Wadi Dawan

Wadi Dawan cuts into the Hadhramaut plateau as a broad canyon with sheer walls, and along its sides villages are built of mud brick on ledges and spurs above the palm gardens, whitewashed on their upper courses so they stand out against the rock. The valley is known for its honey, taken from bees that work the sidr trees on the floor and sold at prices that make it among the most expensive in the world.

What you actually see

• The cliff villages - mud-brick settlements built on ledges above the valley floor.
• The whitewashed courses - the upper walls picked out in white against the rock.
• The palm gardens - the cultivation on the wadi floor below.
• The sidr honey - the valley's product, among the most expensive honey anywhere.

When to go

October to March is the cool season. Summer heat in the Hadhramaut is severe. Rain in the wadi is rare but can flood it fast.

Honest expectations

Mud brick needs constant maintenance and many buildings are decaying. Access to mainland Yemen requires arrangements made well in advance through an operator. Facilities in the valley are minimal.

Nearby

Haid al-Jazil is in the valley, and Seiyun is northeast.