News
Yemen – Beyond the Headlines
Yemen - categorically NOT the world's most dangerous place.
Bradt’s Nick Redmayne first travelled to Yemen in 2008. He returned from his latest visit last month and shares a perspective at odds with that of prevailing news media.
Yemen – ‘a crucible of global terror’ or ‘the world’s next failed state’: neither of these headlines are likely to front Yemen’s next big tourism campaign, unless that is, someone has profound faith in reverse psychology. Based on an aggregation of media reports it seems that Yemen’s normally smouldering blue touch paper has been yanked into nuclear age, gone critical and now lies on the verge of meltdown. The advice all round seems to be stand well clear and watch proceedings through the bullet-proof glass of a TV screen.
However, having visited the country a couple of weeks ago for the third time in as many years, I’d hazard that Yemen is very far from becoming a failed state and that much of the prevailing instability is hardly breaking news. Over the years, the Ottomans, the British, the Egyptians, the Saudis and the Soviets have all had their unwashed fingers in Yemen’s bowl of saltah. Hardly surprising, then, that with a history of so many foreign powers manoeuvring for advantage, political cohesion in unified Yemen is still struggling to find a firm foothold.
Given the country’s strong tribal allegiances, mountainous terrain and limited governmental resources it’s also quite easy to see how a pragmatic reliance on one’s own neighbours would seem a better bet than to trust action to a distant bureaucracy in Sana’a. This is, of course, the ideal habitat for maintenance of an insurgency, and the nihilist activities of al-Qaeda have found and exploited this fertile ground with ease.
That said, Yemen’s home-grown al-Houthi conflict in the north and the violent actions of disaffected southern secessionists are separate problems. The only group that benefits from both sources of strife is al-Qaeda, as the separate and distant fronts keep government security forces from concentrating their actions solely on these fundamentalist foot soldiers.
Most observers agree that political solutions to the northern and southern insurgencies will go a considerable way towards denying ‘al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’ a safe haven on Yemeni soil. Until that happens Yemen will continue to court the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Incredible though it may sound, and despite attacks on British diplomats, current visitors to Yemen are able to wander the capital without hindrance. Common sense advice about keeping a low profile and avoiding sensitive areas still prevails. Beyond Sana’a, travels to Hadhramawt province, Seiyun, Tarim, the desert city of Shibam and Al Mukalla on the coast will attract armed guards, but are still perfectly achievable and not feats of derring-do. Heading west, travel to Ta’iz, Ibb, Jiblah and Hudaydah is unaffected by any new security concerns.
Yemen is certainly not a leisure destination for those of a nervous disposition, but it is categorically NOT ‘the world’s most dangerous place’ even for Daily Mail readers. Travellers need to maintain awareness and understand that whilst others may be concerned for their safety, the final responsibility rests 100% with them. With that caveat, adventurous visitors can look forward to a genuine welcome, a country of remarkable landscapes, and an authentic Arabian experience that’s fast disappearing under layers of gilt, mirror glass and steel elsewhere in the Middle East.
Nick Redmayne last visited Yemen in October 2010.
Bradt publishes Yemen by Daniel McLaughlin, the country’s only dedicated guide in English. Click here for more details…
New Titles
Bahia – The heart of Brazil’s northeast, by Alex Robinson
Brazilian news of late has centred on the country’s outgoing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In a remarkable turn of events ‘Lula’, as he has become affectionately known, oversaw Brazil’s once chaotic economy grow to become the world’s 8th largest. His socialist policies have lifted upwards of 20 million Brazilians from poverty, whilst vitally maintaining the confidence of domestic and foreign investors. Lula’s swan song has been the awarding of both the 2014 Football World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games to Brazil. Bradt’s new guide focuses on Brazil’s north-eastern state of Bahia, centred around regional capital Salvador. As author Alex Robinson says, ‘It has long been a mystery to me that whilst the world tramps around Asia, the Caribbean and Australia in search of a great undiscovered exotic location Bahia remains almost completely undiscovered. At least to foreigners. Brazilians have long known it to be one of the world’s special places: Bahia is famous throughout the country for its 1,200km of white-pepper-fine, palm-shaded sand, for its magnificent Baroque architecture and its rich and vibrant African-Brazilian culture.’ Alex’s guide describes colourful Portuguese mansions and crumbling gilt-covered churches, the mesmerising capoeira martial arts dance, the sweeping dunes of Mangue Seco, cacophonous parrot-filled rainforests, and the rugged highlands of the Chapada Diamantina. Along with these highlights the guide features some of the best wildlife in the Americas together with the Salvador Carnaval, the biggest and liveliest such celebration in Latin America. More…
Cross-Channel France – Nord-Pas de Calais: The Land Beyond the Ports, by John Ruler
