Operating Airlines To Socotra
Air Arabia from Abu Dhabi
The current best option is United Arab Emirates carrier Air Arabia with direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Socotra every Tuesday and some Fridays.
The flight leaves Abu Dhabi at 9 a.m. and arrives in Socotra at 11 a.m. The return flight departs from Socotra at 1 p.m. and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 4 p.m. The round trip costs approximately $930.
You can book this flight directly with our travel agent in the UAE as the flight is not currently available for booking online.
Yemenia Airlines from Cairo
The recently reinstated Yemenia route from Cairo adds another great connection to Socotra.
The flight leaves Cairo on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. (Egypt time) and arrives in Aden, Yemen early the next day, Monday at 03:00 a.m., (Yemeni time). In Aden you will pass through immigration in order to stamp your passport and will show them a copy of your Entry visa. Then you will retrieve your luggage, go to the departure hall to check-in for your Socotra flight, which departs Monday at 7:00 am (Yemeni time).
The return flight is the following Monday and departs Socotra at 9.30 pm and arrives in Aden at 2:15 p.m.. You will then retrieve your luggage, go to the departure hall to register your flight back to Cairo which departs Monday at 6:00 p.m. (Yemeni time) and arrives in Cairo at 08:30 p.m. (Egypt time).
The roundtrip cost is $1170 USD (Cairo → Aden → Socotra and Socotra→ Aden → Cairo ).
Notice – We recommend planning your trip well in advance! There is only a limited number of tickets per week.>
Visa Application to Socotra
All Socotra Island visitors need an advance entry visa which we at Socotra Pioneer Tours will obtain for you. Once you confirm your tour booking please send us a scanned color copy of your passport, valid for at least six months, so we can have your visas processed by the Immigration Passports and Nationality Authority. Visa processing takes 3-5 working days and once it’s processed, we will send you a scanned colored copy of your visa (by email or WhatsApp)., which you will use to board your flight to Socotra. We will meet you at the Socotra airport with the original visa document upon your arrival and have it stamped there which will finalize the visa registration.
Internet & Mobile
Internet may be accessed in a few places in Socotra with an Etisalat SIM card (easily purchased in the Abu Dhabi airport), but the connection is very slow. Our guides are also able to provide hotspots if needed but we suggest that you use this time to get disconnect and truly connect with the unique beauty and majesty of Socotra…
Device Charging
Our remote island has minimal access to electricity and, for the most part, visitors and locals rely on car cigarette-lighters to charge electronics. So, although you will be able to use the charger in tour’s 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser, we suggest you bring an external power bank with you to ensure you can recharge your devices with ease.
What to Wear
The residents of Socotra have become accustomed to seeing tourists and are more easy-going about dress and modesty compared to other Middle Eastern regions, however, being respectfully dressed is always appreciated by the locals. While visiting more remote and smaller villages with less exposure to tourists it is recommended that women cover their knees and past their shoulders with loose-fitting clothes. Headscarves are not required.
What to Bring
The temperatures on Socotra can range from 20-32°C (68-90°F). Throughout your visit to Socotra you will switch between hiking, swimming, driving and camping so layers and light, breathable, and quick-drying materials will be ideal for the transitions between the various activities and weather conditions. Temperatures can drop in the evenings, especially in the mountains, so a light jacket is recommended.
Essentials we recommend you to bring:
- Your passport (valid for at least six months prior to arrival/departure)
- Cash (US Dollars) to buy souvenirs as there is no working ATM on the island
- Camera -Socotra is incredibly picturesque; you’ll want those tangible memorie too!s
- Power adapter (Socotra used Type G)
- 3-4 pairs of shorts.
- 1-2 pairs of pants (one active and one rest/comfy pair)
- At least 1 sweat shirt and light jacket for the evenings
- Hat or scarf for cover from the sun/heat
- Reading material. What's better than a good book on a great beach?
- Trekking Trousers & shoes
- Towel
- Underwear
- Insect Repellent
- Biodegradable Wipes
- Toilet Paper
- Hand Sanitizer
- Reef Safe Sunscreen
- Headlamp and/or flashlight
- Sleeping Bag
Food/Drinks/Refreshments
We at the Socotra Pioneer Tours provide you with three meals a day with the freshest quality regional foods: fish and seafood in coastal areas and fresh meat such as chicken, sheep, and goat in the mountainous areas. We also provide Socotran-grown fruits and vegetables, home-cooked Middle Eastern dishes, freshly laid eggs, homemade pasta, and rice. Tea is a popular drink, served either with mint or milk and coffee is often flavored with spices. Let us know any food requirements, such as vegetarianism or allergies, so that we are prepared for any changes to the menu. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided by professionally trained cooks.
Accommodation
ECO- Wild camping
Most of our itineraries are “ECO- Wild camping “. At night we pitch tents in various spectacular corners of the island while ensuring your journey is as comfortable as possible. We provide you with all the basic and necessary camping amenities: personal tent, mattress, bed sheet, blanket, pillow, and pillowcase. Arabic-style toilets and showers are available at the camping sites, and of course, Gazebo will be built with tables and chairs. At night time, we will build a campfire with carpets and pillows around it to relax and indulge in the unique nature of Socotra.
Hotels
Socotra Island is an Eco-tourism system and is still new to the international tourism market. The hotel accommodation on Socotra is simpler than most you’re probably familiar with buth it’s pretty good and improving yearly.
For the time being, there are five hotels in Socotra; four of them are located in Hadibo, the capital city of Socotra, and one is near Socotra airport in Mori. Three of the hotels are pretty basic (Diamond Hotel, Socotra Hotel, and Taj Socotra Hotel), the fourth hotel, Heathrow, is quite good, and the fifth hotel, Summerland Hotel, is the best hotel in Socotra. The Heathrow hotel has European style and high furniture and a single room costs 100 USD and a double room costs 140 USD per night, both rates including breakfast.
When should you visit Socotra?
The ideal time to visit Socotra is at the end of September after the monsoon season.
September – October
Usually warm and windless. The Island looks fresh and clean after the summer winds. This is a good time for sea-based recreation, diving, sea trips, and trekking.
November
Some episodic rainfalls and storms. Rainwater flows down slopes and come together to form rapid stream flows in Socotra’s canyons.
December – January
” Velvet” season on Socotra, when all the trees of the Island come into leaf. It is the best time for walking and trekking. The northeast breeze creates good conditions for kite-surfing but may rough up the sea and restrain diving activities.
February – March
The most “beautiful” time on Socotra, when Dragon Trees and Desert Roses, trees which look like wine barrels, bloom with flowers, and the sea calms down.
April – May
Gets rather hot (30-34ºC/86-93ºF). The sea is calm and the water is water. It’s a good time for quiet and comfortable private tours.
June-July-August
Strong monsoon winds. As winds blow, the severely dry dirt and dust from the ground begin to blow through the air. In the mountains, the air temperature may fall down to 12ºC (54ºF). High waves prevent fishermen from going to sea.
What to Take Home
Socotra Island has much to offer visitors to bring home. a range of genuine Socotri products—each with a unique purpose—are part of Socotra’s tangible cultural legacy and would be exciting gifts for friends and relatives. These purchases also encourage local artisans to continue practicing and passing along their crafts, thereby helping safeguard this valuable form of heritage.
Socotri handicrafts:
- Hats
- Floor-mats
- Purses and bags
- Baskets
Socotri natural products:
- Dragon-blood
- Frankincense
- Myrrh
- Honey
Pottery products:
- Incense burners
- Figurines
- Pots
Goat-wool products :
- Purses and bags
- Bedouin chair
- Carpets
- Goat yarn
