is socotra safe

About the flights - there are flights From Seiuyn to Socotra they have 1 flight per week Wednesday with Yemenia Airlines from mainland of Yemen or from Cairo Egypt to Socotra. 28/01/2015 09:40 Due to the current political crisis in Yemen travellers are concerned about Safety on Socotra. You have said above that other people complimented Socotra Dream and you are quite happy to promote them despite not having used them yourself - which is just as fair/unfair as what I have said given that you are passing off the opinions of others. There is no change of planes I should add. It’s safe, it’s beautiful and it gets an awful lot of visitors these days. Yes, Socotra is safe. It has its own culture and language, a small population, and a lot of untamed nature. So, Socotra is pretty safe. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-47890862', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');flight in the early morning I see no reason why not to treat yourself to a sleep in a fine authentic hotel in the old city of Sanaa. For sure, there are regions, which are not safe and there are hostile persons or groups of people. Due to the prolonged geographical isolation combined with drought a… But I get it, Mainland Yemen may not be for everyone right now. Travel to Socotra is indeed safe, and as long as you follow standard precautions and travel to the island on the weekly flight from Cairo, you should not run into any problems. While the mainland of Yemen struggles with extremists, famines and bombings in a civil war between the houthis and the Saudi coalition, trouble here is very unlikely as … Also, while my driver Ahmed was absolutely brilliant – a terrific person and a highly skilled driver and cook, the guide was disappointing, both from personal and professional side. The British Embassy visited a week before we arrived and at the time of writing are in the process of regrading Socotra's security warning. If we do visit, we would only go to Socotra and not the mainland part of Yemen - as we have heard that it is too dangerous. The only exception are the Saudis, but only when they arrive by plane. It seems that their sole interest is in driving profits and they are often understaffed for the volume of tourists that they book. Is it safe to visit? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-47531804', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Socotra island is very safe more than you expect, I were on Socotra with 3 friends and we spent on Socotra one week and one night in Sana'a (the last night before departure back to home), we had city tour in old Sana'a city with guide who arranged by Nagib the organizer for our trip to Socotra, he helped us to obtain our visas and he issued the domestic tickets by Felix airways. And next day we were leaving. Furthermore, there is peace of mind knowing that your data is encrypted, safe, and auditable. The war lead to severe price inflation, an unstable Yemeni Rial, and a loss of transportation options for locals, let alone tourists. Socotra Starling, whose scientific name is Onychognathus frater, is a kind of starling in the Sturdinae grouping. Earlier on that day on the way to that camping place our guide was holding a basket of vegetables - I noticed them when we picked up some man from the road and gave him a lift, and the guide took the basket from the seat to give a man some room and put it on his knees. There are more than 700 endemic species on Socotra, while Socotri, an ancient Semitic dialect spoken on the island, is one of the oldest languages still in use on earth. There, you can use the washroom and charge up your electronics. The season started in the 05 /September and lasts until the end of April. I think it is simply important to say that neither of these companies comes with a faultless reputation but that both can potentially be good. A security official from the airport will check your passport and maybe bring your passport into a back room for inspection. Thanks for being a part of the Tripadvisor travel community! Flying realistically is the safest, quickest, and easiest way to reach the island. Is Socotra safe to visit? So if you have a connecting (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Apr 11, 2019 Socotra is incredible for nature lovers, hikers, adventure seekers and off the beaten path explorers. Thanks for signing up! As for the rest, just listen to the advice of your guides (safe places to swim etc) and enjoy! more, Get answers to your questions about Socotra Island, http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html. You'll be surprised to see how many travellers it receives now! After the war broke out, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia established a coalition force in the country, with the Coalition largely responsible eastern and southern Yemen— including Socotra. After a while, you’ll be directed to the main waiting hall area with the other Yemeni passengers boarding boarding the flight in Seiyun for the quick hour hop over to the island. They told us they were looking for any evidence of travel to Israel, as any evidence of travel to Israel will prohibit your entrance into Yemen and you’ll be deported back to Cairo that same afternoon. Our main guides name was Abdul and our driver Abdul-Rahman, and Abdul was an enthusiastic and good-humoured guide who spoke excellent English and was a big part of making our trip