VISAS ENTRY TO YEMEN TIME ZONE MONEY AND CURRENCY ELECTRICITY HEALTH AND FIRST AID DIET AND EATING DRESS CODE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKING HOURS OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS MONTHS OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR MOVEABLE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS SHOPPING SAFETY AND TRAVEL PERMISSIONS

VISAS

All foreign nationals except citizens of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and the Gulf countries are required to get entry visas. The visitor can get entry visa to the Republic of Yemen from the Yemeni Embassy or Consulate in visitor’s or neighbouring country. Upon arrival, the visitor is given one month residence permit. There is no need to register at police stations or to apply for an exit visa during the scheduled one month period.

EU (except some countries, that entered EU in the year 2004 or later: Lithuania, Latvia, Esthonia), USA and Canada citizens, as well as the citizens of some other countries (specific rules for different countries) can buy VISA upon arrival to Yemen, before the custom control in the Sana’a airport. It costs 30 USD approximately.

Clients from the following countries can obtain VISA at the official ports of Yemen

*EU countries: Clients from Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia currently still can not obtain VISA at the official ports of Yemen – our agency can arrange VISA for them prior arrival.

Citizens of other countries are asked for the invitation letter before VISA is issued to them. For all our clients we provide the invitation letter after booking the tour with us.

For a visitor from any country (there are restrictions for some African countries, like Nigeria, …) we can prepare VISA in Yemen in advance, after a copy of the visitor’s passport has been faxed. The visitor will carry a copy of the visa to Yemen, and on arrival, will receive the original copy.

Upon arrival to Yemen, visitors must complete an immigration card.

LONGER STAYS
In case the visitor wants to stay in Yemen for a longer period, he/she can apply (after staying in Yemen for a month) for a 3 month residence visa that allows him/her to stay in a country for additional 3 months.

If the visitor obtained the residence VISA, he/she must get an exit VISA, before leaving the country, unless he/she would have problems leaving the country.

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ENTRY TO YEMEN

By plane:

Air access to Sana'a International Airport (SAH) (15 km from the city centre) with the following airlines:

• Yemenia from Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Aden, Amman, Asmara, Bahrain, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Dar Es Salaam, Dhaka, Djibouti, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hodeidah, Jakarta, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Khartoum, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, London-Heathrow, Madrid, Marseilles, Moroni, Mumbai, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Riyadh, Riyan, Rome-Fiumicino, Seiyun, Socotra, and Taizz.

• Lufthansa from Cairo and Frankfurt

• Emirates from Dubai

• Royal Jordanian from Amman

• Egypt Air from Cairo

• Gulf Air from Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Muscat 

• Air Arabia from Sharjah (UAE)

• Turkish Airlines from Istanbul (Atatűrk)

• Qatar Airways from Doha

• Air Arabia from Sharjah

• Saudi Arabian Airlines from Jeddah

• Syrian Air from Damascus

• Ethiopian airlines

• Sudanese airlines

• Djibouti airlines

Other international & domestic airports are in Taizz (Al-Ganad), Aden, Al-Mukalla (Al-Riyan), and Hodeidah.

Airport taxes are included in all rates (subject to change). 

By land:

There are six entry posts to Yemen from its neighbouring countries of Saudi Arabia (Harad or Al Buqal) and Oman (Habarut or Masyouna).

By sea:

There are 5 main ports on the Red Sea (Hodeidah, Al Makha) and Arabian Sea (Aden, Al Mukalla and Bir Ali).

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TIME ZONE

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) + 3 hrs.

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MONEY AND CURRENCY

The official currency is Yemeni Rial (YR). Bank notes of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 YR, and coins of 5, 10 and 20 YR are in circulation and have English and Arabic numbers.

If you do bring cash, be aware that new, crisp, clean, untorn 100 USD $ or EURO notes fetch the best rate. Dollar notes that are worn-out, or older than 2000 are often difficult to exchange.

Very few places take credit cards in Yemen, thus almost all transactions are done in cash. There are ATM machines at some banks in Sana’a, including Arab bank, Int. Bank of Yemen, Tadhamon Int. Islamic Bank, Saba Islamic bank and Yemen Gulf Bank which accept VISA and other ATM logos.

Major credit cards are accepted in international hotels, some travel agencies and in a limited number of retailers. Shopping requires cash (YR, USD or EURO). 

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ELECTRICITY

The voltage in Yemen is 220 V, 50-60 Hz. Five star hotels provide both options i.e. 110 V or 220 V. The lines have different outlets, but adaptors are inexpensive and easy to find.

Most of the time you'll need adapters:

• like this (they are inside the rooms in many hotels):

• or like this (they are inside the rooms in many hotels):

• in some of the hotels the outlets demand an adapter like this:

However there is a trick how to connect your electronic devices without using an adapter (ask in the country).

