I managed to get to Zabid in March 2007, just before UNESCO gave it a "last chance" to fix itself up. It was in a terrible state of decay but not totally forgotten. There was already a small team of foreign conservationists computer-mapping the entire town to help come up with the best approach to right the ship so to speak. I spent a few hours chatting with them and got my first lesson in conservation and an inkling of understanding that while it might be World Heritage to us, it is just home to the locals and they might be more interested in making a living or just surviving than self-sacrificing to preserve ancient history. There must be some sort of moral/ethical dilemma here. 

I don't remember there being a lot to specifically see and even if it were in a better state there probably wouldn't be much to get very excited about. What I have written in my journal suggests that what I mostly ended up doing was befriending many of the schoolkids who led me rather aimlessly all about town while practicing their English. One of the kids also hooked me up with a place to stay. It ended up being on the top floor of one of the taller buildings, in an open room where local men sat around chewing qat all day before clearing out for me to sleep at night. The views would have been good except every time I went near a window everyone started to freak out because if I looked down I'd be able to see over various family compound walls and just might be able to see a female! I confess to peeking anyway when nobody was looking. The world didn't end...