The Inertia Travel Guide to Socotra
THE INERTIA TRAVEL GUIDE TO: SOCOTRA
Table of Contents
Overview of Socotra
Essential Travel Information
When to Go
Getting There & Around
Visa & Permits
Regions & Places
Hadibo
Northeast Socotra
Northwest Socotra
Central Socotra & the Hajhir Mountains
Southern Socotra
Outlying Islands
Safety & Security
Communications
Budgeting & How to Travel to Socotra
Sample Itineraries
Dragons Blood Trees in a verdant forest deep in the Hajhir Mountains during the rainy monsoon season.
OVERVIEW OF SOCOTRA
In 2015 Yemen’s civil war severed this remote Arabian island’s air link to the outside world. However, with the easing of tensions, flights have quietly resumed, opening up this ecological eden to visitors once again.
Socotra is located in the Indian Ocean, and is closer to Somalia than to Mainland Yemen, having broken off from the Arabian Peninsula some 80 million years ago. This isolation allowed Socotra to develop some of the most unique plant life on the planet; over thirty percent of the island’s plant species are endemic and found nowhere else on Earth.
The island has a total population of around 70,000 people, and they speak their own Socotri language. Apart from the main town of Hadibo, there exists little infrastructure on the island and visitors will spend most of their nights camping in the mountains and on desolate beaches. Socotra is a remarkable destination for camping, exploring, hiking, and immersing oneself in a natural world like no other.
ESSENTIALS
When to Go
Timing your visit to Socotra is important, as the island has two distinct monsoons— the windy monsoon from June through early September, and the rainy monsoon from November to early January.
The windy monsoon makes visits particularly unpleasant, as high winds cause sand and dust to cloud the air, disrupting the landscape and making hiking unattractive. Additionally, temperatures during the windy monsoon are hot.
The rainy monsoon in unpredictable, as downpours can occur causing Socotra’s fragile roads to become impassable. December sees the bulk of rainfall in Socotra, but October, November and January can see storms as well.
One benefit to risking travel during the rainy monsoon is the absolute beauty of the trees, flush with green leaves. October and early November are excellent times to visit if you don’t mind taking the risk of a few potentially heavy rainy days, and the weather is excellent for trekking trips in Socotra’s Hajhir Mountains. Oceanic activities like snorkelling and diving are not great in the rainy monsoon period, as the swells are much larger and the water is cloudy.
The best time to visit Socotra is between February and May— weather is generally pleasant and temperatures are not too hot, while the water is calm and clear. The only drawback is that the dryness of this season can result in quite a bit of haze and arid conditions, especially as the months proceed towards May. January and February are best if you want to see the majority of flower blooms on the island.
A boy from Homhil.
Dragon’s Blood Trees and Bottle Trees at Homhil.
Boarding the Yemenia flight to Socotra in Seiyun Airport.
Getting There
By Air
Yemenia’s once weekly flight 607 / 606 from Cairo to Seiyun to Socotra and back is the only reliable way onto the island. This flight leaves very late Sunday night (02:00), travelling from Cairo to Aden, and continuing on to Mukalla and Socotra on Monday morning, before flying back to Aden and then continuing back to Cairo on Monday afternoon. This means that one can spend one or two weeks (or more) in Socotra without much difficulty and enjoy a reliable way of getting to and from the island.
A humanitarian charter flight by Emirates Aviation Services that operates as a tourist flight is also available on Tuesdays from mid-September until mid May. It flies from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday mornings, direct to Socotra, and returns the same day in the afternoon. Tickets sell out fast and are rather complicated to reserve. If you’d like to go this route you should book your travel at least 5 months in advance.
It is also possible, albeit difficult and subject to ever-changing permissions in Mainland Yemen, for foreigners to travel overland to Mukalla from Oman and catch the domestic leg of the flight from Al-Riyan Airport to Socotra. If you are interested in visiting Mainland Yemen, see our Inertia Guide to South Yemen for more detailed information.
