Da'wan and Only

Carving up the Yemeni landscape like a blind, drunken butcher are countless ancient, dried up riverbeds called 'Wadis'. Similar to places like the Grand Canyon in the US (although not as dramatic), these wadis are one of the primary geological features in Yemen. One of the tributaries of Wadi Hadramaut in eastern Yemen is starting to get a fair bit of attention from travellers. It is the rather scenic Wadi Da'wan.

In a country starving for water and arable land, the fertile soils of the old rivers plus the access to underground water supplies mean that the wadis are shockingly green in a largely desert-like region. And where there's water and farming, there's people. Although hardly what you might call densely population, Wadi Da'wan seems to cram in more villages than the surrounding canyons. The tiny towns cling to the sides of the canyon walls like an architectural wallpaper. Life here is simpler than simple. Few cars, little to no electricity and trips to the well are all part of the slow paced life of the village folk.

The first town you come across in Wadi Da'wan itself, is al-Hajarin. Touted by some as the oldest village in Yemen, it is likely the most picturesque village in the valley. With no city planning, the jumbled mix of intersecting alleyways make for a 'surprise a minute' stroll. While there are no particular sites of interest, every corner reveals a new subtle little moment of life. A boy and donkey bringing goods to market, a child playing with dirt, men sitting on a stoop hoping something exciting walks by and countless other snippets of life await those able to clamber up the inclined village. But the state of the tourism industry, or lack thereof, becomes apparent as honey vendors will literally chase you down the mountain hoping for what must be his first sale in months. Other villages in the wadi are much the same, or should i say exactly the same. It gets to the point of, "once you've seen one, you've seen them all". I was actually looking forward to getting back to the hotel at the end of the day.

While the villages are nice to wander, i preferred another of the area's attractions. The valley is littered with countless little forts, castles and palaces. All of which have seen better days. But for me, i actually favoured the current state of re-absortion as the largely mud structures return to the Earth that originally gave them life. None are particularly ornate, nor are the feats of tremendous engineering, but many are highly photogenic and fun to climb on. And since all travellers have to use private transport (more on this later), there is freedom to stop off where ever you so desire. But, sadly, even these cool wilting flowers weren't really enough for me to get excited about the trip overall. As a matter of fact, i don't even believe the trip outweighs the cost of hiring the private car and driver for the day.

Since a series of attacks on foreigners, including a fatal ambush on a Belgian convoy, you will need to tell the police in Seiyun that you intend to go to Wadi Da'wan. There have been times that tourists have not been allowed to go (especially independent tourists). If permission is given, you will need a police escort with a private car and driver. I was unable to get a lower price the 10,000 YR for the day, which i know from living and travelling in Yemen is twice what it should be. But even that was negotiated down from 25,000 YR. It is unusual in Yemen for locals to try to fleece unsuspecting tourist. A sign of the horrible effects tourism has had on the area (unlike the majority of the rest of the country)

Wadi Da'wan is pretty, but i wouldn't call it spectacular. The villages are cute, however i certainly wouldn't use the word amazing. Perhaps it was the repetitive nature of the trip. Maybe it was the ridiculous cost. But this was not one of my favourite places in Yemen. One saving grace, however, was that people seemed to be nicer, more laid-back and approachable, certainly when compared to locals in Seiyun, Tarim or Shibam. I guess by the time i got to the old towns, i was a bit "old town"ed out. While i don't regret my choice to go, i have no need to rave about it, or even recommend it to others. That said, if in the area, you'll definitely find yourself looking for things to do to kill time. For that, Wadi Da'wan serves it purpose. Several tour groups even choose to stay in the Wadi on the way south to al-Mukalla. This would help break up the trip. And perhaps, that is how the area is best seen, in transit.