The Republic Of Yemen: there is almost no other country on Earth that possesses as many secrets and ancient legends as the Arabia Felix and the Bab Al Yemen, the gateway to the Yemen, is the entrance to the historic district of Sanaa, the Yemen’s capital city that it is believed to date back to the third century A.D.

Women are rarely to be seen in Yemen’s marketplaces and, when they are, they are hidden from male glances by a protective veil. Islam still plays an important role in the daily cultural life of the people, including the traditional market places that are almost exclusively a male domain.

The Republic Of Yemen covers a large part of the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula and contains several fascinating historical sites. East of Sanaa on the ancient Frankincense route, is the town of Marib that was once the residence of the legendary Queen Of Saba and in the extreme north is the town of Sadah, a region known for its powerful tribes.

In the centre of the Djebel Harraz is the picturesque mountain village of Manakhah. Due to its location it was once a strategic point on the ancient trading route between the sea and the highlands. The breathtaking architecture of its buildings still testifies to the former prosperity of a village that today is well known for its popular market.

Al Hudaydah was once the most important Turkish harbour on the Red Sea. The city was a commercial rival of the British occupied city of Aden to the south which, during colonial times, was of great importance in securing a sea route to India. In addition to the recent modernisation of the harbour the fishing industry still plays an important role and the fertile coastal waters of the Red Sea still ensure a good catch.

To the south of Al Hudaydah is the legendary old harbour of Al Mokha, the former centre of the country’s coffee trade from which the world renowned Mocha coffee derived its name.

Despite their present poverty the people here are a proud race and the ancient name of the Yemen, Arabia Felix, or “Arabia The Content”, is still a thing of the present.