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
 
Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Expedia.com Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices
Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835

Sponsored Links

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Traffic Rules

by MichaelFalk1969

Yemeni traffic is chaotic. Yemeni drivers disregard any traffic rule ever invented, and even though, somehow the traffic flows. It is common to disregard lanes, it is absolutely necessary to use the horn, and even when it gets dark don`t count on a Yemeni driver to turn on the lights (even if he is driving in the wrong direction). Crossroads are most chaotic of all, as traffic rules are only valid if a policeman stands in the middle. Orientation is difficult as only few street signs are bilingual, if there are street signs at all. Jaywalking is common. Believe me: You would not want to drive a car in Yemen. So if you are not going with an organized tour, hire a local driver + car (which is pretty cheap) for longer trips or share a taxi for short distances. Forget about self-driving.

Tip Photo
Begging

by MichaelFalk1969

In Yemen - though a poor country - begging is not as visible or usual as in other third world - countries. In the outskirts of Sanaa or at traffic crossings, sometimes veiled women or children will approach you and beg for money. In some villages the children sometimes beg for pencils, sweets or money (especially in Shibam/Hadramaut or Hajjara/Manackha). The Yemeni adults do not approve, and you shouldn`t encourage their children begging (even if they are cute). In the long run, it doesn`t help them. If you want to improve their living conditions, donate to a project, but don`t give them money.

Rubbish

by MichaelFalk1969

The only thing that really put me off in Yemen was the custom to throw away any rubbish on the street just where you stand (even if it is your own house door, or your neighbours). Sanaa though is pretty clean, yet the villages around Sanaa are virtual rubbish dumps. Especially the villages on the way to Manackha/Hajjara are very dirty. The villages of Hadramaut again are rather clean (with the exception of Shibam), measured from Yemeni standards. On the photos you can see some examples of waste thrown away. It is no unusual sight to see plastic bags "growing" from trees. Sad to see, as Yemen would certainly attract even more tourists if there was an efficient rubbish disposal.

Tip Photo
Kidnappings

by dutchwindmill

A spate of kidnappings in the second half of the nineties gave Yemen a very bad name. What's worse, after a lull from 2002 to the summer of 2005 kidnappings resumed. The last one was in September 2006. Although they were all resolved peacefully and various kidnapped travelers simply continued their travels in Yemen as if nothing had happened, one would naturally want to avoid this happening to you. If you're planning on travelling through Marib and Shabwah, make sure beforehand what the current travel advice is and ask your tour operator or guide about precautions he's taking (routes to be taken, possibly arranging for police escort).Police escorts often will appreciate some money to buy qat. This is in no way compulsory and as a matter of principle you may not want to do this. Then again, if you feel like it you may not want to be too moralistic in this respect.

Tip Photo
Traffic in Yemen: is it really that bad?

by dutchwindmill

Yes and no. Death toll is staggering (2500 per annum, compared to less than 800 in the Netherlands). Everything that's probably officially not allowed is to be expected: igoring red lights, driving on the wrong side of a dual carriage way, horrendous speeding, bad lighting both on the cars and on the streets, overall appalling state of maintenace of most vehicles, underage drivers, drivers with tunnel-vision due to qat use, women drivers with limited lateral vision due to their wearing of the niqaab. Add to this winding roads alongside steep ravines, and during Ramadan all of this aggravated by fatigue in the morning and hunger in the afternoon.So what about the no in the first sentence? Just expect the unexpected. Sounds like a cliché, but it works.

Tip Photo
Local Travel

by JohnniOmani

Canadian Government Warning about local travelLOCAL TRAVELDriving habits, poorly maintained vehicles, unclear and unheeded traffic laws, excessive speed, roaming animals, and pedestrians pose hazards. For security reasons, travelling along routes outside cities should be avoided. Should you need to do so, you should drive in convoy and during daylight hours. Advise friends or employer of your route as well as expected time of arrival and destination. Travellers should not use the Aden-Taiz-Sana'a highway. Anti-personnel mines and unexploded munitions remain a danger in the southern and eastern areas of the country, particularly around Aden, and the central highlands.There is no rail service. You should avoid city buses and use only officially marked taxis after pre-negotiating fares. Car hires with chauffeurs are advisable. You should travel by air between major cities.

