Explore Socotra - Travel to one of the most undiscovered places!

Socotra is one of the few "undiscovered" places left to travel. A small group of islands off the coast of mainland Yemen, travel to Socotra has been limited during recent years due to the civil unrest the country has faced. Whilst it hasn't directly affected the Socotra, the civil war has significantly affected tourism, with flight restrictions, visa limitations and many international travellers unsure of the safety situation. During 2020, when travel looked set to resume, the global Covid-19 pandemic closed the tourism season.

From 2021, Socotra is fully open for tourism with a small number of locally operated agencies providing access to the island for individuals and small groups. What remains after years of very limited international travel is a destination that hasn't been spoiled by commercial tourism. If you are looking to visit a place with amazing natural landscape, species of trees not found anywhere else in the world and friendly local people with a genuine curiosity towards guests............this is your next trip! Facilities & infrastructure on the island are quite limited - there are very few hotels or restaurants, however this is a huge part of the appeal. Your time there will be spent disconnecting and enjoying the natural beauty of Socotra! 

1. Getting To Socotra:

Whilst travel is now open to Socotra, getting there is still quite restricted. There are now weekly flights direct from Abu Dhabi into the capital Hadibo. At the time of writing, this is essentially teh only access for tourists to visit Socotra. The flight is operated by Air Arabia and bookings can be made online.

The best approach for arranging a trip is to go through a recognised tour operator. Even for those who enjoy solo travel or normally dont join tours, Socotra can be a really difficult location - there isnt any public transport and hiring cars/motor bikes is very limited. There are a small number of hotels in Hadibo, however the places to explore are spread across the island. So arranging your trip with a tour operator is the most convenient way to visit. I went with "Welcome To Socotra", which is operated by 2 awesome Italian travellers.

Welcome To Socotra managed booking flights and arranging tourist Visas (which are required for everyone). They also manage your itinerary, transport, accomodation, food etc for your stay. The Visas are issued by Yemen and whilst the process is tedious, it is now possible to obtain for tourism. 

The Air Arabia flight from Abu Dhabi leaves around 10am in the morning, so you can either transit through Abu Dhabi, stay in Abu Dhabi or drive from Dubai. Note that with Covid protocols in 2021, if you are driving from Dubai, you will need a PCR test to enter Abu Dhabi. You can use the same PCR result to enter Socotra but ensure it is done at a laboratory and has your passport information. When crossing the border into Abu Dhabi you will need to show this result as well as your air ticket as you cannot visit Abu Dhabi from Dubai without quarantine unless you are flying out. 

On arrival in Socotra, you will need to present your passport, visa and Covid PCR result (48 hours). They will also conduct a Covid rapid test at the airport before you are allowed to enter.

Be aware that Yemen is a muslim country, so alcohol is not permitted to be brought in. The border control in Socotra is managed by Saudi Arabia, so as a general rule, if you cant take it to Saudi Arabia, you likely cant take it to Socotra. Whilst local women will for the most part be dressed very conservatively with hair and arms covered, this is not a strict rule for visitors - although moderation is expected, especially in the city Hadibo.