The part of France only an hour or so from Kent is often overlooked, written off as foggy and flat by those too eagerly hoovered up by the blue peage signs. However, Bradt author John Ruler maintains Nord-Pas de Calais is ‘one of the country’s best bits’ and cites the seaside town of Le Touquet and the bucolic hideaway of Avesnois to support his claim. Covering Calais, Dunkirk, Boulogne, Arras, St-Omer, Douai, Cambrai and Lille, John certainly puts a different complexion on an area of France that for many has simply been a place to stock up on cheap booze. Chapters describe an enduring sore point in Anglo-French history at Agincourt; beautiful landscapes; bizarre traditions – a procession (not processing, Bernard!) of turkeys; along with the excellent cuisine, stinky cheeses, horseriding and golf. Designed for day-trippers and tourers alike, Cross Channel France tells us all what we should really have known already. More…
Kenya Highlights, by Philip Briggs
Philip Briggs lives and breathes Africa, and the collected wisdom of his years of research finds new focus on well-trodden ground with the publication of Kenya Highlights. Though East Africa, and Kenya in particular, pioneered the holiday safari its game parks still offer some of the continent’s best wildlife experiences, combined with professionally-run game conservancies and safari lodges. In his new guide Philip offers a personal selection of Kenya’s attractions – from the south’s must-see national parks to making the most of a Nairobi stopover, and surprisingly little-known sights along Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast. Kenya Highlights provides full background information, including a chapter on safari planning, detailed sections on wildlife, history and people, together with considered suggestions for lodge and camp accommodation chosen in conjunction with leading tour operators. Targeted at those looking to avoid pitfalls on their first safari holiday, Kenya Highlights also makes intelligent suggestions on ways visitors can add value to their wildlife journeys, something that first-timers and old hands alike will find useful. More…
New Editions
Kosovo – Edition 2, by Gail Warrander and Verena Knaus
71 UN member states now recognise independent Kosovo, a 90% ethnic Albanian former Serbian province at the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, and this second edition of Bradt’s pioneering guide continues to chart the country’s development travails. British Ambassador to Kosovo Andy Sparkes comments, ‘Bradt’s Kosovo has proved an invaluable guide throughout my time in this beautiful and welcoming country. Readable, knowledgeable and practical, it has opened the door for tourism in the newest state in the world.’ It’s still the case that few genuine tourists visit Kosovo, UN and NGO workers topping the bill amongst foreign visitors, but those intrepid few who do travel will find their curiosity richly rewarded. Written by Prishtina residents Gail Warrander and Verena Knaus, Kosovo describes a capital city that has proved an unlikely magnet for superlative restaurants and a burgeoning café culture like no other. Later chapters strike out to hike amongst the country’s bracing saw-toothed mountains. Elsewhere, the country’s uneasy terrain at the tidal fringes of Orthodox Christianity and Islam is explored, along with less intellectually worthy pursuits such as skiing and sampling eye-watering raki. More…
Oman – Edition 2, by Diana Darke
Change in Oman has been dramatic. In her introduction Diana Darke recounts the dramatic transformation that has overtaken Oman of late: ‘…when Sultan Qaboos took over in 1970 there were only 5km of surfaced roads, three schools (all primary, and all for boys only), one hospital (run by American missionaries), no police force, newspapers, radio or television stations, the scene today is incredible.’ Do not, however, think this means Oman is vying to outshine the UAE’s dubious glitz. Though the desert trials of a Bedu lifestyle beloved of Wilfred Thesiger may have been mitigated, the country has been slow to embrace tourism, preferring to preserve traditional culture and heritage, aspects of Omani life that are valued highly but cost little. Certainly, travellers are invited to enjoy the modern capital of Muscat, but Bradt’s guide points the way to Oman’s real wealth amongst the Wahiba Sands of the Bedu, in the lush monsoon-fed wadis of Salalah, high up beyond the neat, green terraces of mountain villages and off the coast exploring the reef-fringed Daymaniyat Islands. Fully updated, this is the essential guide to the real Oman. More…
Kenya Highlights is the first in a new, full-colour series from Bradt that is written for those on organised tours. Its approach is unique, bringing together the country expertise of the world’s leading Africa guidebook writer and the accommodation expertise of the UK’s top tour operators. Its aim is both to help readers with pre-departure planning – to assist them in deciding what they want from their safari and therefore what they should be asking of their chosen tour operator – and to provide an informative companion to take on the trip itself. Philip Briggs lives and breathes Africa, and the collected wisdom of his years of research finds new focus on well-trodden ground in this book. He offers a personal selection of Kenya’s best attractions – from the south’s must-see national parks to making the most of a Nairobi stopover, and surprisingly little-known sights along Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast. There’s a chapter on safari planning, detailed sections on wildlife, history and people, and considered suggestions for lodge and camp accommodation by six leading tour operators. Targeted at those aiming to avoid pitfalls when organising their safari holiday, Kenya Highlights also makes intelligent suggestions on ways visitors can add value to their wildlife journeys, something that first-timers and old hands alike will find useful.
