Kawkaban is a small village to the west of Sana'a, Yemen.

Get in

Kawkaban is accessible by road from Shibam. The road climbs a steep hill and is (mostly) covered, although the road to Shibam from Sana'a tends not to be. It is also possible to walk from Shibam to Kawkaban and the view makes this a good option.

Get around

See

The view from the cliffs on which Kawkaban is built is quite striking, particularly if it's reached by foot from Shibam.

Do

Buy

Visitors to Kawkaban will be surrounded by local souvenir-sellers the instant they get out of their cars. The favoured means of showing wares is to have them in wheelbarrows, and it is not unusual for travellers to find themselves effectively pinned against a wall or a vehicle by several of these. Additionally, be prepared for the more cynical ploys of developing-world souvenir sellers (many of which are not found elsewhere in Yemen) - particularly young boys with crippling disabilities.
Haggling is most definitely advisable here, as the proliferation of tourists from Sana'a has meant that prices are routinely higher than anywhere else in the region. That said, many of the semi-precious stones in jewelry sold here will in fact prove to be the real thing.

Eat

Funduq Kawkaban offers tourists a great traditional meal that is definitely worth the high price (between 700-100 riyal). The Taj Kawkaban hotel tends to rip you off and the food isn't fantastic.

Drink

Sleep

Get out