The desert regions of the east and the far north are hot (particularly between June and September) and very dry, with temperatures from 25°C in December to 37°C or more in June. The southern coastal strip is very hot and humid between May and September.

The island of Suqutra is a special case and is never really too hot or too cold. Wind is the main factor here. During the summer monsoon period from May to September, winds blow constantly from the southwest at severe gale force with frequent gusts up to hurricane force. Don’t underestimate how difficult this can make even simple tasks like standing up and walking! Bizarrely, the southern coast of the island and the mountainous interior have much calmer wind patterns than the east, west and north coasts.
Though the monsoons can flood wadis (river beds, often dry) and close roads, they do temporarily turn parts of Yemen into wonderfully green and fertile land.

During the peak season (20 December to 10 January), you’re advised to book hotels in popular tourist spots. Travel during the month of Ramadan is not recommended, and during the annual haj pilgrimage (as well as during Ramadan), Yemenia flights are often overbooked or cancelled.

Getting there & away

Sea
Although cargo boats sometimes connect Yemen (the ports of Aden, Al-Mukalla and Al-Hudayda principally) to ports on the Peninsula, as well as to Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan, there are currently no regular services or timetables, and finding a vessel willing to take a foreigner can prove very difficult.

One option is to try and persuade a sambuq owner to take you aboard, but again your fate will largely be decided by the will and whim of the captain. Note also that sambuqs do not have the best health and safety records! Speaking Arabic will considerably increase your chances. Be aware that voyages are generally hot, humid, uncomfortable and time-consuming. There are frequent sambuqs between Al-Makha and Djibouti, but many of these are involved in smuggling and recently a number of boats carrying Somali refugees have been attacked by the Yemeni navy, which has resulted in heavy loss of life. For the time being, this is not a safe way of arriving in or leaving Yemen.

Land

Border crossings
Though the border with Saudi Arabia is open to anyone with a visa, it’s presently not possible for foreigners to cross the border. This is because of major security problems north of Sa’da leading to the whole area being closed to foreign tourists.

There are two standard border crossings for Oman, both of which are open to foreigners and neither of which present any major problems. Transport from Sayun tends to use the inland crossing at Makinat Shihan, while the coastal route uses the Hawf crossing. Whichever route you choose, the roads are brand new and in excellent condition and visas are available for most on the border.

See also information on visas and travel permits and additional information on border crossings.

Bus
For Oman, buses travel direct from Sayun to Salalah or from Al-Ghayda direct to Salalah. Though it’s possible to make the same journey in a series of shorter hops using shared taxis and buses, it will take much longer, cost more and, with very little to see en route, serve little purpose. Two buses a week leave Sayun (YR5000, 16 hours) and two a week leave from Al-Ghayda (YR4000, nine hours).