Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Butting outward and upward into the pancake flat Tihama, Jabal Bura (2271m) is where
the Haraz Mountains give a final mighty push toward the Red Sea and the result is little
short of spectacular.
Calling Jabal Bura a single mountain is misleading; instead it's a massif comprising
several peaks and valleys. The attractions for visitors are two fold; the lush, forested area
around the Wadi Rayjaf forms the
Jabal Bura Protected Area
( 6am-6pm)
, which is the closest
mainland Yemen comes to a national park. For Arabia the wadi is shockingly green with
water flowing down it year round, ponds full of croaking frogs and a real life genuine
forest of trees (remember those?). Plenty of exciting birdlife calls the wadi home as do zil-
lions of gaudy-winged butterflies and troops of hamadryas baboons. Signed walking trails
of various lengths lead off from the road, but come early in the morning or late in the day
if you want to see any wildlife. You'll need your own transport to access this part of the
mountains.
The second drawcard for visitors is the
trekking
and stupendous views found much high-
er up the mountain slopes. Trekking around these parts is still very much in its infancy
and most people organise their trek through a Sana'a tour company. The best base for
trekking always used to be
Al-Memkab village
. Pick-ups run here from Bajil a couple of
times a day. The road up the mountain to Al-Memkab is such a terrifying swirl of switch-
backs that it has been known to reduce people to tears! On reaching the village, and wip-
ing away tears of fear, you'll be greeted by a view that's so extraordinary it'll probably re-
duce you back to tears.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Beit al-Faqih
For much of the week Beit al-Faqih lies as dormant and quiet as a winter seed, but come
past early on a Friday morning and you'll think spring has sprung in the most outrageous
manner possible. This is because each Friday every villager, trader and farmer from miles
around turns up to be a part of the biggest, brightest and boldest weekly
market
in Yemen.
For the average rural Yemeni, daily life revolves around a series of weekly markets -
they're places to stock up on supplies, catch up on gossip, seal a deal and have a bit of
fun. This is especially true in Tihama, which has taken the system of nomadic weekly
markets to heart. As a sight it's spectacular and as an experience unforgettable. A morning
here spent bartering over spices, clay pots and even goats and camels will certainly be a
highlight of any Yemeni adventure.
The famous market was first established in the early 18th century, when it served as a
coffee exchange, attracting merchants and traders from India, Morocco, Egypt, Iran, Con-