Socotra International Airport is a designated Port of Entry to the Republic of Yemen, and immigration and customs facilities are available at the airport. Passengers arriving from Cairo clear Yemeni immigration and customs formalities in Aden however. While those flying on the charter from Abu Dhabi clear customs and immigration in Socotra.
You can find more info on this flight, how much it costs, and how to book tickets here.
Standard economy round-trip tickets from Cairo to Socotra cost between $950-$1250 plus bank transfer fees. For business class, add about $350 to the base fare. Round trip tickets between Mukalla and Socotra cost about $350. Prices change often and tickets cannot be booked online; flights regularly sellout about 2-3 months in advance. For the Abu Dhabi to Socotra, round trip flights cost about $860 USD not including money transfer and booking fees. This flight is generally reliable; however, it has stranded tourists on the island for 2-3 weeks in both 2020 and 2021 due to cancellations.
By Ship
There is an irregular supply “cement” ship that travels to Socotra from the Port of Salalah, Oman more or less weekly during the peak season (October to May). The journey cannot accurately be arranged in advance and it takes between 3-7 days depending on ocean and docking conditions to reach Socotra from Salalah.
There is no food available on the boat and after meeting a Japanese traveller who took the boat in 2019, it was described as “roach infested”. Locals take occasional Qat and produce boats to the Yemeni port city of Al Mukalla, but these are also irregular and unreliable.
Getting Around
Since Socotra is an island with a relatively small population, there are limited ways to get around the island. The easiest and most effective is to hire a 4-wheel drive truck with a driver in Hadibo. There are several paved roads on the island, including a decent road that hugs the entire north coast, and 3 roads that cross through the centre of the island. Additionally, there are gravel, dirt and sand roads and trails throughout the island linking up some of the smaller bedouin communities.
Occasional public buses run in Socotra, especially between Hadibo and Qalansiah on the north coast of the island, as well as to Hadibo Airport. Besides that, public transportation is non-existent.
Hiking and camel trekking are popular activities on the island for travellers.
Visas and Permits
A Yemeni visa is required for nearly all nationalities wishing to visit Socotra. Given the turmoil in Mainland Yemen, the Yemeni government is currently not issuing any tourist visas directly at their embassies. Do not fret, there’s a work around.
Since Socotra has a somewhat special situation within Yemen, the Yemeni government backed by the coalition (Saudi Arabia and the UAE) have allowed tourism to continue on Socotra in the form of allowing Socotri travel companies to obtain visas from the Governor’s Office in Socotra.
In order to obtain a visa for the purpose of travelling to Socotra as a tourist, one must book a trip on the island via a local operator (Inertia members can benefit through our partners on the island), send in their passport photocopy to their host in Socotra, and wait about 1 week to obtain their visa through the Yemeni Ministry of the Interior’s Immigration Department in Socotra.
Once issued, the visa is on a separate piece of paper and is not a sticker placed in your passport. You have to print out two copies of your visa— one will be collected by the airline and the other is to be presented when you arrive in Yemen. For those flying from Cairo, a proper Yemeni visa will be stamped into your passport at Aden airport. For those arriving from Abu Dhabi, you will not receive a visa in your passport, but you may ask for an arrival and departure stamp.
Boycott of Israel
Yemen is one of several Arab League countries that takes part in the boycott of travel to Israel. If there is any evidence of travel to Israel— including Israeli visas, passport stamps, arrival/departure cards, or Egyptian or Jordanian stamps issued on a border with Israel, you may be deported from Yemen. There is a security check in Seiyun and a Yemeni official may look through your passport for evidence of travel to Israel.
If you have travelled to Israel and there is any proof of that visit, you will either need to obtain a new passport or ask your government to issue you a duplicate passport (available by application only for Canadians and Americans, as well as many EU citizens).
A Yemen visa issued for “work” in Socotra.
A Socotri bedouin woman looks on from on top of the Firhmin Forest in central Socotra.