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HEALTH AND FIRST AID

No official vaccinations are required.

Visitors are advised not to drink tap water. Clean, bottled water is readily available in all areas of the country. In restaurants you’ll be offered water from plastic holders and you can drink it without concern.

Malaria is present in remote coastal areas, although very rare. If you travel to tropical coastal region of northern Tihama (north of Hudaydah) or Soqotra, it is recommended to be supplied with anti-malaria drugs which are to be untaken only in the case of getting the disease.

Travel insurance for foreigners, including emergency evacuation, is advisable.

There are government and private hospitals available in major cities and medical clinics in large villages.

Major public hospital in Sana’a:

• Al Thawra Hospital: Al-Khoulan St., near Bab Al Yemen, Tel: 01 246 966 or 01 246 983

Major private hospitals in Sana’a:

• Al Jumhuria Hospital: Tel: 01 274 285

• Azal Specialised Hospital: 60-Meter Rd., near Mathbah vegetable market, Tel: 01 200 000

• Modern German Hospital: Taiz Rd, in front of Al-Tadamon Islamic Bank, Tel: 01 608 888

• Yemeni - German Hospital: Hadda Rd., near 60-Meter Rd, Tel: 01 418 000 or 418 690/1 

• Military Hospital: Bab Shoub Area, Tel: 01 222 513/4

Major hospitals in Aden:

• Al-Jumhuriah Hospital: Khurmaksar (University Clinic), Tel. 02-233-033

• Al-Saber Hospital: al-Mansoura, Tel: 02-347-400

Major hospitals in Taizz:

• Al-Thawra Hospital: Tel: 04-224-332

• Taiz Republican Hospital

• Al-Saeed Hospital: Al-Akaba, Tel: 04 216 219 / 223 440

Major hospitals in Al Hudayda:

• Al-Thawra Hospital: Tel: 03-239-269

• Al-Salaam Hospital: Jamal St., Tel: 03-252-691

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DIET AND EATING

Restaurants:
There are numerous typical Yemeni restaurants available throughout the country. Although very simple, the food served is very good and safe because it is prepared only when you order it. In major cities like Sana’a, Taizz, Aden and Hudaydah there are also some good Western and Oriental standard restaurants.

The main Yemeni meal is lunch and it is served between 11.00 and 13.30. After this hour you’ll hardly find any restaurant open, except in Sana’a and Aden.

At most hotels in the 3-5 stars range a good standard of European meals or oriental food IS available also out of “Yemeni” lunch hours.

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FOOD

Food in Yemeni restaurants is always prepared fresh and is therefore very safe, although a sight on restaurants might awake some doubts in you.

Yemenis are used to eating with their right hand. One regards his hand as “the spoon that is used only by him”. Therefore spoons and forks are rarely found in most of the local restaurants, so if you mind eating with a hand, take a spoon with you!

The Yemeni diet is simple and slightly differs through the regions, but basic dishes are the same. It includes bread, rice, vegetables, beans, chicken, fish, beef and lamb.

Breakfast:

Typical Yemeni breakfast consists of full (a stew with brown beans, tomato, onion and chili), fasuliya (fried beans), beyth (fried eggs with onion and tomatoes) or kebda (liver cooked with spices). Yemenis usually eat them with hobs, big, flat, pancake shape bread, from wheat flour, sometimes covered with black sesame seeds.

Lunch:

Lunch is the main Yemeni meal and it is served between 11.00 and 13.30. After this hour you’ll hardly find any restaurant open.

The national dish that is usually served for lunch is a thick, fiery, spicy green stew called salta that basically consists from lamb or chicken with lentils, beans, chickpeas, coriander, fenugreek and some other spices.

In some places you can find fatta, a dish made from dry bread soaked in honey, soup or milk. The one prepared with milk is a common meal that they eat before the sunrise prayer in the month of Ramadan.

In any place at a lunch time you can find arroz (rice), dejaj (chicken), mshakkle (fried vegetables), lahme (beef meet), marag lahme (soup from beef meat), zabadi (yoghurt).

A special Yemeni dish is bint as-sahn, an egg rich, puff pastry, usually covered with delicious Yemeni honey.

Refreshing in hot summer afternoons is shafuut, a dish made from pancake bread soaked into yoghurt with several herbs. This is also a common fast breaking meal in the month of Ramadan.

Dinner:

Usually is served after sunset prayer is usually modest. Usually they eat fasuliya, full or rice with vegetables.

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DRINKS

The everyday drink in Yemen is shai (tea), drunk from small glasses at every occasion. Usually is prepared very sweet, but after some days one gets used to it. There are two kinds of tea; the one prepared with milk is called shai ma halib, if without milk they call it shai ahmar.

