Vacation and Holidays in Yemen

http://travel-to-yemen.blogspot.com/2011/10/vacation-and-holidays-in-yemen.html
Vacation and Holidays in Yemen
Travel tips for your trip to Yemen Hotel Maps Famous Places in Yemen helps you to make your trip to Yemen in the holiday a Splendid One


Yemen is an exotic Middle Eastern country that is located on the Arabian Peninsula. Hailed as one among the ancient countries, in the world, Yemen has a significant role in the trade scene of the Middle East. Frankincense, myrrh and Arabian spices are all the vital commodities that are traded from the place.

The Sandy plains, fertile plateaus, sand dunes and the mountainous terrains of Yemen, allure the visitors. The brilliant architecture, souks, spice markets, mosques and city walls of Yemen are captivating. Yemen is also very famous for the host of historic sites that are present in the country.

Sanaa, the capital city of Yemen is a major tourist attraction of Yemen. It is believed that the city was founded by the son of Noah, Sham. Sanaa is considered to be an old city and urban settlement. It is a World Heritage City and is home to spectacular specimens of exceptional architecture, innumerable mosques, baths and homes. Suq-Al Milh is a vibrant souk, in Sanaa and everything from spices to silverware is sold in the souk. Sanaa also houses the National Museum. The National Museum is a great attraction in the city.

Wadi Dhar is another interesting place in Yemen. Wadi Dhar is popular for being home to Imam's rock palace. The Rock palace comprises of fruit gardens, inside the palace. Wadi Dhar is a famous place, where people spend their leisure hours, in Sanaa. Every Friday, a Wedding Dance is performed, on the plateau. This is a big draw among the local populace and tourists from all over the world. A walk through Wadi and Al-Gabel, a village is a fun filled experience.

Another historical and famous tourist attraction is Thula Himyarite. The capital of Yafur dynasty, Thula Himyarite attracts many visitors, from various parts of the world. It was the capital of the legendary Yafur dynasty, before Islam's beginning, during the seventh and eight century. Considered as a retreat for the Imams, during the sixteenth century, Thula Himyarite is located in Thula Hababah. A tourist can visit Kaukaban, the fortress town and can engage in a walking trip to Shibam.

The city of Taizz is also another attraction in Yemen and is situated in the southern part of Yemen. The city is a unique mix of the new and the old. The city is replete with old buildings and modern skyscrapers. The city is also famed for the mosques. An ancient fort, Al- Qahera is an interesting tourist place. The Salah palace that is present in east of Taizz has many artifacts pf the royal family, witnessing which, provides a journey through the past.

For a shopping buff, who tours Yemen, Beit Al Faqih is an experience in itself. Beit Al Faqih is a famous place that is world- renowned. This is the biggest regional market that convenes every week. The market is active on every Friday. Yemen has an array of tourist attractions like Zabid, Khoka, Al- Janad mosque, Sibam, Tarim, etc. Yemen, despite being a leading player in the trade in Middle East is also rich in natural beauty and this makes it a great tourist spot.

Free Guide of Old Snan

http://travel-to-yemen.blogspot.com/2011/10/free-guide-of-old-snan.html
Free Guide of Old Snan
Travel tips for your trip to Yemen Hotel Maps Famous Places in Yemen helps you to make your trip to Yemen in the holiday a Splendid One


Legend tells that Sana'a was founded by Shem, the son of Noah. In reality, the city was probably established sometime during the first century A.D., making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Sana'a, which means "fortified place" or "the protected," originated as a citadel on the important trade route between Aden and Mecca. For centuries, it has been the main economic, political, and religious center in the highlands region of Yemen.

Sana'a has always been an important city in terms of religion. There are over 50 mosques in the city, including the Great Mosque, which was ordered by the Prophet Mohammed in 630 A.D., and completed during his lifetime. The Yemeni government is currently constructing one of the largest and most impressive mosques in the Muslim world. (It can be seen in the distance by enlarging the picture).

Sana'a spreads across the Sana'a Basin, between Mount Nuqum to the east (visible in the picture) and the Ayban Mountains to the west. It sits at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200 meters). During my stay, it was difficult to breathe while doing such simple activities as climbing stairs, on account of the high elevation.

Although Sana'a has a modern section, it is most noted for its Old Town, with its distinctive mud-brick architecture, ancient mosques, and markets.

Nowadays, Sana'a is the capital of Yemen, as well as the Sana'a governorate. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Tai'z and Hodeidah, with about 1,600,000 inhabitants in its metropolitan area.

Money Exchange for Yemen -Services - Money

http://travel-to-yemen.blogspot.com/2011/10/money-exchange-for-yemen-services-money.html
Money Exchange for Yemen -Services - Money
Travel tips for your trip to Yemen Hotel Maps Famous Places in Yemen helps you to make your trip to Yemen in the holiday a Splendid One




Currency information:

Yemeni Riyal (YER) = 100 fils, though amounts under 1 Riyal are rarely quoted. Notes are in denominations of YER1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of YER20, 10, 5 and 1.
Credit cards:

Outside major hotels cards are of limited use; American Express, Visa and Diners Club are the most widely accepted.
ATM:

Sana’a has a few ATMs; at the airport (though these are not always functioning), at the Moevenpick Hotel and outside a couple of the biggest banks. Aden and Tai’z also have a handful of machines. There are very few ATMs elsewhere in the country.
Travellers cheques:

Can be exchanged at some banks and hotels. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.
Banking hours:

Sat-Wed 0830-1200, Thurs 0800-1130.
Currency restriction:

Import and export of local currency is prohibited. There are no restrictions on the import of foreign currencies, but amounts exceeding US$3,000 must be declared upon arrival. Export of foreign currencies must not exceed the amount imported.
Currency exchange:

Local currency can easily be reconverted at banks, bureaux de change and hotels. US Dollars in cash are the easiest convertible currency.