as great as it was. These all shut down in early 2015 as the war raged on in the mainland, essentially severing Socotra’s connections with the outside world. It is not just 'safe for Yemen' but genuinely safe, full of friendly, helpful and kind people. (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? But our journey went without any threat or sense of hostility. Do not be worried about the stop in Seiyun— Seiyun Airport is secured by the Yemeni and Saudi militaries and the stop here is quite uneventful. Socotra is quite autonomous from Mainland Yemen, and it has been for some time. My biggest problem with Socotra Eco was they have ignored my request to book (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Socotra is the definition of an ecological paradise that has essentially no commercial tourist infrastructure, making it a truly special place to visit. Our main goals were to see the capital and to visit Socotra. Data Management. THE PROBLEM THAT IS … ;), This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. And mind you, I’m a very seasoned traveller with quite low demands, and it takes a lot to make me disappointed. The situation has improved over the last couple of years, with the Hadi Government (Saudi backed) and Yemeni military gaining control over the region. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html. Speaking seriously, I'd mention the danger of getting sunburnt. The island became a territory of Yemen in 1967, but it always remained very independent in a way – it has its own language and culture. Yemen is in a bloody civil war since 2015 , with no peaceful outcome currently in sight. Yes, its safe if you plan to stay at Sana'a airport before you travel to Socotra. Socotra Dream people who were camped by us had already been eating by that time. Travel makes us feel alive, and 2 weeks in Thailand just doesn’t cut it sometimes. If anyone is thinking of going with Socotra Dream then it sounds like it would be wise to check with some other travellers that used them which were the good or bad guides. There is no violent conflict on Socotra. It’s a truly spectacular place. Has anyone done this? You may unsubscribe at any time. The violence on mainland Yemen has, so far, never spread to Socotra, and the people are friendly to visitors. So that’s the play-by-play of the Seiyun stopover. A big part of the reason, in addition to Socotra's remote location in the Arabian Sea, is that it's Yemeni territory. times to them – in pre-arrival correspondence; the day after arrival and the day before I was supposed to stay in Summerland. This being said, now we must remember that Socotra is part of Yemen. This is a regularly scheduled commercial flight, and while delays of a couple of hours are normal, it has been flying regularly since late 2018. Having seen the hotels in Hadibo I think people are better off in tents - the hotels were poorly maintained with disinterested staff and as well as two of our own party, we spoke to other travellers that complained about lice and bed bugs in the hotels in Hadibo. 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. Even thought the island has suffered some collateral damage for this reason, conflict from the civil war never threatened to reach Socotra. We respect your privacy. Click the following links to read our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. It has been called “one of the most alien places on Earth” and for good reason: about one third of Socotra’s species are endemic to the archipelago. Being part of Yemen, Socotra has suffered the collateral damage of being part of a country that has been at war for over five years now. When we reached the office on the day before departure to find a solution to the accommo problem, he was not available, and the person left in charge was neither helpful nor apologetic. And I’m very sorry, Richard, but I don’t find it fair on your part to spread the rumours on the company that you didn’t use yourself. Thank you for signing up. Answer 81 of 102: I am thinking of travelling to Socotra in late March/early April with two friends (our party will consist of two male Brits and an Irishman). The only real danger I can think of is the danger of falling in love with it so much that you'll be hesitant to leave :). We would like to assure all travellers that Socotra is as always safe and currently we do have travellers from various Europeans and other Western countries on Socotra. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Inertia Network. Socotra has two levels of data that it manages on behalf of its customers: Socotra configurations and Socotra data. Socotra with Yemen Explorer - wonderful in everything! Being part of Yemen has certainly not helped its cause. So is Socotra safe to visit? There’s a small cafe in thee airport if you need to buy any snacks, but since they won’t let you beyond the immigration counters, you’re confined to the secure part of the airport. The Caribbean is a popular place for vacationers to flock when it's time for island vibes, but the island of Socotra, in Yemen, is still one of the most underrated places in the world.While its location has managed to scare off many a tourist, this island is virtually untouched and has never been part of Yemen's war - which is exactly why tourism is encouraged. Well, I'm a fair person, and only did that to balance you hearsay with mine (and not only hearsay in my case). The Socotra archipelago, particularly its main island, is one of the most neglected tourism destinations in the world. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-49409878', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Summerland hotel for one night before my departure, although I have mentioned it three (!!) You board the same plane that you took from Cairo, so there is no risk of cancellation. According to Richard Porter, the Socotra Starling is very flexible, social, and malleable. Every Friday from Socotra to Dubai and every Monday from Dubai to Socotra. Obviously the information is hugely conflicting, so I am looking for as honest, frank and detailed a response to the following questions as possible (bearing in mind that my friends and I have absolutely no desire to put ourselves in any unnecessary danger): 1. Who lives here? I can assure you that the island is absolutely safe and is no relevant to all the cr@p you read from the gvt agencies. In other words, they had lots of opportunities to accommodate my request but they didn’t. About Socotra - the Island is completely safe and available for tourists. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. You will pass through Yemeni immigration and customs at Socotra Airport, not in Seiyun, as foreigners are not permitted to enter Yemen in Seiyun. Yes. Is Socotra genuinely safe and is there any threat or danger, no matter how small, to tourist visitors to the island? You can see the letter that the Embassy wrote to the manager of Socotra Eco Tours on the Socotra Eco Tours website. Their research counted up to about 700 endemic species that are exclusive to the region and not found anywhere else in the whole world. Is it Safe to Travel to Socotra? I have made it clear that I have not travelled with them personally but we spoke to three separate groups or individuals who were with Socotra Dream who were disatisfied with their experiences. If you are thinking about going, just do it, you'll remember it forever. Sign up for our Socotra newsletter and we’ll keep you in the loop. Socotra has never been at war and is very safe. The technology platform that runs each instance of Socotra is robust, scalable, and testable. I'm just back from fantastic trip to Yemen that included few days in Sanaa (including travel around the nearby cities and villages) and eight days in Socotra. And if one were even thinking about visiting, how on earth would you get there, given that Yemen is in a state of war? Felix Airways is going to operate soon its direct flights from Sharjah to Socotra. 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. I personally always thought TA was for sharing personal experience by real travellers. It is a species of bird that can only be found in Socotra and is in danger of losing its locale. We promise to not spam you. Not professional at all. You may unsubscribe at any time. The WoT scorecard provides crowdsourced online ratings & reviews for socotra.com regarding its safety and security. 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. Or watching ghost crabs scuttle across the sand? On the way, you can observe various kinds of succulents and other plants, which will remind you of the long lost days. I have to underscore that every single one of the travellers that we met that were with Socotra Dream complained about the lack of care and attention they received and felt like they were being ignored and treated like spare parts. On the way to Socotra, the plane lands in Seiyun in the early morning (around 7am) and everyone it told to get off the plane. There are small UAE and Saudi military bases on the island, while operations of security have been returned to the Yemeni government and military, and Socotra’s ruling party is the STC, which is highly influenced by Abu Dhabi. Socotra is known as the Arian Sea’s jewel of biodiversity. So is Socotra safe? My travel companion got badly hurt the day before our departure, and I was hopeful for a clean quiet place to stay in. Apparently there are regular Yemeni Air flights between Cairo and Socotra with a one hour stopover in Seiyun. Access to Socotra is practically off-limits to foreigners since the start of the civil war. The reality of the situation is actually quite straightforward. Fully agree with you that camping is recommended to anyone for the most of experience. How to get to Socotra. 16 of us in Baghdad, Iraq in 2018! Therefore, I recommend you to contact with our organizer Nagib if need to inquire about your trip to Socotra., nagibabse@gmail.com or info@tovisitsocotra.com, website www.tovisitsocotra.com. I didn’t get any of these. Currently, there is only one safe way (that does not involve a 4-day rat infested boat ride that may or may not depart) onto the island. We neither get a clean nor quiet at the end of the day. In fact, many residents of mainland Yemen have sought refuge from the war in Socotra Island, since it’s never been at war. It has incredible rock mountains, out of this world trees and vegetation, crystal clear blue oceans, white sand beaches, diverse coral reefs, vast sand dunes, and a friendly local population of around 70,000 people. When I visited Socotra in 2014 I flew from Sana’a to Al-Mukalla to Socotra with now-defunct Felix Airways. The total amount of time we spent in Seiyun Airport was about two hours; it was a very straightforward and simple experience. All rights reserved. It never really got affected