Al Mukalla - District of Hadhramaut Governorate, Yemen

Al Mukalla is in the Yemeni Highlands and is eastern Yemen's biggest city, the gateway to the historical Hadhramaut region. A bustling port, it is well developed by Yemeni standards, with good roads and a reasonably smart waterfront.

Understand

Al Mukalla is close to Cane, the ancient Hadrami trading post between India and Africa, with incense producing areas in its hinterland. The city was founded in 1035 as a fishing settlement but remained a small town until recently. While Al Mukalla has fared slightly better during the ongoing Yemeni Civil War, it was held by Al-Qaida between 2015-2016.

Get in

By plane

National carrier Yemenia operates a few domestic flights to Mukalla.

• Riyan Mukalla International Airport (مطار الريان الدولي). IATA: RIY 2023-01-13

Get around

See

The old historic city core, located on a small peninsula, has many small alleyways worth exploring.

• Fort Al-Ghwayzi (حِصْن ٱلْغوَيْزِي). built on the foot of a rock and designed to protect the city from Bedouin attacks, this historic fortresses dates back to 1716 when the sultans of the Emirate of Al-Kassad ruled the Hadhramaut area. 2023-01-13
• Qu'aiti palace museum (قصر السلطان القعيطي). A former royal palace, now turned into a regional museum. 2023-01-13

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Ramada Al Mukalla, 14.5418°, 49.1714°. Arguably the best hotel in the area. It is not in the city centre but is a few km away. It has its own private beach, swimming pool and intermittent internet. All rooms have a sea view. It used to be a Holiday Inn, but has changed to the Ramada brand. Be careful on the beach as it is rocky with sharp objects/sea urchins at low tide. 2023-01-13
• Hadhramaut Hotel, +967 5 302060, +967 5 303441. Has swimming pool. On the eastern side of the city.
• Al Salama Hotel. Cheaper hotel in the old city

Connect

Go next

• Socotra – an island that is a UNESCO world natural heritage site, and very safe (in contrast to the Yemen mainland)