REGIONS
Hadibo
With around 7,000-10,000 inhabitants, Hadibo is the largest “city” on Socotra and is one of the only places on the island that enjoys such conveniences like hot running water, flushable toilets, stable electricity, cell phone signal, and the occasional slow wifi. Socotra’s only hotels are in the city (the best being the Summerlands Hotel $75-$140 a night), as is most of the commerce. The Hajhir (Haggier) Mountains form the backdrop to the town, but the amount of plastic litter and garbage on the streets is off-putting.
Many items from the mainland and neighbouring countries can be found in the city’s bustling souq, making Hadibo an interesting stop to see a bit of local life, as well as purchase any last minute items needed for your trip. Traditional Yemeni clothing is also widely available in the market. Hadibo is also a place where you can change US Dollars into Yemeni Rial and sit down for a meal at a restaurant. The local fish market is a colourful place to visit as well in the early morning.
Otherwise, Hadibo is an unattractive city full of garbage, plastic waste and goats roaming wild on the streets.
Hadibo street scene
Hadibo street fruit and vegetable market
Northeast Socotra
The northeast of Socotra is stunning. There are soft white sand beaches, coral reefs, rocky shorelines, valleys and plateaus, as well as one of the island’s most impressive cave systems. Highlights of the northeast part of Socotra include:
Arher Beach— a stunning white sand beach where massive sand dunes have formed against the granite cliffs above the shoreline, good place to spot bioluminescence in the evenings, and a fresh water creek meets the sea here.
Homhil Protected Area— home to probably the second densest population of Dragon’s Blood Trees in Socotra, this valley is stunning and full of a diversity of plant life, not to mention an incredible natural infinity pool for swimming.
Momi Plateau— located just above Homhil, this stunning plateau is home to Frankincense trees, cucumber trees, bottle trees and sweeping views.
Hoq Cave— easily one of the most impressive features on Socotra, Hoq cave can rival many in terms of size and sheer amount of unique rock formations. The cave is at least 3kms deep and the first 2kms can be explored on foot with a strong torch flashlight or headlamp.
Rosh Marine Protected Area— great spot for diving or snorkelling amongst Socotra’s reefs and marine life. Also a nice white sand beach for camping and picnics.
Dihamri Marine Protected Area— great spot for diving or snorkelling amongst Socotra’s reefs and marine life, with a small dive shop with gear rentals set up nearby.
Ras Irisseyl— the easternmost point of Socotra, where the Indian Ocean meets the Arabian Sea and home to a quaint fishing village.
Crab City— near Ras Irisseyl, this beach is home to thousands of sand crabs who build small castle like structures above their holes during low tide. A fascinating place to visit and observe.
Homhil Protected Area
Hoq Cave entrance
Northwest Socotra
Socotra’s northwest features stunning beaches and lagoons, loads of marine life, and the island’s “second city” of Qalansiah. Highlights of the northwest include:
Detwah Lagoon— a stunning bright white sandy tongue stretches out from behind Qalansiah into the turquoise Arabian Sea, while a blue lagoon forms behind it, making Detwah one of the most beautiful parts of Socotra. Excellent for swimming as well as exploring marine life in the lagoon.
Qalansiah— Socotra’s “second city” is home to narrow streets and a popular fishing port with colourful boats and friendly locals.
Shu’ab— this remote part of Socotra’s west coast is only accessible by boat or by hiking. Shu’ab Beach is a beautiful white sand beach, and nearby there are plenty of amazing reefs to explore the marine life— large pods of spinner dolphins may be found here as well.
Detwah Lagoon
Northwest Socotra
Socotra’s northwest features stunning beaches and lagoons, loads of marine life, and the island’s “second city” of Qalansiah. Highlights of the northwest include:
Detwah Lagoon— a stunning bright white sandy tongue stretches out from behind Qalansiah into the turquoise Arabian Sea, while a blue lagoon forms behind it, making Detwah one of the most beautiful parts of Socotra. Excellent for swimming as well as exploring marine life in the lagoon.