A typical Governments warning

by JohnniOmani

Canadian Government WarningSAFETY AND SECURITYThere exists heightened tensions in Yemen, together with increased threats globally from terrorism. Since April 2005, there have been a number of grenade attacks in Sana'a against Yemeni government forces. On September 15, 2006, two oil installations near Ma’rib and al-Mukalla were attacked in simultaneous terrorist operations.On July 19, 2005, the Government of Yemen announced the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies. A number of civil unrest incidents have occurred since the announcement. Westerners may be targeted and there is a possibility that the unrest may escalate. Avoid leaving vehicles unattended. In the event that you have to do so, carefully inspect both the interior and exterior upon return to detect any attached devices or suspect packages nearby. Treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources with suspicion. If you notice...

Stay healthy!

by hydronetta

Staying healthy should be one of your major concerns as it can spoil the pleasure of your journey. So take care of the following:1. Tap water is not generally drinkable even by locals. We were told that probably only Seiyun has good quality water. Luckily bottled water is readily available everywhere so as beverages. As for tea, water is boiled 2. Take care of fresh vegetables that are tap water washed. 3. Take care of forks, spoons, plates, cups before you eat. I noticed that in many restaurants cleaning them meant only dipping them in some water and serving them to the next customer. I always dried everything with napkins4. Fresh juice is very popular but if you order one and they tend to add water, do ask them politely to use bottled water or give them one yourself 5. Wash hands!! In many cases we ate in places with bare hands. There is always a water sink somewhere but don't expect...

Tip Photo
Yemen: A land of plastic bag!

by hydronetta

Not a danger but a warning:Yemen is not for the seriously environmental conscious visitors. Unfortunately Yemenis don’t seem to care about pollution and myriads of plastic bags lie in the country side. This is a result of…qat consuming. Qat chewers buy it in such small plastic bags, they consume it and then they don’t bother littering even remote areas.Also lots of pets are roaming freely........so many of them are found killed by cars on the roads

Tip Photo
IS YEMEN SAFE???

by hydronetta

This is issue is frequently posted and I can undestand concerns as recent kidnappings have badly damaged the image of this wonderful country.If you exclude the "dangerous for kidnapping routes" (Dhamar to Bir Ali and Sana'a to Wadi Hadramawt) where mainly the presence of police escort caused me some nervousness, Yemen is an extremely safe country. But imagine, that the yemeni government is doing its best to guarantee your safety. Though there were few tourists around I NEVER really felt any threat. I was even walking around alone in between men carrying their jambiyas and kalashnikofs but all I could face was people saying hello and "welcome to Yemen"!!Yemenis are among the friendliest people I have ever met. Very hospitable, kindhearted, love to have fun. Just open your mind and heart, greet them in arabic (learn some in advance) and you'll be rewarded by their hospitality. The people...

Tip Photo
Safety Tips in Yemen

Top 3 Hotels in Yemen

Arabia Felix  Sanaa

 6 Reviews and 22 Opinions  absolutely PERFECT! We had all we need - hot water, cable TV, views and very interesting stay.... 

 Hotels in Sanaa

Shibam Hotel  Shibam

 2 Reviews and 0 Opinions  I didn't stay there, but went there in early afternoon hoping for a cup of tea. But they don't have... 

 Hotels in Shibam

Al Hawta Palace Hotel  Say'un

 1 Review and 10 Opinions  Al Hawta Palace Hotel is situated on the outskirts of Say'un and is set in lovely landscaped... 

 Hotels in Say'un

9 Hotels in Yemen
 
Explore the World
Travel Destinations
Travel Highlights

The Place

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

More Cities in Yemen

 

Popular Regions in Yemen

Muhafazat Hadramawt Warnings Or Dangers  Aden Municipality Warnings Or Dangers  Muhafazat al Hudaydah Warnings Or Dangers  Muhafazat al Mahwit Warnings Or Dangers 

More Regions in Yemen

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... 

Read 3 Replies

postQuestion_button

Click here for best deals for

Vacation Package Specialists
Expedia Vacations Save on flight + hotel packages. Click or call now: 1 - 800-713-8214
Save on Air + Hotel ? Book a Getaway Today!
hotels.com Vacations The One Stop Shop for Your Next Trip. Click or call now: 1-800-764-6835
Great Rooms. Great Rates.
Travelocity Hotel rooms at up to 50% off. 
Save Up To 50% On Hotels
ORBITZ.com Find great deals on Orbitz & pay no hotel change or cancel fees

Sponsored Links