Hi,

Socotra Archipelago is open for visitors again since last month.
flights are weekly wednesdays from Cairo only.

anyone in to plan something? it doesn't come cheap....
i'm looking to see to plan this with the remainder sites in (south) Egypt i'm missing.

Chris

Let me know if you find a trustworthy tour. I had cancelled my trip because my hotel in Sanaa got bombarded by an air raid!

Am I allowed to post links here? If not let me know: https://www.welcometosocotra.com/

the flights are Cairo - Seiyun - Socotra
but the flights return is already 1400 USD approx; plus visa plus the tour etc.
doesn't go through Sanaa but Seiyun where the plane stops shortly.
flights are wednesdays only so it's a week trip or 2 weeks.

I also read the army is using the island nowadays? Can't be a good trip. Interested to hear about it but I'd rather wait for the shitstorm in Yemen to quiet down in general.

Well it was "taken over" by UAE forces in April 2018 which indicated something of a break up in the alliance of Saudi, UAE and the "internationally recognised" Yemeni government!!
The dispute got papered over then but this article seems to indicate that, if you wait a few years you might be able to fly to a separate S Yemen (or even "Socotran") "client state" of the UAE (though that is going to require Saudi acquiescence) using frequent Emirates flights from Dubai or Etihad from Abu Dhabi and stay at a newly built "luxurious hotel" built and owned by the UAE!!!

The idea of separating Socotra from Yemen or even from a reconstituted "South Yemen" (i.e "Aden") is not totally without historic justification. Socotra was a British protectorate but with a separate history from the rest of the British protectorate of Aden. See here for details on the "Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra" which shows the island's close cultural links with areas of the Hadramaut rather north of of true "Yemen". When UK decolonised from Aden in Oct 1967, Socotra was annexed into S Yemen some months later (Nov 30) and got carried into "united" Yemen when South and North Yemen amalgamated in 1990. Clearly an "uncomfortable" marriage to which the UAE is ready to give assistance in achieving divorce if it possibly can! The current weekly flights by Yemenia from Cairo with "official" Yemeni visas issued in somewhat difficult circumstances would seem to be an attempt by the "official" Yemeni government to try to keep "in the game" as far as Socotra is concerned.

Zoe
I followed some travellers there in the past 2 weeks on Instagram. You go out camping only. Seemed "safe" to me. of course there is risks. Same with the just started tourism to Syria now (maybe more risk).
Anyhow no trips to october (monsoon now). I'm keeping an eye open as the island is stunning.

Solivagant
Agree. But i'm not going there for political whatever. I go to see the beauty of nature. The same why I travel a 2nd time to North Korea ticking of the last TWHS except Chibo (to far out maybe a 3rd time). As long as it's pretty safe I would go but it's pricy and looking to join a group.

Wasn't seeking "agreement" or "disagreement", let alone suggesting that you were going for "political whatever" - merely commenting on the status of the war/politics in Socotra following Zoe's comment about the "army using the island". It seemed to be of potential interest to expand on the comment and ruminate on the possible "future" of the island - aren't all such matters "of interest" to "travellers"?
Not sure what DPRK has to do with the matter. It is actually a rather "easy" country to visit if your nationality and professed "profession" allows a visa and you have the money. We visited in 2005 but it has never climbed our priority list again. Visiting 1 of its mountains (Paekdu) was enough for us - but it is interesting (is it not????) that this mountain hasn't reached DPRK's T List (unlike the Chinese side!) - could it be that they don't want any organisation poking around into the reality of its state and history given its "mythic" status for the regime and its propaganda. To have these matters questioned and possibly rejected just would not have been "acceptable".