Yemen travel report : a journey beyond expectations

I arrived in the last country on my list: it is called Yemen.

I expected many things from Yemen. Some were confirmed, even beyond what I had imagined. Others turned out to be completely wrong. And then, there were things I had never even thought about that revealed themselves to me.

First of all, I want to thank every Yemeni I crossed paths with. Despite the limitations that come with an organized trip in terms of encounters and deep conversations, especially since my Arabic is still limited, everywhere we went and in every place we walked, we were welcomed only with kindness, warmth, and incredible hospitality. Socotra Island and the Hadramout region are some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and without a doubt among the most peaceful. It did not feel like a war zone. It felt like a piece of heaven.

Here are a few things I finish I had know before traveling to Yemen.

Before going, I expected a complicated experience, with many restrictions and discomfort. The reality was very different. Yes Yemen is a conservative country and traditions and culture are deeply rooted in society.

The thing is that I had imagined a place that might feel hostile, especially for me as a white foreign woman, similar to experiences I had at times in Afghanistan.

But this was not the case in Yemen. People were happy that we respected their customs and way of dressing, and even if it was not always perfect (a small strand of hair always trying to escape), I was never looked at badly, except on one single occasion. I didnt felt unsafe or not welcoming as a foreigner AND a woman - quite the opposite. People were not distant or suspicious; they were simply very happy to see foreigners visiting their country.

Yes, the war in Yemen escalated in 2015, and for years large parts of the country were extremely unsafe. But today, the reality is more complex.

Yemen is now de facto divided between the north and the south (I will come back to this later). While the north remains unstable, parts of the south have been relatively calm since 2022, with no major escalations. Places like Socotra or the Hadramout region have remained stable for years. That does not mean Yemen is “safe”; it means not all of Yemen is the same. Calling these places a war zone today is simply inaccurate, or sometimes a way to create fear and attention on social media.

I never felt danger or hostility during these two weeks. Of course, overall the Middle East (West Asia) is an unstable region, and ISIS still exists and operates in the country (even if only in small, fragmented cells). The risk is never zero, but it is very far from what most travelers try to make it sound like when labeling Yemen as “the most dangerous country in the world” for views.

The image often shown is one of violence, aggression, and oppression. But Yemen has one of the strongest cultures of hospitality I have ever experienced.

All I received there were smiles, warm looks, and constant “welcome to Yemen.” Welcoming a guest is deeply rooted in the culture. As a foreigner, I was met with curiosity, kindness, and generosity again and again. Yes, weapons exist in Yemen, and yes, the country has been at war. But reducing it only to that image is misleading. The only weapons I personally saw were carried by official military or escorts, which are part of the regulations when traveling there. You cannot travel independently; movements are controlled, and security presence is part of the system. But beyond that, daily life is not defined by weapons: it is defined by people simply living their lives.

Even more beautiful than I had imagined: and beyond.

I think I will let the photos speak for themselves. You never get tired of watching the landscapes pass by the car window, or walking through the quiet streets of Hadramout villages. It is a place where you can truly feel history, especially in cities like Mukalla and Aden. Socotra is a world of its own. If I had to imagine paradise, it would look very close to it, based on my own criteria.

At the moment, travel in Yemen is limited to parts of the south of the country, commonly referred to as “South Yemen.” Most trips currently focus on the Hadhramout region, including Seiyun, Mukalla, Shibam and the whole Wadi Do’an valley. In some cases, it is also possible to travel to Aden, although the road journey is not considered safe, so flying is currently the only option. Socotra island is of course also possible to travel to.

On another note, it is important to understand that independent travel in Yemen is currently not possible for foreign travelers. To obtain a Yemeni visa, visitors must go through an approved local travel agency or sponsor. The agency is responsible for arranging the visa, permits, transportation, checkpoints and accommodation, and travelers are required to be accompanied by a local guide during their entire stay in the country.

Travel conditions can also change rapidly due to the political and security situation, so it is necessary to check the current situation with the local travel agency you are planning to travel with before your trip.

Today, Yemen is officially one country, but in reality it is deeply divided after years of civil war.

Since 2014–2015, the country has been split between different power centers:

• The north, including the capital Sana’a, is controlled by the Houthi movement.
• The south, especially Aden and surrounding regions, is under the internationally recognized government, supported by a coalition.

On the ground, this means Yemen does not function as a single unified state anymore. Each area has its own authorities, security forces, and administrative systems.

In the south, the political landscape is also not unified. Multiple groups exist, including the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which supports greater autonomy or independence, alongside the internationally recognized government. These actors sometimes cooperate and sometimes compete for control. ISIS still operates in small cells, mostly in remote or unstable areas, and can carry out sporadic attacks.

The division is visible in daily life. Movement between regions can involve checkpoints and different rules depending on who controls the area. Air traffic is also heavily affected by the conflict. The north has no regular commercial flights; only humanitarian or UN-related flights are allowed. Most commercial travel happens through the south, and flights generally avoid northern airspace due to the conflict. Another concrete example is the economy and currency. Yemen effectively has two financial systems. Different versions of the Yemeni rial circulate, and some banknotes printed in one area are not accepted in the other, which creates serious problems for people moving between regions.

As travelers, we are not allowed at all to enter the northern region of Yemen. The only way would be to enter illegally, which would put your local friend at serious risk. If you do not speak Yemeni Arabic or do not look local, how seriously can one think he could sneak into the North? I would say it is the fastest way to get your local contact arrested for months, and for yourself I dont know much, but probably not a very nice experience. I am dying to visit Sana’a one day, but not under those conditions.

Something I wish I had known earlier. Some Yemenis refer to “South Arabia” as the southern region, which is said to have once existed as an independent state with its own identity, government, and history. This includes places such as Aden or Hadramout. For them, “South Arabia” reflects what they describe as a historical and geographical reality. The region was also known as South Yemen and existed as a separate state until its unification with North Yemen in 1990. Many people from this region who call for independence feel disrespected when it is referred to simply as Yemen, as they see it as a different nation.

I have no opinion on this topic. I am simply sharing perspectives I discovered after posting a video of my trip to mainland Yemen on Instagram. The video went viral, and many people commented that it was not “Yemen” but Hadramout and/or South Arabia.

Because we had to travel with an agency, we did not really have the opportunity to speak with locals, so I did not get this insight while I was there. Social media, however, gave me another perspective that I had completely missed during my trip.

This is a country where I felt a level of peace and inner calm that I have rarely experienced in my life. The contrast felt even stronger because I had just left the country where I live under bombs (Lebanon). Yemen softened the anger, stress, and anxiety I had carried during those weeks of war. Unfortunately, that effect did not last long after returning.

This journey required an extreme amount of patience to deal with communication difficulties with my guide, events beyond our control (Yemenia Airlines changing or canceling flights at the last minute, Air Arabia losing control of the Socotra route in favor of KSA), and the general instability and wars that keep happening in the region.

But I was rewarded for every single second of it.