experience in Sana’a is based on nearly a decade of living and working in Yemen, including several years in whichI was based in Sana’a.

Yemen Travel Security Advisories

It would be negligent of me to discuss traveling to Yemen without addressing the risks and dangers of visiting the country.

When I first arrived in Sana’a in August 2006, it was much easier and safer to travel around Sana’a, though my company still required me to abide by strict security procedures. Although kidnappings were always a risk, the frequency and severity of kidnappings has gotten much worse over the last decade and I would advise all travelers to be escorted around town by a local guide and/or armed guard.

My Armed Security Escorts

The majority of Yemenis are lovely people who will graciously welcome you to Sana’a and possiblyeven their homes. Unfortunately, kidnapping became a way for tribes with grievances against the government to gain a negotiating chip and thus abductions have become more commonplace in recent years.

Historically, kidnappers treatedtheir foreign captives very well and some even viewed being kidnapped as a positive experience. I onceread an opinion piece in the Yemen Times (an English language Yemeni newspaper) saying foreigners should wantto be kidnapped since they’d experience local Yemeni food and traditions free of charge before being releasedand senthome as a “celebrity” that couldwrite books about their experience. While there may have been some truth to thatin years past, captives are now commonly killed or sold to Al-Qaeda and thus being kidnapped should be avoided at all costs!

There have also been several terrorist attacks targetingforeigners in recent years and thus it is important to try and blend in and remain as inconspicuous as possible. Wearing traditional clothing, traveling with a local, and avoiding typical expat hangouts isadvisable.

Growing a Beard Helped Me Blend In…

In 2008, my own apartment compound, which was filled with foreigners, was hit by three mortar shells believed to be launched by Al-Qaeda. It was a scary experience that has made be more cautious in my travels.

August 2016 Update: As of February 2015, the UK and US closed their Sana’a Embassies and Saudi Arabia began fighting a war against the Houthis, whoseized control of Sana’a in September 2014. No travelers should consider visiting Yemen until the situation stabilizes and visas become available through regular channels again.

Things to See in Sana’a

Bab al-Yemen

The most famous tourist areain Sana’a is the old city district (al-Qadeemah) or what is morecommonly calledBab al-Yemen, meaning the gate of Yemen. The old city is surroundedby ancient clay walls which stand 9–14 metres (30–46ft) high and thus Bab al-Yemen refers to the entrance and exit gate that historically opened each morning and closed each evening to let citizens enter and exit.

The old city contains more than 100 mosques including the Great Mosque of Sana’a which is more than 1400 years old, 12 hammams,and 6,500 houses.

Houses and Shops in Bab Al-Yemen

Many of the houses resemble ancient skyscrapers, reaching several stories high and topped with flat roofs. They are decorated with elaborate friezes and intricately carved frames and stained-glass windows.

Upon entering Bab al-Yemen, an immediate right will take you to a wonderful art gallery as well as stairs up to the walls surrounding the old city. The walls offer greatviews over old Sana’a and are certainly worth exploring.

Housesin Bab Al-Yemen

Twenty meters straight ahead ofthe entrance gate there isoftena camel walking around a darkened room in circles, turning a traditional mill that grinds sesame seeds into oil. The floor of the mill shows just how long camels have been turning the mill as a deeptrail is worn into the stone surface.

Housesin Bab Al-Yemen

Souk Al-Milh

If you walk deeper into the old city you will discover the souks –open air markets. The Bab al-Yemensouks are commonly called Souk Al-Milh, meaning “Salt Market”, butthere are shops sellingall sorts of goods includingcooking wares, furniture, tools, nuts, spices, wooden doors, pashmenas, and jewelry.

Souk Al-Milh in the Old City of Sana’a

I would highly encourage visitors to peruse the jewelry stores as they often sell unique goods beyond jewelry including rifles and pistols from WWII, silver prayer boxes (for carryingscrolls), camel bone boxes, and jambiyas.Jambiya is the Arabic term for dagger, but it is usually used to describe the short double-edgedblades that Yemeni men wear in the front of a belt as part of their traditional dress.

The cost of a jambiya is greatly determined by the design of itshandle and sheath. They can be fashioned from wood, steel, silver, wood, and decorated with semi-precious and even precious gem stones. Sadly, rhino horn is also commonly used by the elite as a status symbol and I have been told that Yemen is the world’s top importer of illegal rhino ivory for this purpose. I have purchased cheap leather, wood, and steel jambiyasas gifts as well as a beautifully hand-detailed silver jambiya that I’ve mounted in a shadow box for display on my wall.

Al Saleh Mosque

The Al Saleh mosque was inauguratedin 2008 by then Yemeni President Al Abdullah Saleh; take a guess athow the mosque was named…

I was able to watch the mosque construction from my office and was amazed by how beautiful the mosquewas when it was finally completed.