Health and Medical Information for Yemen

http://travel-to-yemen.blogspot.com/2011/10/health-and-medical-information-for.html
Health and Medical Information for Yemen
Travel tips for your trip to Yemen Hotel Maps Famous Places in Yemen helps you to make your trip to Yemen in the holiday a Splendid One




Health care facilities are relatively poor, especially outside major cities. Major hospitals in Sana'a are: Al Jumhuriyya, Modern German Hospital, Saudi German Hospital, University of Science and Technology Hospital, and Al Thawra. In Aden, there is the Al Jumhuriyya, Al Saber, the Saudi Hospital and the Refinery Hospital. Most large cities have a general hospital. Medical insurance is essential.
Food and drink:

Tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled water is readily available. Fresh milk is rarely available but when present it’s likely to be unpasteurised. Similarly some dairy products may have been made using unpasturised milk – use common sense. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other risks:

Avoid swimming and paddling in standing fresh water; swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes advised.

Short History Of Yemen and Culture

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Short History Of Yemen and Culture
Travel tips for your trip to Yemen Hotel Maps Famous Places in Yemen helps you to make your trip to Yemen in the holiday a Splendid One


To the Romans Yemen was Arabia Felix (Fortunate Arabia), whose mountains and fertile plains caught the tail end of the Indian Ocean monsoon rains and were distinct from the barren desert of the rest of the Arabian peninsula.

During the early 17th and early 19th centuries European powers and the Ottoman Empire both struggled to control unruly Yemeni tribes. Evidence of colonial legacies is visible across Yemen.

The collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 resulted in a scrabble for land with Saudi Arabia and the border only finally demarked in 2000. An ongoing conflict between royalist and republican forces in northern Yemen culminated in the assassination of Imam Yayah in 1962, an event which led to the eventual end of the 1,000 year Imamate and the formation of the Yemeni Arab Republic (YAR) in 1970.

During much of this time the southern port of Aden was controlled by the British, through delicate diplomacy their influence extending to much of south east Yemen. However, attacks by Marxist guerrillas fighting for an end to colonial rule resulted in the Aden Emergency and the departure of the British in 1967 and the birth of the Arab world’s first and, to date, only Marxist state, the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY).

The disintegration of the Soviet Union saw an end to support for the PDRY. Weakened and exposed, southern efforts towards unification were intensified. Today’s Republic of Yemen was declared in 1990 upon the merger of the Yemeni Arab Republic (YAR) and the PDRY with Ali Abdullah Saleh as president.

The poorest country in the Middle East, Yemen endures a grumbling insurgency by the Zaidi Shiite Al Houthi movement in the north, unresolved separatist unrest in the south and periodic attacks by bands of Al-Qaeda jihadists hold up beyond the writ of the Sana’a government.

More recently a broader civil unrest has seen mass demonstrations in Sana’a, Ta’iz and other regional centres demanding an end to Saleh’s regime, endemic government corruption, and political repression.

Accommodation sanaa , aden , mukalla , taiz , marib

http://travel-to-yemen.blogspot.com/2011/10/accommodation-sanaa-aden-mukalla-taiz.html
Accommodation sanaa , aden , mukalla , taiz , marib
Travel tips for your trip to Yemen Hotel Maps Famous Places in Yemen helps you to make your trip to Yemen in the holiday a Splendid One

Accommodation in Yemen varies from simple village guesthouses and down-at-heel city hotels to converted tower houses, restored Sultans’ palaces and five star international luxury. Sana’a inevitably has the widest range of hotels, and to soak up the atmosphere there’s nowhere better than the Old City, though narrow streets make life difficult for drivers and thus it’s a less than convenient choice for those visiting on business. Outside the capital, Ta’iz, Seiyun, Wadi Do’an, Al Mukalla and Al Hudaydah all have a range of accommodation. Those self-selecting individuals heading for Socotra will return educated in just how simple a simple guesthouse can be.

Leisure travellers to Sana’a should consider the lovely Burj Al Salam (www.burjalsalam.com) in the Al Fulayhi Quarter of old Sana’a. Another converted tower house, rooms are small but comfortable with clean functional bathrooms. The upstairs restaurant is very good and the staff helpful when it comes to planning a meal. The same owners have recently opened a new hotel in Thula one of the scenic mountain villages outside Sana’a. Elsewhere, Yemeni tour operators such as Universal Touring Company (www.utcyemen.com) or Bazara Travel (www.bazaratravel.com) either own or have links with smaller hotels en route and can make informed suggestions regarding accommodation.

Contact the Yemen Tourism Promotion Board for further details of hotels in Yemen

Sanaa hotels - Yemen
Aden hotels - Yemen
Mukalla hotels - Yemen
Taiz hotels - Yemen
Al Hudaydah hotels - Yemen
Marib hotels - Yemen

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g294014-Yemen-Hotels.html