Water is scarce in Yemen. In fact, there are no permanent rivers or lakes. That’s why people who live far away from the coast build villages close to seasonal river valleys called wadis.

Such is the case of Haid Al-Jazil, which was built above the valley in order to make the most of these temporary water sources.

Secluded villages like these are often surrounded by vast deserts, making resources limited. Therefore, a little creativity has to be put into building the houses to sustain reasonable livability.

Each house consists of mud bricks with wooden floors that separate one story from another, but while buildings are often thought to be primitive, the structures they manage to build are as innovative as they are sophisticated.

They are also built to last, surviving the often harsh rainy season, which can be a source of flooding in the desert. On top of all that, this village is also built on a giant boulder 150 meters above the valley.

Next time you plan your vacation, keep Yemen in mind.