Qalansiah— Socotra’s “second city” is home to narrow streets and a popular fishing port with colourful boats and friendly locals.
Shu’ab— this remote part of Socotra’s west coast is only accessible by boat or by hiking. Shu’ab Beach is a beautiful white sand beach, and nearby there are plenty of amazing reefs to explore the marine life— large pods of spinner dolphins may be found here as well.
Socotri Bedouin man takes a rest in the Firhmin Forest
Central Socotra
Home to the Haggier Mountains, central Socotra boasts deep wadis, rocky peaks, stunning plateaus and a plethora of unique plant and wildlife. Some of the highlights include:
Diksam— this stunning plateau is located near the geographic centre of Socotra and is home to Dragon’s Blood Trees, local bedouins, a Dragon’s Blood Tree nursery, and stunning views into the Durhur Canyon.
Firhmin— this forest just on the opposite side of the canyon from Diksam has the highest concentration of Dragon’s Blood Trees on the entire island (and thus in the entire world). It’s a spectacular place for exploring.
Hajhir (Haggier) Mountains— these rocky mountains lie just to the south of Hadibo and rise some 1,500 metres from the sea, creating their own weather patterns and providing much of the moisture needed for Socotra’s unique flora to survive. Camel hikes and treks through the mountains is a great way to experience this unique region populated mainly by Socotri Bedouins. The best hikes take 6 days and reach Skand Valley.
Durhur— this canyon near Diksam is surrounded by walls 700 metres high and boasts a unique ecosystem.
Zaheq Sand Dunes
Climbing the sand dunes
A fisherman’s boat off the shore of Shu’ab in western Socotra.
Outlying Islands
To the southwest of Socotra’s main island, there are several smaller islands, of which one is in fact inhabited. To reach these far off islands, you’ll have to plan way in advance and charter a large fishing vessel capable of making the 105km trip over there. It’s possible to do, and we’ve organized this trip before.
Abd al Kuri— Described by a German rescue officer in 2006 as “A hellish place, where time stands still, and one can feel completely alone in the world.” This remote off-shore desert island is part of the Socotra Archipelago and is almost never visited by anyone. However, it is populated and has a main village called Kilmia where people are dependent on fishing, as the island is not suitable for agriculture nor much animal husbandry. Abd al Kuri also has its own endemic species of plants, reptiles and birds, as well as mountain peaks reaching 700 metres in height.
Samha and Darsa Islands— not much is known about these small uninhabited islands to the south of Socotra, but with a private charter it is possible to visit them and see what’s there.
SAFETY & SECURITY
Yemen and the War
The reality of the situation is actually quite straightforward. Socotra is conflict free. The war never came close to spreading to the island. Socotra is quite autonomous from Mainland Yemen, and it has been for some time. It has its own culture and language, a small population, and a lot of untamed nature.
This is not to say there have not been repercussions for the island due to the conflict in the mainland; it just means that these repercussions have not affected individual safety on the island. After the war broke out, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia established a coalition force in the country, with the UAE largely in control of Aden and the Island of Socotra through the Southern Transitional Council. There’s a small UAE military base on the island, as well as a Saudi one, while most day to day security operations have been returned to the Yemeni government and military.
The other major issue caused by the war in the mainland relates to transportation— Socotra used to benefit from regularly scheduled commercial flights on Yemenia and Felix Airways from Sana’a, Al Mukalla and Dubai. These all ceased operations in early 2015 as the war raged on in the mainland, essentially severing Socotra’s connections with the outside world. Local shipping boats continued moving people and goods between Socotra and Al Mukalla on the Yemeni mainland, and an occasional rat-infested cement ship makes the four-day trip over to the island from Salalah. The war lead to severe price inflation, an unstable Yemeni Rial, and a loss of transportation options for locals, let alone tourists.
