Aden
A port city built inside an extinct volcanic crater on the southern coast.
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Aden is built around and inside the crater of an extinct volcano on a peninsula that makes one of the best natural harbours anywhere, which is why it has been a port for two thousand years and why the British took it in 1839 and ran it as a coaling station on the route to India. The old quarter, Crater, sits inside the volcanic bowl with the rim rising around it, and the harbour spreads west.
What you actually see
- The Crater quarter - the old town inside the volcanic bowl.
- The natural harbour - the anchorage the city's whole history rests on.
- The volcanic rim - the ridge enclosing the old quarter.
- The colonial fabric - the buildings from the coaling station period.
When to go
November to March is the cool season. Summer in Aden is extremely hot and humid. Rain is rare in any month.
Honest expectations
Much of the city's historic fabric is in poor repair. Facilities for visitors are very limited. Access to mainland Yemen requires arrangements made well in advance.
Nearby
The Cisterns of Tawila are in Crater, and Bir Ali is east.
What to pack for Aden
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.