Essential advises to consider before you visit Socotra.
When to visit Socotra?
Socotra is the largest Island in Yemen and as such the climate of the Island can differ significantly from mainland. Due the island location, the strong monsoon which starting from June to the end of September yearly.
Broadly speaking, it makes limited season to travel to Socotra, so the very best time to visit Socotra Island is from October to the end of March, when the weather is very pleasant in the Island.
The months of April and May are good to visit Socotra, but the weather can be hot and humid, with daytime highs of temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
Accommodation.
Socotra Island is an Eco-tourism system and it’s still new to the international tourism market and the hotel accommodation on Socotra is not the same international standard, though it’s quite good and improving up yearly.
Hotels on Socotra Island
There are 5 Hotels on Socotra, four of them located in Hadibo, the capital city of Socotra and one located near Socotra airport in Mori.
Three Hotels on one level (Diamond Hotel, Socotra Hotel and Taj Socotra Hotel), the fourth hotel is Heathrow which is quite good, the fifth hotel is Summerland Hotel which is the best hotel on Socotra, the hotel has European style and high furniture, the cost for a single room is 100USD per night and 140USD for a double room per night, both rates including breakfast.
Eco-lodging
If you wanna Visit the Island of Socotra, it’s possible also to camp outside of town, since there are several campsites and Eco-lodging provides sleeping services.
There are several camping sites on Socotra, such as the camping site in Homhil , camping site in Arhur beach, camping site in Dihamry, camping site in Aomaq beach , Camping site in Zaheq, camping site in Dixsam plateau, camping site in Fermihin forest, camping site in Detwah and camping site in Delisha beach, all camping sites supplied with toilets and showers except the camping site in Fermihin forest.
How to travel to Socotra Island ( flights to Socotra Island)?
From Abu Dhabi (UAE ) by Air Arabia which operates a weekly direct non-stop flights to Socotra every Tuesday, they added another flight to Socotra will start from 20th of October and it operating every Friday ( the additional flight scheduled up to April 2024), April flights are every Tuesday and Friday.
The flight not available for online booking, because it is a charter flight, but of course Socotra Holidays and Tours will help you to book your Socotra flights and also buy your flight tickets through the Air Arabia agent here.
The cost of international airline tickets (Abu Dhabi – Socotra – Abu Dhabi) 3350 AED, about 930$.
The flight currently leaves Abu Dhabi airport at 09:00AM and return to Abu Dhabi airport at 15:05 (UAE Timezone GMT+4).
The flight arrives on Socotra airport at 10:10AM and leaves Socotra airport at 11:40AM (Yemen Timezone GMT+3).
Yemenia Airways has non direct flight a flight to Socotra from Cairo (Egypt) via Aden as following.
The flight leaves Cairo airport on Sunday night at 22:30 ( Egypt timezone), arrive Aden airport next day at the early morning ( Monday at 03:00 AM, Yemen timezone), then you’ll pass through immigration in order to stamp your passport, also you need to show them a copy of your Entry visa.
Then you will go to baggage hall and wait your baggage. After that you will go to departure hall in order to register your Socotra flight and get the boarding pass.
The departure from Aden to Socotra on Monday at 07:00AM (Yemen timezone).
Next Monday your Socotra flights arrives at Aden airport at 14:15 and then you’ll go to departure hall in order to register your flight back to Cairo.
The flight leaves Aden airport at 06:00PM (Yemen local time) and arrive to Cairo airport at 08:30PM ( Egypt local time).
The cost of international airline tickets (Cairo – Aden – Socotra – Aden – Cairo ) is 1170 US dollars.
How to getting tourist visa in order to visit Socotra ?
All Socotra Island visitors need an advance entry visa, Socotra Holidays and Tours will take care for everything. So once you confirm your tour booking, we
need to send us scan colored copy of your passport (the first page which has your personal details), valid at least for 6 months in order to process the visas from here via Immigration Passports and Nationality Authority (Please see the photo).
The Procedures of the visa is going to take maximum 3-5 working days from the applying date. And then we’ll send you scan colored copy of your visa by email or whatsapp
or Telegram
,…,etc. which you’ll use to aboard into your flight to Socotra, we will meet you upon your arrival at the airport with the original document of the visa and we’ll finalize the final registration of the visa ( stamped your passport).
The validity of the Visa.
The validity of the visa is 30 days from the issuing date. that’s mean the visa must be active during this period, once activated, you’ll get 1-2 months resident visa.
Important notice.
Please remember that we only process a tourist visa for our clients who wishing to take advantage of complete tour packages, that typically include the itinerary of the sightseeing for the period of stay in Socotra. And we don’t issue a single visa without tour package. So, if your main reason of visit Socotra is any other activity that isn’t related to the tourism, or without complete package and Services, please don’t contact us for arranging you a visa.
What to pack?
Here are few useful things to pack when you visit Socotra:-
– Sun protection, sunglasses and a sun hat.
– Sleeping bag.
– Good walking shoes.
– Torch (preferably a small head torch).
– Insect repellent and Towel.
– USB Car charger to re-charge your camera battery or your mobile.
Diving season.
The best time to visit Socotra for diving is Early October, the first half of December, the second half of January and from the second half of February to May.
Fishing sport.
The prime season for sport fishing are from October till November and then from February till end of May.
Water sports, Surfing and windsurfing.
During the monsoon which starts from June to September, it is the best time for the people who interested in adventures sports, like windsurfing, surfing and kite surfing.