General Safety
Safety on the island has more to do with making sure you stay hydrated, prevent food-born illness, and take care while trekking and hiking, as many of the rocks and mountains on Socotra are sharp and jagged. Carrying a personal first aid kit is highly recommended.
Jellyfish stings are also a problem while swimming, so do take care to look out for bright blue, circular looking jellyfish near the beaches and while swimming in the ocean.
Locals are generally friendly and quite reserved. Conservative dress is expected when travelling in cities and towns— women especially should have their legs, torso, shoulders and hair covered while in Hadibo or any other settlement in Socotra. When hiking and camping, this is not so important.
COMMUNICATIONS & MONEY
Phones, Internet and Post
A slow 3G mobile network is available on Socotra and many major international phone service providers can connect to the local network. As of writing (April 2019), SIM cards are not available for foreigners to purchase on Socotra— only in Mainland Yemen (wth Yemen Mobile only) or in Dubai.
Internet is practically non-existent on the island, but you may check email and use messaging services on the Socotra 3G network when you have signal (available around most of the major towns). The Summerlands Hotel has wifi. It’s slow, but it works.
Due to the war in Yemen and the lack of transportation options, the postal system is currently not operating in Socotra.
Money, Exchange and ATMs
For all personal expenses, bring USD cash to the island-- you can change it on the black market once in Hadibo or in Mainland Yemen. The official exchange rate is no longer useful nor accurate, as the Rial is “pegged” at 250 per USD but may be exchanged for between 800 and 400 Rial on the black market, depending on the day (as of February 2020 the exchange rate is around 650 Rial to the US Dollar). Due to the ongoing conflict in Mainland Yemen, the rates fluctuate heavily and are not stable.
There are no ATMs on the island and credit cards aren’t accepted anywhere, so you must carry cash. Western Union and Money Gram are available in Hadibo with a limit of $2,000 per month cash withdrawal.
A lone goat rests on top of a rock overlooking the cayons of Diksam Plateau.
HOW TO VISIT & BUDGETING
There are numerous local and foreign tourism providers offering trips to Socotra. We’re here to give you the facts and show you your best options.
Local Trips (independent travel with a guide and car)
If you’d like to travel independently with a local operator, we suggest using our partners on the island Socotra Eco Tours. We’ve worked with them for the past two years and they have been excellent.
For local tourism prices you can expect the following:
Ground costs (rough camping) per person: $120~160 per person per day (minimum 2 people). This includes camping, basic meals, guide, 4wd vehicle, and driver.
Yemeni visa: $200
Camel rental (if trekking): $100-$200 per person
Tips for local guides: $100-$200 per person
Nightly hotel rate at the Summerlands Hotel: $80 / $150 (sharing/single)
Single supplement on ground costs (if travelling solo, i.e. 1 person group): $950 extra
Anticipated personal spending (additional food, shopping): $50-$100
Dragon’s Nest glamping bell tent and mattress/blanket/sheets/pillow rental: $120 per unit per day.
To book the Yemenia flight from Cairo or Seiyun, you will have to go through their office in Cairo or Kuwait City. Inertia members are able to access this information from their membership document.
Ticket prices (subject to change) are listed below. The earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets tend to be.
Cairo-Socotra-Cairo: $950~$1250 plus bank fees
Mukalla-Socotra-Mukalla: $300~$400 plus bank fees
Abu Dhabi-Socotra-Abu Dhabi: $860 plus bank fees
Specialized Expedition Trips
Not to just tout our own horn, but we like to experiment and consider ourselves pretty knowledgable about Socotra, its ecology and some of the hidden gems on the island.
If you’re interested in a guided trip with experts and itineraries that are very different from the norm, as well as glamping options, check out our Socotra page. We are organizing unique trekking programs to unfound places in the Hajhir Mountains, cycling programs, and a boat expedition to Socotra’s outlying islands like Abd al Kuri.
These kind of trips are highly specialized and unique, so if you are interested in joining one of these expeditions or creating one for your group, check out our Socotra page.