Construction of Al Saleh Mosque in Sana’a

The construction of the mosque was somewhat controversial as it cost$60 million to build – a lot of money for an impoverished nation. Furthermore, many workerswere killed in construction accidents including when the minarets unexpectedly collapsed. The mosque is one of the most beautiful tourist sites in Sana’a though and I hope that it will benefit the city and country economically in the long run.

Completed Al Saleh Mosque in Sana’a

The completed mosque is one of the largest and most impressive I’ve seen in the world. The main hall is nearly 14k square meters and has capacity for 44,000 worshipers. There are six minarets (each reaching a height of 100 meters) and five domes with the largest being nearly 40 meters high and over 27 meters wide.

Visitors of all religions can visit the mosque and police and bomb-sniffing dogs are used to inspect people entering the complex so it is arguably safer than other mosques in Sana’a.

Movenpick Hotel

The Movenpick Hotel is the nicest hotel in Sana’a and also arelatively safe place to stay or visit thanks to its large compound and security team. The hotel is located on a hill and the back courtyard and garden offer stunning views over Sana’a day and night.

While I would not necessarily recommend staying or eating at the Movenpick due to the high prices, the hotel is a great place to go for a drink or smokea hookah and enjoy the views. It is a also a common hangout among wealthy Yemenis, who are more likely to speak English, so you may gain some local insights.

Historically, the Movenpick was one of the few places in Sana’a that served alcohol and once upon a time there was even a nightclub in the basem*nt. After the Houthis gained control of Sana’a alcohol was forbidden so the bars are all closed as of 2016 but this may change in the future.

Movenpick Sana’a Overlooking the City

Fun City

Unexpectedly,there is an amusem*nt park called “Fun City” very close to the Al Saleh Mosque. Although I wouldnot trust the safety of the amusem*nt park rides, there is a bowling alley for cheap 10-pin bowling and an ice rink was opened in 2013, offering many Yemenis their first opporunity to try skating. While Fun City is not a worthwhile tourist attraction in itself, it would be a great place to take a local family for a day out.

Khat / Qat in Yemen

One relatively uniquething to Yemen is the use of khat (alsospelled qat). Khat is a shrub that releasesamphetamine-like stimulants when chewed. Although khatis also used in other countries on the horn of Africa, such as Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia, the usage of khatwithin Yemen is very high. In fact, many believe the use of khathas largely impeded the development of the country because:

• people spend a lot of time chewing khat(researchers estimate nearly 15 million person-hours are spent each day chewing in Yemen);
• khatmakes people lethargic and is believed to cause many health issues; large portions of family income are spent purchasing khat(it is estimated that 17% of family income is spent on khatin Yemen);
• farmers grow khatrather than food crops; and
• Yemen’s limited water supply is often used to irrigate khatcrops.

Man Chewing Khat in Bab Al-Yemen

I’ve chewed khaton several occasions as part of work meetings, weddings, and other social events. Khatleaves tastelike typicalshrub leaves and people often drink sweet beverages, like ginger tea, 7-up, or cream soda, to reduce the bitterness.

I’d compare khat to drinking a red bull or several cups of coffee. I enjoyed khat chews for the social experience but would not consider khat asan enjoyable drug to use. Khat often mademesleepless, gave me a lack of appetite, and I’d wake up with the equivalent of a hangover the next morning. If given the choice, I’d prefer drinking a few beers or smoking shisha.

Day Trips from Sana’a

Although a couple of days to visit the main sites ofSana’a is probably enough, there are lots of beautiful areas outside of Sana’a worth a visit including Thila, Kaukaban, Shibam, and Dar al-Hajar in Wadi Dhar. You will almost certainly need to coordinate a visit to these sites through a local guide or company as there are often military / police checkpoints that you will need to pass through.

Closing Thoughts

Sana’a is a unique city with a long and tumultuous history. I witnessed spectacular development between August 2006 and February 2015, when I was last in the city, but I also slowly began to understand the tribal and political issues that make development and growth in Yemen so difficult.

Unfortunately, the current war for control of Sana’a and the Republic of Yemen has resulted in horrific devastation that can easily be seen in satellite imagery from Google Maps.Yemenis have a reputation for being incredibly strong and perseverant and my experience confirms these traits are very true.

I only hope the current conflict will end soon and foreign governments will put as much money into rebuilding the country as they have spent on military equipment destroying it. I look forward to the situation stabilizing so I can return toSana’a and hopefully visit more of the country.Yemenis truly one of the world’s most historic and culturally unique places and it is a shame it has not been more accessible to tourists in recent years.