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I will be in Socotra in two weeks: I would like to know if there is still a dive center on the island. The website divesocotra.com is closed.
Thank you
I was in Socotra two weeks ago and the whether was wonderful. The sea was a bit rough but it did not hinder our dive trips. If you need help please call when you get there at (777-209-283). Also you can check face book group "Diving Yemen" for photos and upcoming group trips.
Originally Posted by Dubai Diver
Hello all,
Does anyone know anything about diving off the island of Socotra in Yemen ? I have only managed to find scattered bits of information about and woud like to hear from someone who has been.
I have a feeling that it is good.. Why not ? It is bang in the middle of nothing where the Red Sea meets the Indian Ocean..there has to be something there....
I'm in interested in diving in Socotra in Feb this year. There will be two of us - me and my son (17). We are both PADI advanced open water divers, with a fair amount of experience, mostly in the Indian Ocean off Mozambique, South Africa, Mauritius and Kenya.
We are limited on dates - we can arrive in Sa'naa on 20 Feb, and must leave on 26 Feb. Please contact me urgently if you think you can help us get to Socotra in that time and organise some good diving.
We will need to rent full equipment - if you can help I will send you sizes.
Hello,
I dive last April with the Socotra Diving Center.
They have all the equipment.
I don't have their address but we were with a very good local guide, Abdelhamid, mobile +967 777277926.
Xavier
Hi, I went diving with Socotra-Eco-Tours - you can check their website Socotra Eco-tours - Tourist guide on Socotra specialised in eco-tourism. They are a local socotri officially registered tour operator and can offer you a the best deal on diving on the island, since it is sort of sister company of the diving center.
We had really a great time there
We flew Egyptair from London to Sanaa changing planes in Cairo. At check in in Cairo you will need to show a copy of your Yemeni visa. Our visas were obtained by Abduljameel – we emailed him a copy of our passports & wired the fees to him & once he received the visas he emailed copies to us. On arrival at Sanaa airport we gave the copies to the visas desk & they posted the original visas in our passports. Abduljameel had arranged for us to be met at the airport by Akmed as our guide/driver & one of the officials phoned him as he waited outside to confirm that we were with his agency – arriving independently without this I believe you would not be allowed in. In Sanaa we stayed at the Arabia Felix (Arabia Felix Hotel, Sana'a) one of the few if not the only hotel still open in the old town. We walked around the souk with Akmed & ate at the Al Shaibani restaurant. The traffic in Sanaa is terrible – worse now that there are so many army check points. Parts of the city around University Square & Tahrir Square are blocked off to all traffic. The power goes off at night but the hotel had a generator use for part of it. Akmed is a conscientious English speaking guide with a thorough knowledge of which parts of the city are ok & which to avoid. On our return through Sanaa Akmed had got us travel permits so we were able to visit Shibam/Kawkaban & Wadi Dahr.
We flew Felix Air (tickets arranged by Abduljameel) from Sanaa to Socotra with a stop on the ground in Mukalla. Our bags were overweight but they waived the excess fee. On Socotra we stayed 5 nights at Dihamri eco lodge, 1 night at Ditwah & 1 night at Adeebs near Hadibo. Tents are provided but we slept outside. We did 6 days diving at Dihamri, Erissel, Adho, Rosh, Quisalaya & Shuub & 2 land trips to Homhil & the Dixsum plateau. We had a guide (Sammy), driver (Mohamed) & dive guide (Nassem). Food was plentiful – bread, cheese, jam, rice, pasta, beans, curried vegetables, grilled fish & goat. Plenty of tea, water & soft drinks – no alcohol. The dives were mainly on sand flats at say 60 feet covered with coral heads. Being relatively undived the coral condition is superb with an incredible amount of fish life – nurse & whitetipped sharks, skates, reys, eels, turtles & schools & schools of fish – the Shuub wreck in particular was just covered in blankets of fish. Generally, 15 minute boats rides to the sites in fishing boats. Drift dives no buoys. Visibility around 50 feet. Although a limited amount of spare equipment is available, best to bring your own. 5 mm wetsuits. Some of the best diving I have done in the Red Sea & Arabian Sea (comparing with Egypt, Eritrea, Maldives, Mauritius).
Socotra is a wonderful place both above & below the water. Even if you do not travel through Sanaa it is possible to get there by flying from Sharjah in the U.A.E. via Mukalla. Go now – you will not regret it.
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Originally Posted by Dubai Diver
