If you would like to visit a place that not only has lots of historical value, but is also a naturally beautiful land, try The Country Of Yemen. Many tourist destinations fall into the trap of catering their culture and cities to the tourists, places like Yemen that are off the beaten path can be wonderful to visit. Here you can experience culture at its finest. However, keep in mind that if you intend to travel internationally, you will need a passport. If you are in a hurry, your best bet is to fill out a U.S. passport application form online.
Online passport services make getting ready for a trip extremely easy. Online passport expediting services handle all of your passport needs, including a one day United States passport renewal. So if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, or you simply just want to get your passport quicker, visit one of these passport sites.
One of the great things about Yemen is the fact that there are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is a special honor that is given to locations in the world that have significant cultural and historical value. They are always fun to visit and well worth a trip to experience. One of these places in Yemen is the city of Sana’a. This city’s history goes as far back as 2,500 years ago! With such a long history, it comes as no surprise that it was a hub for political, religious, and economic activity. In this city there are 103 mosques, 14 hammams, and over 6,000 houses that were all constructed prior to the 11th century
Another one of these UNESCO sites is Shibah-Hadramout. When you visit this place it will come as no surprise why it is often referred to as “The Manhattan of the Desert”. This city is fortified by a thick exterior wall and demonstrates what is known as vertical construction. While many of the building reach high into the sky, others are constructed out of the side of a cliff! Continuing on with the UNESCO sites, you would also want to visit the town of Zabid. This place is noted for serving as the capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century. It features an Islamic university and marvelous architecture.
The last World Heritage Site is the Socotro Archipelago. Unlike the other sites, this one is famous for it’s natural significance. Known for it’s biodiversity and raw natural beauty, this series of islands and islets has lifeforms that don’t occur anywhere else in the world: 37% of Socotra’s 825 plant species, 90% of its reptile species and 95% of its land snail species are found only on this archipelago. Many different species of land and air birds, marine life, and corals are another facet of the islands’ biodiversity.
Overall, Yemen is a great place to visit. Its certainly not the typical tourist destination, but that just helps to add to its mystique! The fact that its culture remains untouched by tourism is a great thing. However, if you do plan on taking a trip to visit this place, keep in mind that you will need to make sure your passport is up to date. If you don’t have a passport, you can easily find American passport application forms online. If you have one but it is expired, you can apply for one day passport renewal if you are in a rush. Whatever the situation is, just don’t forget to bring a camera with you on your trip!