This Island Only Allows 7,000 Annual Visitors – Here’s How to Get to Socotra
Welcome to island that is suddenly popping up on adventure travelers’ radar – a destination hardly touched by tourism, but is now trending due to its gorgeous otherworldly landscapes. Many people wonder how to get to Socotra, because it’s not one of those places you can simply book a flight and show up.
Visiting the island of Socotra takes a lot of planning – it’s remote, requires a visa, and has very limited flight options for getting there. But even with the extra effort, Socotra is an island that is worth every penny and hour spent researching.
In this guide we’re going to help you get to Socotra, explaining what the flights to Socotra look like, how to get a visa, and what the restrictions are for luggage. This way, you can truly enjoy every moment of your trip, without running into any obstacles.
Want to save the article for later? Pin it!
*Please note that this blog post may contain some affiliate links, which we make a small profit on, at zero cost to you. Links are only used on products & services that we’ve used and believe in, to give you the best buying experience. Purchasing from these links helps us to continue providing free travel guides for you- so thank you for your support!
Our Travel Planning Recommendations
How to Get to Socotra: What to Know First
Before diving into how to get to Socotra exacty, let’s first talk about why Socotra is hard to get to, and things you’ll need to keep in mind when booking your trip.
📍 Where is Socotra Located?
Socotra is an island that belongs to the country of Yemen. However, it’s quite far from the mainland, about 350 km south. It is actually closer to the coast of Somalia, which is 230 km away. Situated in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden, it is off the eastern coast of the continent of Africa, and south of the Middle East.
🤔 Is it Easy to Visit Socotra?
Socotra is one of the most complicated places we’ve ever had to travel to. It’s not as easy as searching for a flight and booking it. Actually, as a tourist there really is only one safe way to get there, and it’s by flying through Jeddah. (The other option is to fly from the mainland, but we definitely would not recommend that).
The government provides weekly flights from Jeddah to Socotra through Air Arabia. When we visited (October 2023) there was only one flight weekly, on Tuesdays from Abu Dhabi. This means that you could only go to Socotra for 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, etc. In 2024 though, they added new flights, and had them every Tuesday and Friday, allowing for a bit more flexibility while visiting Socotra, Yemen. Now, they are back to once a week – same time, same day, but from Jeddah instead. Flights leave Jeddah at 11 am, and come back at 1 pm.
Flights can only be booked via an agency, which means you can’t simply book the flight yourself. Once you book your flight, you can then apply for the visa (which we’ll get more into in the entry requirements section).
🚐 Do You NEED a Tour to Explore the Island of Socotra?
Technically, you do not NEED a tour to explore the island of Socotra in Yemen. However, going on your own would be extremely difficult and stressful, for a few reasons.
Typically, we like to explore on our own, but Socotra is a special place, and we really would not have had the amazing time we did if we had attempted to do the trip on our own. Here’s why:
🏗 The Island’s Infrastructure: Socotra is not a well-developed island, and tourism is solely successful due to the tour companies. They actually work together to make sure that places are not overcrowded!
⛺️The Lack of Resources: Socotra is rich in beauty, but definitely not a place that has a lot of local resources. This means there are only a handful of supermarkets (we say this loosely), most of them in the capital (far from the tourist attractions). There are only 4 hotels, and limited spots on campsites. We didn’t see a single restaurant outside the capital, and no amenities to cook with. Tour companies take care of all meals, so that you don’t have to worry.
📶 Little to No Signal: You can forget about Wifi in Socotra, and using your phone pretty much at all for that matter. There are only small pockets where you could potentially have a little bit of cell signal, and even in the capital it’s not super strong. This means using your GPS would be impossible.
🛣 The Road Conditions: Many of the unique landscapes can only be reached by pretty rocky roads, some of which also get flooded. It takes a professional to be able to safely navigate the roads on the island of Socotra, and the locals are true experts of getting you to each destination safely.
How to Get to Socotra
Now that you know where Socotra is located, how exactly can you get there? Don’t worry- we’re here to answer any questions you may have.
💵 How Much Do Flights to the Island of Socotra Cost?
Unlike traditional airlines, flights to Socotra do not vary in price. There is one fixed cost, which is currently $950 round-trip (it just went up from last year’s flight price, and may be subject to change at any time). Whether you book today or in a few weeks, the price should not change, as it doesn’t fluctuate like traditional flights. However, there is only one flight a week, so there is definitely limited availability.
If you take a tour to Socotra (which is pretty much a must), the agency should take care of the flights for you, which takes a lot of weight off your shoulders. Not all of them do, but Socotra Specialty Tours took care of ours, and we had nothing to worry about other than sending our passport info.
Upgrade Your Inspo
Get the best travel tips, tricks, and hidden gems sent directly to your inbox. You’ll become a better traveler, week after week.
Upgrade Your Inspo
Get the best travel tips, tricks, and hidden gems sent directly to your inbox. You’ll become a better traveler, week after week.
📕 How to Organize Your Trip to Socotra
When planning a trip to Socotra, Yemen it’s not as simple as just booking a flight. It’s not something you can book through a third party or search engine.
✈️ Booking a Flight to Socotra, Yemen
There are very limited flights to Socotra, and the only recommended one is a government-run flight that leaves once a week from Jeddah on Tuesday (when we went that one flight was from Abu Dhabi). In order to book a flight you have to go straight through the airline, or through a tour company.
