I’ll admit: Yemen isn’t exactly on most travelers’ list of places to visit.

But I’m not exactly most travelers and when the opportunity arose to visit this rather mysterious and misunderstood land, I took it.

Over a decade of civil means that, unfortunately, not all of Yemen can be visited by tourists. The exception is the Hadhramaut region, located in the country’s geographic west, but confusingly referred to locally as being part of “the south.”

And so one day I found myself, dressed in a black abaya and hijab, entering this remote and enigmatic place.

Keep reading to find out more about the five of the most spectacular places I found in Yemen’s Hadhramaut region.

Shibam

How should I describe Shibam?

Manhattan of the Desert? Chicago of the Desert? UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Rising up from the valley, almost out of place, the old walled city of Shibam is famous for its mudbrick high-rise buildings, looking much as they did since the city was last rebuilt in the 16^th century.

You can read more about my visit to Shibam here, but suffice it to say for now, more than one member of my group declared the town to be one of the highlights of our tour.

Wadi Doan

I can’t remember the first time I’d heard the name Wadi Doan, but I do remember first hearing about its beauty a few months prior to my visit. A well-travelled woman I was talking to told me it was one of the most stunningly beautiful places on earth – and now having seen it for myself, I’m inclined to agree.

There’s something magical about Wadi Doan, a river valley whose river only appears after heavy seasonal rains. From its flat-topped, sandy volcanic plateaus to its lush date palms in the valley below to its mudbrick buildings, some simple, others painted in a kaleidoscope of colors, all of which come together to create a visual feast for the eyes.

There was also a calmness in the valley, despite the conflict ranging a few miles away. Life here continues unaltered – with boys riding mules, men playing dominoes, and black-clad women in tall straw hats herding goats – in much the same way as it has for centuries.

You’ll likely see a few dromedary camels, mules, and goats as well. And if you’re really, really lucky, as I was, you might even catch a glimpse of the rarely seen hamadryas baboons.

Mukalla

The port city of Mukalla wasn’t on our original itinerary, but a renewal of conflict in the region forced us to fly into the city – which gave us the opportunity to explore!

The city’s white buildings pair harmoniously with the blue Arabian Sea. This was most evident as we observed city and sea simultaneously during a boat ride around the port, the largest and most important port in the region.

The city’s architecture, like the people themselves, is a blend of Arab, Indian, and African cultures. Trade, including that of frankincense, which we readily found in the market, has made Mukalla a cosmopolitan city.

Other sites included the lively fish market (where I briefly got lost) and Al-Ghwayzi Fortress, which once protected the city from Bedouin attacks.

But for all the sights, sounds, and smells that surrounded us in Mukalla, it’s the taste that also stood out, since Mukalla was place I had one of my favorite meals in Yemen.

Being by the sea, seafood was unsurprisingly on the menu. And while the fish was good, I was unprepared for how soft and succulent the lobster would be. I happily ate my fill, even as their dead eyes stared back at me.

Seiyun Palace

Located in the town of Seiyun, one of Hadhramaut’s major centers, Seiyun Palace is an imposing mudbrick palace dominating the adjacent market square.

It was once the residence of the Kathiri sultans, who ruled the area from the late 14^th century until 1967, when the various surrounding sultanates were absorbed into South Yemen. South Yemen and North Yemen unified into the modern state of Yemen in 1990.

A museum now occupies the space, but was closed as a result of the civil war. As foreigners, we were permitted past the gate to take photos close to the building but alas, despite the sign still pointing in the direction of the museum and ticket office, we were not permitted inside.

al-Mudhar Mosque

To the west of Seiyun lies the town of Tarim, Hadhramaut’s religious center. The brand of Islam dominant here, I got the impression, was conservative – and that’s saying something in this highly conservative country.

Tarim boasts a famous library containing some 5,000 manuscripts, many of which are unique in the Islamic world. Students come from all over the world to study here, as they have done for centuries.

Even on our plane ride over, we had encountered women from Europe who were travelling to Tarim to take part in an intensive Islamic course.

Despite its population of less than 60,000, Tarim is home to an estimated 365 mosques. But the most impressive is al-Mudhar Mosque.

al-Mudhar Mosque is one of Tarim’s most historic mosques. Its most defining feature is its 53m (174ft) minaret – the tallest minaret in Yemen and one of the tallest mudbrick minarets in the world.

At the time of our visit, the mosque has recently been limewashed. This was good news for us, as we got to witness the towering minaret gleaming in the sun.

As conflict and crisis continue to grip Yemen, and many governments advising their citizens to avoid all travel to the country, Hadhramaut remains inaccessible to all but the most intrepid of travelers.

Yet for those willing and able to make the trek, its treasures remain ripe for discovery.