Balhaf
Balhaf is an industrial port town and an oasis in an area of coastal dunes in the Burum Coastal Area of Yemen. It has palm trees and white sand, which gives way to fields of black lava and to the fishing port of Bir-Ali. Qana, a major point of departure of the Route I'Encens, was the main port of the ancient kingdom of Hadhramaut, and is dominated by a hill, Husn al-Ghurab, or remains of the ancient vestiges. A I'écart is located on an extinct volcano, a crater lake with turquoise waters. The "Corniche" road leads to the coastal port of Burum. Burum, a typical fishing port, is an old village surrounded by a gypsum kilns. Close by, one can see the large bay of Mukalla, whose wetlands are populated by migrant birds from India or Africa.[1]
Location
Balhaf belongs to Shabwa of Yemen, located about 150 km from Al Mukalla-the capital of Hadhramaut (48.1802°E 13.9854°N).
World Heritage status
This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on 08/07/2002, in the mixed (cultural and natural) category.
Importance
Balhaf is now considered one of the main ports of Yemen, particularly after the success of Yemen LNG project for constructing a liquefied natural gas in 2006.
Notes
References
[] Accessed 24-02-2009.
External links
Coordinates: 13°58′N 48°11′E / 13.967°N 48.183°E