[31 July 2004] The capital of Hadhramout governorate and one of Yemen's important ports on the Arabian Sea.
Mukalla became the capital of the Qua'iti Sultanate in 1877, which flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The city characterized by the architectural style of coastal cities which lie on the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea such as Aqaba, Jeddah, Makha Hodeidah, Luhayya, and Aden. All these cities lost their original style which may now be seen only in the old downtown of Mukalla city. It is a style combining the features of Arabian, and southeast Asian architecture.

Mukalla Prominent Features:
Ma'een Palace, it was built by Sultan Omar Bin Awadh Qu'aiti. Mukalla Archeological Museum now occupies a part of this palace.

Ghuwaizi Fort, built at the entrance of the city as a guard post.

Ghail Bawazeer , located about 35km to the south of Mukalla, it is a fertile spring-fed agricultural area that grows tobacco, Date palms, henna, and coconut.From here comes Ghaili tobacco, which is considered the finest tobacco in Yemen.

The Resthouse of the Qu'aiti Sultan, now called Ghail Tourist ,Rest house, is open for visitors.

Ayn Al-Houma , located near Ghail Bawazeer, it is the source of water irrigating Ghail farms. This rocky pit 12 meters deep and 30 meters across is said to have been made by a meteorite. Two canals are carved out of this pit. Each canal is a few feet wide.
One canal is 5km long, the other is 2km long.

The water level at Houma subsided below the level of the shorter canal that flowed to Qara village. Carving of the two canals in this rocky land is a great effort similar to the construction of dams, ditches,and water reservoirs in various parts of Yemen.