Less common drink in restaurants is coffee, as they usually drink it at home. They drink two kinds of coffee, one is prepared from coffee beans and it is called bohn. More common drink is kishr or khahva that is prepared from coffee bean shells, cinnamon and ginger.

Bottled mineral water, soft drinks and juices in tins are available everywhere in the country. Water from plastic jars served on a table is usually safe, but it is up to you if you drink it.

One of the best choices in Yemen is fresh juices (asir), prepared from fruits directly and they are generally very safe. Usually one can find mango, papaya, orange (portokal), lemon (lim) juices, if lucky, you get also pineapple (ananas), strawberry, raisins, ginger, apple or banana juice.

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VEGETARIANS

There are not plenty of choices for vegetarians in restaurants, but always could be found something: rice, yoghurt, full (bean stew), fasuliya (fried beans), mshakkle (fried vegetables), some kinds of salta prepared without meat or salad.

In the markets one can find all kinds of fresh vegetables and fruits and there are fresh juices kiosks, so nutrition should not be a big problem also for vegetarians.

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Some suggestions for a good Yemeni meal in Sana’a:

Normal range:

• Shaibani restaurant, Tel:

• Palestine restaurant, Tel: 733 125 749

• Arabia Felix hotel, Old Sana’a, close to Saila, Tel: 01 287 330

• Hotel Sana’a nights, Old Sana’a, Talha street, Tel: 01 482 826

Deluxe:

• Al Fakher restaurant with a nice ambient they serve traditional Yemeni dishes that can not always be found in restaurants, but are traditionally prepared at home. Hadda street, Tel: 01 427 888 or 01 427 999

• Restaurants in Mővenpick, Sheraton, Taj Sheba hotels

Other popular restaurants (Arabic, Western style, Indian, Ethiopian, Chinese….):

• Pizzaiola, Hadda street (across from Zorbas, close to Hadda Complex and to the Jordanian Embassy)

• Italian and Indian restaurant Vila di Angelo, Hadda street, Tel: 01 412 581

• Zorbas restaurant, Hadda street, Tel: 711 874 041, 733 305 200, 01 428 856

• Turkish restaurant, Hadda street

• Al Hamra restaurant (Arabic and western dishes), Hadda street

• Chinese restaurant Beijing Cuisine, 60th street, Tel: 01 440 302

• Indian restaurant, Bagdad street

• Indian restaurant (new) Maharaja, Hadda street (the same building of Pizzaiola)

• Ethiopian restaurant (parallel to Zubairi street-behind Chinese embassy)

• Syrian restaurant Al Shamm, behind Arab bank on Zubairi street

• Al Mankal (Arabic food and the first restaurant with organic food), Amman street

• Pizza Hut, Al Sabeen park, Tel: 01 263 750

• Kentucky Fried Chicken, Al Sabeen street, Tel: 01 509 876

• Al Hadra restaurant (Arabic and western dishes), Hadda street

• Lebanese night: (Arabic and western dishes), Hadda street, near Hadda post office

• Lebanese restaurant (Arabic and western dishes), Algiers street, near Merkez Libye (Libyan shopping center)

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ALCOHOL

Yemen is an Islamic country and alcohol is prohibited. Tourists should avoid drinking alcohol in public places, or in the presence of Yemenis. Alcohol could be obtained in some five-star hotels in big cities but the prices are very high.

Non alcoholic bear (Becks) can be found in many places.

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DRESS CODE

Yemen is an Islamic country and clothing should be modest. We recommend you to wear loose-fitting, light clothes from natural materials and to avoid sleeveless and transparent clothes. Woman should cover the upper arms and legs, but also man dressed in such a way would be respected more. It is advised to have some headwear protection against strong sunshine. Yemeni scarf is a very practical matter while it can be used also for visiting mosques as well as protection against the dust and wind. In winter months the nights and early mornings in the mountain areas are relatively cold; therefore a sweater or a jacket should not be missed in your baggage.

Beach wear is acceptable at beach clubs, hotels and public beaches outside the cities.

For a relaxed tour round Yemen we suggest our clients to bring the proper shoes, because of sightseeing and visits of villages, valleys… If you take a tour including hiking you need to wear proper sport shoes. Generally a pair of sport shoes and a pair of sport, open sandals is recommended.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Yemen is extremely picturesque, beautiful and interesting country, therefore we recommended you to bring enough memory cards or films - especially slide films – with you. General rule: if you plan to spend 10 films, bring 20. The normal films could be obtained through most of the country. Slide films can not be bought in Yemen anymore due to the lack of demand. Some types of memory cards could be bought only in big cities.

It is not polite and therefore recommended to take photos of women unbeknown to them. Avoid photographing in military areas unless they invite you to take a photo (suura), which happens quite often. 

