Bir Ali
A coastal village beside a volcanic crater lagoon, on the site of the ancient port of Qana.
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Bir Ali sits on Yemen's southern coast where a volcanic cone meets the sea, with a crater lagoon behind the beach and black rock against white sand, and just along from it is Husn al-Ghurab, the headland that was Qana, the port through which frankincense from the Hadhramaut was shipped to Egypt, India and Rome. Ruins and inscriptions survive on the headland above the old anchorage.
What you actually see
- The crater lagoon - the volcanic bowl holding water behind the beach.
- The black and white shore - volcanic rock meeting pale sand.
- The Qana site - the ancient frankincense port on the headland.
- The inscriptions - the carved records on the rock above the anchorage.
When to go
October to March is the cool season. Summer on the southern coast is extremely hot and humid. The southwest monsoon affects the sea from June.
Honest expectations
The archaeological site is unexcavated in most of its extent and uninterpreted. There are no facilities at the village. Access to mainland Yemen requires arrangements made well in advance.
Nearby
Mukalla is east, and Aden is west.
What to pack for Bir Ali
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.