About
Lawdar is a town in Abyan Governorate, in southern Yemen. It sits in the country's south-west of Asia and works as a commercial meeting point between the coast and the inland regions, so much of its character comes from the traffic of goods and people passing through it.
What a visit feels like
The town's local markets are its centre of life. Visitors who enjoy wandering through working markets will find a steady, lively rhythm here, with trade carried on much as it has been in the region for generations. The atmosphere is traditionally Yemeni, and the everyday scenes of rural and small-town life are the main reason to come.
Around the town
Lawdar is surrounded by mountainous country, and the landscape is a large part of the setting. Those who step out beyond the town can see how the terrain shapes the way people live and move about the area. Because the town is a link between coastal and inland districts, it also makes a useful point from which to understand the wider geography of southern Yemen.
Before you go
- Expect a traditional, working town rather than a place built around tourism.
- Plan for the markets, which are the natural focus of time spent in the town.
- Allow room in your plans for the surrounding mountain scenery.