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WORKING HOURS

• Government offices, banks and some commercial companies are open from 8:00 to 15:00, five days a week, excluding Thursday and Friday, weekly holiday.

• The private sector works generally in two shifts, from 8:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 20:00.

• Commercial shops and stores are open everyday from 8.00 till 17.00 and some of them till 22.00 in the night.

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OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS

Weekend: Thursdays and Fridays for official institution, whether for private sector Thursday is a half day and Friday is a holiday.

• 1 January (New Year)

• 1 May (World Labour Day)

• 22 May (Unity Day)

• 26 September (The September revolution)

• 14 October (The October revolution)

• 30 November (Independence Day from the British occupation)

MONTHS OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR

The Islamic calendar is the classic lunar calendar consisting of 12 synodic (lunar) months, each of 29.5 days, giving a year of 354 days. It is 11.25 days shorter than the tropical year.

* Zul Hijja has 30 days in a leap year.

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MOVEABLE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

• New Hijra Year (Islamic New Year): January, 30th, 2006 (HY 1427), January 20th, 2007 (HY 1428), January, 10th 2008 (HY 1429).
   

• Ramadan
  Ramadan is the 9th lunar month during which Muslims fast all along daylight hours and is a very special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God and self-control. Muslims regard it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives and a feeling for the society.
  
  The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn and ends at the setting of the sun. In between, during the daylight hours, Muslims (Submitters) totally abstain from food, drink, smoking, chewing qat and having sexual relations. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset.
  
  Office’s and shop’s working hours change during this month. Opening hours are prolonged in the evening.
  
  Ramadan nights' celebrations are old traditional practice during this month of fasting. It is a tradition we inherited through a period of 1427 years from our first Muslim ancestors, generation after generation. Even the visitor will get the impression of the Arabian Nights because the nightlife in the urban places will go on until sunrise.
  
  Non-Muslims are asked to respect those fasting by refraining from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing qat in public places during the daylight hours. But the hotels, local restaurants and guest houses will provide all services unlimited for the traveller’s need.
  
  Period of Ramadan and Aid Al Fitr (the holiday – last day of Ramadan) in the year 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009:

  • 15th October 2004 to 14th November 2004;   Aid Al Fitr: 15th November 2004

  • 4th October 2005 to 2nd November 2005;   Aid Al Fitr: 3rd November 2005

  • 23rd September 2006 to 22nd October 2006;   Aid Al Fitr: 23rd October 2006

  • 2nd September, 2008 to 1st October 2008; Aid al Fitr: 2nd October 2008
  • 22nd August, 2009 to 20th September 2009; Aid al Fitr: 21st  September 2009

   

• Aid al Adha

  Is the biggest Islamic holiday, celebrated by Muslims and Druze worldwide as a commemoration of Abraham’s (Ibrahim’s) willingness to sacrifice his son, as commanded by Allah. Eid al Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan:

  • January,  22^nd,  2005

  • January,  10^th,  2006

  • December, 30^th, 2006

  • December, 20th, 2007

  • December, 11th, 2008

  • November, 28th, 2009

  The festivities last for two to three days or more depending on the country – in Yemen the festivity lasts 1 week.

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SHOPPING

There are many traditional industries and handicrafts in Yemen which have been handed down from generation to generation. Such industries and handicrafts are characterized by their beauty and attractiveness, particularly those associated with architecture, ornaments and decoration, traditional weapons, clothes and garments, earthenware and stoneware, leather products, and tools and materials made of palm leafs, etc. One can buy these products in traditional markets of many cities and at the weekly markets called suqs. 

Yemeni man often wears one of several types of skirts, called futa rather than pants and a head scarf while especially tribesmen wear the long dress, called thope. But the tribesmen are best known by the jambiya, curved dagger, carried in a scabbard on a wide belt at the front side of the body.

The clothing of Yemeni women includes black dress called palton, or colourful robes, shawls, and veils and varies greatly from region to region in style and pattern.

All these items could be nice souvenirs for visitors to buy, but there is still plenty of choices like jewellery, the pots for burning the incense, incense and myrrh (balsamic gums), items made from palm fibres and leaves, alabaster, oil lamps, amber beads, spices, coffee, wooden old tables etc.

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SAFETY AND TRAVEL PERMISSIONS

Yemen is a very safe country while it has virtually crime free environment. Visitors can venture out around the city or villages at any time of the day or night, either by taxi or on foot. A tourist permit is required if the visitors wish to explore the country and move from city to city to discover the most important tourist sites.

For the visitors who will discover the country in an organised way, the travel agency will provide the permit. The individual travellers that will use public buses or shared taxis for the transportation have to get the permission themselves from the Tourist police office, which is located next to the Ministry of Tourism in Hotoba. 

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