Socotra Yemen 12.5°N 53.8°E
“There are places you visit once and they stay with you forever. Socotra is exactly that. An isolated Yemeni island in the Arabian Sea between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, it feels more like a sci-fi set than a real place on Earth. That's exactly how I felt when I landed here in August 2023. If you're after luxury resorts, comfort, and predictability, Socotra isn't for you. But if you're drawn to raw destinations, places far from mass tourism and a way of traveling that isn't always comfortable but cuts deeper, you're in the right place.”
IBO GuideThe fact that the island has no ordinary commercial access necessitates that visitors do proper research and choose the right operator, so they experience the island in the best way possible. This site aims to gather the information you need about the island and all the operators in one place so you can compare them, get the full picture, and make the right choices.
“Waking up in the heart of the Dragon's Blood Forest was almost indescribable. Under the thick blanket of a moonless night, only the trees immediately around our tent had been visible, but as dawn broke, we stuck our head out into the cool morning air to find ourselves surrounded by an entire sea of Dragon's Blood Trees, their umbrella-like canopies casting long shadows over the rocky ground.”
brooke beyond“Detwa was a gorgeous blue-green shallow lagoon which reduced and increased with tides and craggy amber coloured mountains circled the water body. Sharp, sculpted with a beautiful glistening coat of sand, the mountains were simply spectacular. They seemed to change colours depending on the time of the day and cloud cover made them look like something out of the world.”
Maverickbird“Sami said that he usually sees some dolphins between Qalansiya and Shua'ab when he takes tourists out there. That was an understatement. A few minutes later we had hundreds of dolphins jumping around our boat. Once we rounded the corner past the dolphin show, the dhow ride was turn after turn of the most emerald green waters I've ever seen set against a fire-orange rocky coast.”
Adventures of Nicole“Every now and then we stop to take photos of the bottle tree. It has more than one name in English, it is also called the desert rose and the elephant foot, and it is very clear why. We happen to be here right in the middle of their blossoming season. The pink bottle tree flowers on the turquoise background of the sea look artistic and magnificent indeed. The rounded trunk of the tree collects and stores humidity for a rainy day.”
Ceļojumu piezīmes“We pass a spectacular, untouched coastline of rocks rising steeply from turquoise waters, so transparent that we can see rays on the sandy bottom of the sea. We end up sailing along a deserted beach, and end up at Shoab, a small fishing village near the south of the beach. We meet some of the locals, have some tea, and go for a walk on the brilliant beach.”
Boris Kester“A natural pool with a view, the depression near the edge of the cliffside in Socotra’s Homhil Protected Area is filled with crystal clear water with views over the Arabian Sea below. Facing the other direction from the pool is a large and wide valley filled with endemic Boswellia Socotrana (Frankincense trees), Dragon Blood Trees, Cucumber Trees, and Bottle Trees.”
Adventures of Nicole“What makes Wadi Kalysan particularly beautiful is the sharp contrast between the white limestone walls and the deep emerald colors of the water. The largest freshwater pool in Socotra, Wadi Kalysan is the perfect place to cliff jump, swim or just lay your towel down and rest in the sun.”
Bonjour Sunset“Arher may be the most popular camping destination in Socotra, for both tourists and locals. The beach is right up against a massive vertical cliff face, and the wind blows sand against the cliff, building up these massive sand dunes. A freshwater creek flows from the cliff to the ocean, making it an ideal place to swim, camp and cook meals.”
wrenee“I have had the privilege of traveling to some of the darkest skies around the world, including Wadi Rum in Jordan, the White Desert in Egypt, Lut Desert in Iran, La Palma in the Canary Islands, the Atacama Desert in Chile, and the Altiplano in Bolivia. However, none of these locations could prepare me for the incomparable darkness of the Socotra night sky. In fact, I measured the light pollution with my SQM reader. 21.88 was the highest reading I got.”
Benjamin Barakat
“Research around the turn of the 20th century proved that this tropical island, despite its size of only 83 by 27 miles, ranks among the world's most important centers of biodiversity, combining elements of Africa, Asia, and Europe in ways that still puzzle biologists. The number of endemic plant species per square mile on Socotra and three small outlying islands is the fourth highest of any island group on Earth, after Seychelles, New Caledonia, and Hawaii. Every vista on Socotra, from the hot, dry lowlands to the mist-shrouded mountains, reveals wonders seen nowhere else.”
Planning a visit
The practical guide and the companies that organise trips. Two ways to continue.
