Located 200 miles off the coast of mainland Yemen, the Socotra Archipelago is considered a unique adventure destination home to plants and wildlife that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
The largest of the four islands and two islets within the area, Socotra Island stands on coral banks in the Indian Ocean.
Despite foreign travel guidance which urges against travel to Yemen, the island is largely considered a safe destination for tourists by expert tour operators and the island has a remarkably low crime rate. Yemen, along with Somalia and Afghanistan, is often considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
Due to the current travel advice, low flight availability and its remote location, Socotra Island has very few tourists, reportedly limited to a maximum of 150 per week.
Socotra Island is classified as a site of universal importance by UNESCO due to its biodiversity, with close to 40 percent of its plant species not occurring anywhere else in the world.
Socotra and the surrounding islands are also significant for land and sea bird breeding spots as well as unique coral reefs home to over 700 species of coastal fish.
Scattered across the island, tourists can seek shade under the dragon blood tree, a species native to the island which has densely packed evergreen branches and is named after the crimson-coloured sap the plant produces.
Along the coastline, long sandy beaches stretch out against emerald tone water and in the north, close to the village of Qalansiyah, the Detwah Lagoon is surrounded by bright white sands.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office currently advises against all travel to Yemen and encourages any UK citizens currently in the country to leave immediately, including Socotra Island.
However, due to its distance from mainland Yemen, travel operators consider Socotra Island far removed from the conflict.
It’s worth noting that it can be difficult finding a travel insurance provider willing to cover a trip to the region and, due to limited flight scheduling, tourists may have to be more flexible with their dates of travel.
Tour operator Socotra Island Expeditions describes the archipelago as “a benign security environment” which has not seen any acts of violence towards foreigners in recent years.
Adventure seekers will be required to secure an appropriate visa for travel before arrival, however, most travel agents can support tourists through the procedure, in addition to outlining the best travel routes and seasons.