Yemen Warnings Or Dangers

  Sana'a October 2010
by bisbj
 
  • Sana'a October 2010
      Sana'a October 2010
    by bisbj
  •   Warnings Or Dangers
    by erikute3534
  •   Warnings Or Dangers
    by erikute3534
  •   Warnings Or Dangers
    by hydronetta
  •   Warnings Or Dangers
    by DAO
 
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Traffic Caos

by travelinxs

People say that the traffic caos is caused by the fact that there are no road rules. This in part is true, though I would like to point out that many Yemanis simply cant drive! Some really are completely useless! Watch someone try to park and dont be surprised if they just drive into a wall. At traffic junctions cars just shunt into each other. Having seen 4 such minor accidents in as many weeks I cant believe this is just coincidence. Besides - just look at the state of the cars on the road! Just pray Im not witness to anything more serious.Take great care when crossing busy highways. Idealy cross when locals cross and stay close, putting them in between you and the oncoming traffic.

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Photographs

by Sibo10

Never photograph women. NEVER photograph security checkpoints or soldiers. People have been beaten for it. The security checkpoints outside the cities can be intimidating - especially in the afternoon when the soldiers are 'on' Qat. Paperwork and bribes are the name-of-the-game. Leave it up to your driver to sort it out. You may have to take an armed soldier in the car tp 'protect' you, though I always felt it just made me a bigger target.Taxis are cheap and dangerous (the doors/steering-wheel can fall off). There are no driving schools, (honest!), so the roads are the your-life-in-your-hands style of driving experience.

Travel Warnings

by flynboxes

If you start reading these you are probably going to worry yourself for no reason such as I did.The US State Department writes these thing to cover their ass in case something does happen. I'm 6' 3" blonde hair/blue eyes...I glow in the dark in most of the world and I felt perfectly safe here even walking around Sanaa at night. People will tell you to be cautious while traveling in Yemen. My advise use the same common sense that you use in your own home town unless you are from podunk France or Kansas and have never been in a big city.Talk to a VT'er that is living here if you want good advise. I found Rudy aka Dutchwindmill and his dry humor to be the most helpful. There is fighting going on in Sada up north but being in Sanaa you would never know it unless you read the papers or watch the local news. This has been going on since 04' unless you have a good guide the that can get you...

Got Gat?

by flynboxes

Ok so you want to be like the locals and crew gat? You pack a golf ball size wad in your cheek and wait an hour for it to hit you catch a buzz and great you are living like the locals..pretty cool huh? Wrong Answer!!!!!!!!If you hate Yemen and want to contribute to the demise of this place than it's probably the way to go. Here's the deal..... Most of the farmland is Yemen is dedicated to growing gat. It's also draining their alread limited fresh water supply which comes from underground wells scattered around the country. they do not have any desalinization plants built yet nor do they have the foreign funds set up to pay for it. The country more or less shuts down between noon and 4pm while they sit down for their daily chew so commerce for the most part stops.This is a great time to drive back into the city from your days excursions unless you are one of the poor souls hanging onto...

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Pharmacies a warning

by flynboxes

If you do need something here talk to your embassy or check out the US Embassy's web site as they list some reputable local Drs. and pharmacies. They do sell conterfeit drugs here so you need to watch where you go.

THE SQUAT TOILET

by DAO

Also know as the long drop. At some point you are going to have to face up to this challenge. I suggest that you do 2 things. The first is practice. The second is plan in advance. There is a very good chance there is no toilet paper and water all over the floor already. The locals clean themselves with a small water hose or a cup from a bucket rather than paper. Figure out where you are going to put your things and how you will position yourself so you can get the job done and not slip and make a real mess. Also plan on there not being any soap to wash your hands once you have completed this big challengeBe careful!

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Health

by starstudio

As one more member of VT and also doctor "Hydroneta" saysstay healthy to Yemen.Clean your hands everytime you eat something.Sounds like parent's words, but have this in mind, as is not the "must" tourist visit to the local medicine services.

Police Escorts

by JohnniOmani

Some places in Yemen require a police escort and they usually charge about 2000 to 3000 YR. The Sana'a to Ma'rib road as well as Sa'da require them but Shaharah no longer requires them. Aden to al Mukalla also requires the assistance of the police. You can check with any travel agent or with your embassy for information. Generally speaking, these roads are problematic and kidnapping does occur. My driver to Shaharah told me that one week before I arrived he accompanied 3 Austrians to Ma'rib and they were kidnapped. They ended up unharmed but he had to wait four days while the governments negotiated a release. Be careful and use common sense.

Travel Permits

by JohnniOmani

Because of tribal tensions in certain areas as well as kidnappings in the past, a travel permit is needed to travel to most places other than Wadi Dhahr and Sana'a. The travel permits dont cost anything and they can be arranged by your hotel in most cases. Independent travel is not possible (according to the hotels) and it doesnt look like it will change anytime soon but I heard mixed reports from travellers saying it is possible if you go to the Tourist Police (dar al Hamd Hotel off Az Zira'ah st in Sana'a). The main places travellers are stongly advised to not go are the al Jawf region, the Sa'da region as well as areas around Ma'rib and the Saudi border. If you manage to travel alone you will need a lot of photocopies (around four or five a day) due to so many checkpoints.

Environmental concern...

by dutchwindmill

...is still largely absent among the population. And for the most part it's not a great concern to the authorities either. Desertification is setting in as the groundwater table sinks. In the Sana'a basin water is being pumped up from the fourth (and last) aquifer, up to 1000 metres of depth. In other areas agriculture has knocked itself out already through over-pumping for irrigation. The island of Socotra is still a biodiversity hotspot but unscrupulous developers might end that as soon as they smell money. And garbage collection is greatly lacking. One of the good exceptions is the city of Sana'a, where the mayor decided to offer a job to an army of 'akhdam', the lowest caste, supposed to have descended from Ethiopian conquerors long ago. Pay is low, but it provides for steady income AND a remarkably clean city.

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Safety Tips in Yemen

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9 Hotels in Yemen
 
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Reviews and photos of Yemen attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Yemen sightseeing.

Experience Yemen
Warnings Or Dangers: Cities in Yemen
  1. Sanaa Warnings Or Dangers
  2. Socotra Warnings Or Dangers
  3. Shibam Warnings Or Dangers
  4. Al Mukalla Warnings Or Dangers
  5. Say'un Warnings Or Dangers
  6. Shaharah Warnings Or Dangers
  7. Ma'rib Warnings Or Dangers
  8. Zabid Warnings Or Dangers
  9. Shibam Warnings Or Dangers

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Questions and Answers

natykrishna profile photo

Q:  Hi, i want to travel to hodeidah and then to Mukalla.Can I get flight from hod to Mukalla and Mukalla to saana? 

Fluffy_bunny profile photo

A: The only domestic carriers are Yemenia and Felix. There are no direct connections from Hodeidah to Mukhalla. You'd have to go via San'a. Of note, San'a airport has closed... 

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