For the audacious traveller still willing to brave Yemen's wild wild East,one particular staging post is pretty much unavoidable. With overland transport impossible between the capital, San'a, and the eastern governates, one of the few (and certainly the most popular) ways in or out of the region is through the city of Seiyun. While most may use the city merely as a staging point for more interesting sites in the area, the town does have a few things to occupy an afternoon.
The dusty town of Seiyun lies right smack dap in the middle of Wadi (dry riverbed) Hadramaut, pretty much in the middle of Hadramaut Governate (they aren't too original with names in these parts). Hadramaut, particularly the region around Seiyun, is ancestral home to a number of exceptionally powerful families (including the Bin Laden family). Many of whom have each made a mark on the business world even today. The towns and villages through the Wadi have benefited greatly from the plentiful bounty brought back from overseas business conquests. Massive palaces and fort litter the area. But recent times haven't been so kind to the region or Seiyun. Tourism, a one time major source of income, has not only dried up, but has withered up into a reeking rotting corpse. But life goes on, and the locals are making the best of it.
Arriving into town, it's impossible to miss the town's star
attraction (it's even featured in the 1,ooo Rial note). The 19th century Sultan's Palace, shots up out of the wadi floor in all it's dramatic wedding cake glory. Originally built as a fortress, the whole place was retrofitted in the 1920s for Sultan Al-Katheri. The nearly 100 room palace has now been downgraded to the status of museum. In a country not known for great museums, this one has to rank near top by default. The YR500 entry fee gives access to multiple floors with displays ranging from bronze statues to elaborate doors to somewhat lackadaisical exhibits to old photos of the region (again Yemen isn't so famous for it's museums). But the views over the city are pretty, especially through the ornate window shutters. Even if museums aren't your thing, you will end up here, as this is where you first meet up with the tourist police.
attraction (it's even featured in the 1,ooo Rial note). The 19th century Sultan's Palace, shots up out of the wadi floor in all it's dramatic wedding cake glory. Originally built as a fortress, the whole place was retrofitted in the 1920s for Sultan Al-Katheri. The nearly 100 room palace has now been downgraded to the status of museum. In a country not known for great museums, this one has to rank near top by default. The YR500 entry fee gives access to multiple floors with displays ranging from bronze statues to elaborate doors to somewhat lackadaisical exhibits to old photos of the region (again Yemen isn't so famous for it's museums). But the views over the city are pretty, especially through the ornate window shutters. Even if museums aren't your thing, you will end up here, as this is where you first meet up with the tourist police.The area has long been known for a few of it's "problematic" local residents. In March 2009, at a viewpoint overlooking the UNESCO site of Shibam, a suicide bomber drastically changed tourism in the region. The attack, killing 4 South Korean tourists and their guides, shattered the already fragile tourism industry. Nowadays, any and all tourists to the region MUST be accompanied at all times by a heavily armed member of the tourist police. There is no escaping this. Your hotel has strict orders not to let you leave the premises until they get an OK from the police. More often than not they will send a guard to the hotel to escort you to wherever it is you want to go, even is it's to by a bottle of water. At the very least you will be given orders to report into the police office which is located just inside the palace gates. When there, they will ask your plans. Travel to nearby Shibam or Tarim is usually fine (escorted of course) whereas trips further afield to Wadi Da'wan or overland to al-Mukalla will at times be denied. You can most certainly forget about any travel through nearby Ma'rib, Shabwa or Abyan governates.
It is of upmost importance not to pay or tip the guard. The colonel of the tourist police in San'a is doing his best to prevent guards from taking advantage of an unfortunate situation. General policy seems to be that it's fine o pay for lunch on a full day excursion, but DO NOT pay the guard.
In general, the guards do their best to be as unobtrusive as possible.
But it's hard to make any connection with local people when an uniformed man stroking his AK-47 is standing right behind you. People tend o keep their distance. I only hope that it is because of the guard as this coldness is certainly not the Yemeni warmth and hospitality i have come to know and love while living here. But the hallmarks of tourism still linger. Here, more than almost anywhere else in the country (San'a and Socotra aside) there is a sense of trying to "cheat" the tourist. Vendors will give you a quick look over before telling you a price. If you look rich, the price is much higher. This doesn't usually happen in the rest of the country. But all these troubles can easily be left behind by the underrated old city which lies in the back streets of the palace. There are no cars, no vendors, no worries. In fact, there's pretty much no one around mid-day when the entire neighbourhood turns into a ghost town. Even still, it's picturesque and rather romantic if not for the soldier with the machine gun following you around.
But it's hard to make any connection with local people when an uniformed man stroking his AK-47 is standing right behind you. People tend o keep their distance. I only hope that it is because of the guard as this coldness is certainly not the Yemeni warmth and hospitality i have come to know and love while living here. But the hallmarks of tourism still linger. Here, more than almost anywhere else in the country (San'a and Socotra aside) there is a sense of trying to "cheat" the tourist. Vendors will give you a quick look over before telling you a price. If you look rich, the price is much higher. This doesn't usually happen in the rest of the country. But all these troubles can easily be left behind by the underrated old city which lies in the back streets of the palace. There are no cars, no vendors, no worries. In fact, there's pretty much no one around mid-day when the entire neighbourhood turns into a ghost town. Even still, it's picturesque and rather romantic if not for the soldier with the machine gun following you around.Unless hoping for a higher end hotel, there is little reason to leave
the palace area. With a number of hotel choices (all budget range), most of the restaurants and nearly all of the sites, you are unlikely to need to go to the 'burbs. The one exception might be to the old police station (built like a mini-castle) with excellent views of the city and Wadi. Flying in and out of town is painless enough with Felix, not Yemenia, offering daily (sometimes 2) flights to San'a with the occasional flight to Aden. There are no direct flights to al-Mukalla. Land transport is another issue. Shared taxis (Peugeots) aren't used to seeing independent travellers, and even with a permit it took a while before they would take us to al-Mukalla (first they had to find someone who could read). Buses refused to take me. Maybe i smelled bad?
the palace area. With a number of hotel choices (all budget range), most of the restaurants and nearly all of the sites, you are unlikely to need to go to the 'burbs. The one exception might be to the old police station (built like a mini-castle) with excellent views of the city and Wadi. Flying in and out of town is painless enough with Felix, not Yemenia, offering daily (sometimes 2) flights to San'a with the occasional flight to Aden. There are no direct flights to al-Mukalla. Land transport is another issue. Shared taxis (Peugeots) aren't used to seeing independent travellers, and even with a permit it took a while before they would take us to al-Mukalla (first they had to find someone who could read). Buses refused to take me. Maybe i smelled bad?With a history of violent attacks and the thought of needing a military escort may deter some, there is little question that Wadi Hadramaut remains one of the highlights of Yemen. Although the town of Seiyun may not be the region's main draw, it acts like an excellent base to explore the region.
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