Monday, May 13, 2013

YEMEN

SHIBAM
Sights & Sights
Old City – alquaiti.com/home; UNESCO World Heritage site; distinct architecture; houses all made of mud brick; about 500 are tower houses, which rise 5-11 stories; each floor having 1-2 rooms; although in existence for estimated 1.7K years, most houses originate from 16th Century; oldest skyscraper city in world.



SOCOTRA ISLAND
Beaches
Delisha – Hadibo (half hour outside); beach itself is sandy and has rather steep bank; strong currents may may create insuperable obstacle in reaching shore.

Hotels
Summerland – Hadibo; 011-967-5-660-350; summerlandsocotra.com; best hotel on Socotra in terms of cleanness and service; western food.

Restaurants
Adeeb Ecolodge – Hadibo (between gas station & sea port); food is best on island (Adeeb trained at Mercure Hotel in Aden; also hotel (huts with comfortable mattresses and mosquito nets but, if too hot, bring mattress out to beach; decent bathrooms (one with European toilet); family also runs nursery with endemic Socotri plants worth seeing.

Sights & Sites
Ayaft Canyon National park – Hadramaut (directly opposite airport); socotraisland.com/socotraisland/ayaft.html; large fresh waterpools where you can swim or soak; cucumber, frankincense, and tamarind trees; wide variety birds such as Socotra sparrow, Socotra sunbird, and both Socotra and Somali starlings; greenest place on island.
Qalansiyah – romantic-looking, Arabic, small fishing village tucked between beautiful beach and palm trees clusters; here you can sail in local, handmade wooden craft; stay overnight in camp on beach or with local fishing family.