Socotra Things to Do

You can hire a fisher boat, complete with fisherman, in Qualanisya to Shoab Beach for roughly 15.000 Yemeni Rial. Usually the boats only go out in the morning between seven and nine and take you for an one hour-ride through the turquoise-coloured coastal waters, along a rugged coastline. The water is so clear you can see lots of fish and stingrays during the boat ride - we even encountered two schools of dolphins. You can negotiate how long you want to be left at the beautiful deserted Shoab Beach, until you will be picked up again. It is likely that your skipper/fisherman will be catching some fish (tuna, kingfish) - you might be able to buy a fresh fish for a bargain. You can bring the fish in any restaurant where they will prepare it for you, or maybe your local guide is able to cook it for you.

This is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in my entire life. Imagine the most beautiful beach from a travel magazine cover photograph, white sands, turquoise-coloured warm water, an endless horizon, without people, and there you have it. They don`t have that kind of beach in Europe. Even the grand beaches of Australia or South Africa are no real competition. Nuff said.

It is possible to reach Shoab Beach by boat. Hire a passage with a fisherman`s boat for a one-hour-ride and negotiate how long you want to be left at Shoab Beach. Price: roughly 15.000 Yemeni Rial depending on your negotiating skills.

Hadibo, the capital village of Socotra, has no real "sights", but it is a good place to buy provisions if you have run out of water/food, and it is likely the only place with running water if you intend to spend at least one night in a hotel to get a decent shower. There are some decent cafes which serve tea, bread, "ful" and "fassulja". These are also frequented by the local goat community.

If you are into "Star Wars", Hadibo might remind you of the village on the planet Tatooine (without the bar scene).

These hardy trees are abundant in the highland regions of Socotra beginning at 500 m above sea level (they do not exist in the lower regions). With their umbrella-shaped crown they look like giant mushrooms, or like trees planted in with the wrong side up! Good places to see them in Socotra are the Homhill and Diksam highlands.

Qualanisya is a small fishing village that serves as a base for boat trips to the spectacular Shoab Beach on the southwestern shore of Socotra (ca. 15.000 Yemeni Rial). The village itself is not spectacular, though the view from the boat on the town is rather nice. Qualanisya is also close to the incredibile Qualanisya Beach and the Detwah Lagoon, the most beautiful spot on the whole island in my opinion.

The Homhil Plateau is set in the northeastern part of Socotra island. There is a camp ground (highly recommended for overnight stays) set up by the local community. A toilet/shower is included. They serve breakfast, and they do dinner (i.e. slaughter a goat, if you like). From the camp ground, a great hike leads through a mountain valley with many dragonblood trees and truly great vistas, and then down to the coast. You have to hire a local guide for cheap 1.000 Yemeni rial. The hike itself is pretty easy, but stout boots are required, and the heat can be quite demanding. Your driver can then pick you up at the end of this 2 hour hike.

Distance from Hadibo: roughly 50 km

What a gorgeous place ! Qualanisya Beach stretches in a long arc of white sand against the background of coastal dunes and hills and Detwah Lagoon. A beach taken from a fairy-tale. The camping ground near Detwah Lagoon can be crowded for Socotra standards due to the popularity of this beach.

When we arrived, the beach was pretty crowded as a group of Saudi businessmen who flew to Socotra as part of a Team Building Incentive - Event did a photo stop there, but they were out in a rush and we were alone again.

Egyptian Vultures are omnipresent on Socotra island. You just can`t miss them, even in the cities. One morning while camping near Diksam Plateau, we counted eight vultures hopping around our breakfast site looking for spoils.