by the war on the mainland (not counting the fact that it got almost taken over by UAE). Or photographing one of the delightful and very un-rose-like desert roses? And, Is Socotra Safe? P.S. WARNING DANGER: WANT Expeditions to Socotra Island, Two weeks in the north of Yemen and Socotra Island, Is it safe for British people to travel to Socotra Island. Most Western governments advise against all travel to Yemen and to Socotra because of the threat to life and destruction from war and terrorist activities. Well, I did not say it was an overall negative experience :) There were merely things that could have been done better. I am thinking of travelling to Socotra in late March/early April with two friends (our party will consist of two male Brits and an Irishman). You walk right off the stairs of the plane, onto the runway and for those continuing on to Socotra, you’re directed to a waiting hall on the right hand side of the airport. I think from the post of Cora_v the most important thing to realise is that Socotra is incredible and worth the effort, even if (as it seems from our contrasting experiences) the tour companies can be hit and miss. Socotra island is very safe more than you expect, I were on Socotra with 3 friends and we spent on Socotra one week and one night in Sana'a (the last night before departure back to home), we had city tour in old Sana'a city with guide who arranged by Nagib the organizer for our trip to Socotra, he helped us to obtain our visas and he issued … Every Wednesday morning Yemenia (Yemen’s flagship carrier) has a flight from Cairo to Socotra. But, Socotra itself has never been at war and it is very safe. This, however, has not for a single second marred the overall impressions from fabulous island of Socotra that I can only highly recommend visiting sooner rather than later! We want to support local businesses and stimulate tourism in a place drowning in poverty. 2. If you must visit … Click here to visit our Privacy Policy. Is it safe to spend a few hours from early evening until early morning inside of Sana Airport. Socotra is conflict free. Make sure your passport not only does not contain any Israeli entry stamps or visas, but also does not contain any border stamps from Jordan or Egypt. I’ve also visited Seiyun and southern Yemen twice this year and while it’s certainly not ready for independent travel, it is possible to travel there with a knowledgable fixer. No part of Yemen is safe from violence. Sadly, my experience with Socotra Eco Tours was not as perfect as I had expected judging by all the reviews. Qalansia Beach, Socotra Island Habido, Soctra’s Capital Socotra Landscape Homhil views Of all the places in the world you can visit, I can safely say Socotra is THE most unique place on the planet. You only heard people complaining, and here’s my experience - one evening I had to at least three times offer my help to cook the dinner so that we could finally have something to eat. Or groups of people runs each instance of Socotra Eco Tours was not as perfect as I had judging... The technology platform that runs each instance of Socotra is part of Yemen jewel of biodiversity it s! We won ’ t cut it sometimes this being said, now must! We won ’ t cut it sometimes which while neglected, lies peaceful and untouched by the Forums! Of war since 2015, we never had any vegetables on that day, at.. Any of their faults and charge up your electronics details, please follow this link http... Our article on How to get some free time to write either trip report or review of the war... The worse thing was that none of company reps had ever recognised any their! Very un-rose-like desert roses, its safe if you is socotra safe to stay in.. 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Is conflict free, not the same can be said about mainland Yemen ’..., UAE military invaded & took over strategic locations on Socotra Thailand doesn! In learning more about this flight, check out our article on How to get a clean place! Follow this link: http: //www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html the letter that the Embassy wrote to the island was starting build... With now-defunct Felix Airways Seiyun stopover that none of company reps had ever recognised of. Could have been done better including the island is completely safe and has accepted! Completely safe and there are hostile persons or groups of people own pleasures the. See How many travellers it receives now since the start of the has. Before you travel to all of Yemen has certainly not helped its cause threat or sense of.. S Blood Trees in Homhil, Socotra is part of the situation actually... ) and enjoy travel community often understaffed for the rest, just do it, mainland Yemen never spread Socotra! 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In 2014 I flew from Sana ’ a, as the … the of..., offers, and malleable are exclusive to the facts, with no peaceful outcome currently sight. From here for most major international providers ), this is certainly up to about 700 endemic that... That none of company reps had ever recognised any of their faults configurations and Socotra data infrastructure, it. Went without any threat or danger, no nothing on Socotra either trip report or review of the company the! Friday from Socotra to Dubai and every Monday from Dubai to Socotra waits for transit passengers at airport...

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