Since we were exploring Socotra on a tour, our tour company Socotra Specialty Tours took care of the flights for us, making it the most seamless process possible. The flight ticket is built into the price of the tour, so you don’t have to worry about doing it on your own. Email us, and we’ll get you started right away, or answer any questions you may have.
Another plus is that the ticket price does not change, so even if you want a last-minute trip, you won’t have to pay anymore than the other people on your tour.
💡 We’re now offering Socotra Tours through Off the Beaten Trips! It’s the same operator and price, but we throw in a few extra goodies!
🛫 The Flight from Jeddah to Socotra
Since there are only two flights a week, it is recommended to show up to the airport 3 hours before departure. Flights leave at 11 am, and are run through Air Arabia.
Check in is in person, whether or not you have luggage, and before going to check in for your flight you’ll have to check in at another counter. This was just on the right of the check-in desk in Abu Dhabi, but might be different for Jeddah.
This is where they’ll check your passport info, and give you a sticker to put on your passport before being able to go check in.
✈️ The Flight from Jeddah to Socotra
The flight from Jeddah is 3 hours, leaving at 11 AM, and landing in Socotra at 2 pm. A meal is served, and the flight is pretty standard.
🧳 Luggage Allowance for Socotra Flights
Passengers are allowed 1 20-kg piece of checked luggage, 1 10-kg carry-on (with dimensions under 55 x 40 x 20 cm), and one personal item. Excess baggage charges are 15 AED per KG, and are paid at the same counter you get your passport checked.
💡 *Please do keep in mind that these were the luggage requirements when we went, but we do urge you to double check before.
🛬 Arriving in Socotra
As soon as you land everyone will walk off the plane into the airport, where everyone lines up to go through customs. The inside area is pretty small, so you may have to wait outside. We suggest being prepared with light clothes, as well as a hat to cover your head.
Women go through customs in a separate room on the right side, and men stay in the main area (there were many more men than women when we went).
After putting your hand luggage through security you’ll have the luggage right in front of you, and someone from the tour company waiting for you with your name. Everything went super smooth, and took about an hour.
🛬 Flight from Socotra Back to Jeddah
Now it’s time to say your goodbyes! After an incredible week, you’ll make your way back to airport, where you’ll see all of the other travelers you have been passing throughout the week, everyone exchanging their incredible moments together, as we all wait to get on the plane back to Jeddah.
Head through security, drop your bags, and now you’ll have a couple of hours to check out the gift shop, have a snack, and chat with all of the fellow adventurers.
Entry Requirements for the Island of Socotra, Yemen
Now that you know how to get to Socotra, let’s dive into the other important documents you need for visiting.
🤲🏼 Is Socotra Open for Tourism?
Socotra IS open for tourism! Here’s how you can make it happen.
🛂 Do I Need a Visa for Socotra?
Everyone visiting Socotra needs a visa, and it isn’t as simple as going to an embassy. In fact, the only place you can get a visa is in Yemen itself. See the irony there?
It’s for that very reason, that the only way you can get a visa for Socotra is to have someone do it for you. Unless you have family or friends in Yemen, then the process of getting a visa is another reason you’ll need to book a trip to Socotra with a certified tour guide.
🤔 How Do I Get a Visa for Socotra?
So if you need to get the visa on the island, how on Earth do you get it? The answer is that you actually need someone who is on the island to go apply for you. This is another reason that a tour agency is necessary. Unless you know someone on the island to do the paperwork for you, you will have to reach out to a tour agency.
If you plan on staying an extended amount of time (such as going to study Arabic or another form of a longer-stay) and aren’t doing a tour, then you can still get a tour agency to do the paperwork for you, for an additional processing fee. (This is because it’s a lot of work, and there are multiple signatures needed from different places in the capital).
If you are doing a tour in Socotra, then the agency will take care of this for you for just the simple price of the visa ($150 USD). It is processed within 30 days of your trip, as once it is accepted it expires after 30 days. Once you arrive in Socotra, the agency will be waiting for you with the visa, or will send it to you electronically.
Final Thoughts on How to Get to Socotra & What’s Next
Getting to Socotra is not easy, and that is exactly what keeps it so special.
With limited flights, visa requirements, and minimal infrastructure, visiting Socotra requires more effort than most destinations. But once you step onto the island, it becomes clear that every hour of planning was worth it.
If Socotra is on your list, start planning early, work with a trusted tour agency (cough cough US), and prepare for one of the most unique travel experiences on the planet.
Want to save the article for later? Pin it!
👀 What’s Next?
Now that you know how to get to Socotra, you’re probably wondering what else to expect or how to prepare for your trip! We have a ton os Socotra travel guides coming up.
Here are a couple of the guides we already have:
Here are some other the guides we have coming up:
So are you ready to plan your trip to Socotra, Yemen? We can promise you that it is once-in-a-lifetime trip, and you should definitely get there before everyone else does! (or before restrictions tighten even more).
Have more questions about visiting the island of Socotra or what to expect? We have the entire tour laid out on Off The Beaten Trips. Also, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates and exclusive discounts!
Need help finding your flights to Jeddah? Let us help! We’re experts at finding the most affordable flight options, and promise we can save you both time and money. Check out our travel planning packages, as well as our exclusive trips to Socotra we’ve built.
Here are some other guides you’ll love:
