Eco-tourism on Socotra

You will not find any hotel resorts on Socotra. If you dream about swimming in a hotel pool Socotra is not the right holiday destination for you. On the other hand, if you like romantic dinner on the beach, sleeping in a one thousand star hotel with the night sky being your roof, you are the right type of person for the Socotra archipelago.

Socotra has decided for eco-tourism more than ten years ago when first tourists started to arrive. Even though mass tourism would certainly bring more clients and consequently more money, the impact on local habitats and traditional local society would be devastating. Being listed as the World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO is by responsible authorities found as more important than becoming one of the top world holiday destinations.

What is eco-tourism?

Eco-tourism means that you are ready to give up part of your comfort in order to protect the nature you came to enjoy. It is traveling in a responsible way, with respect to the environment, considering how big footprint you will leave behind. An eco-tourist does not come to consume, he or she comes to meet the local people, to share their habits and customs, and thinks about the way of his/her spending money in favor of local communities.

Maybe you will get bored by fish for lunch and dinner every day, there won’t be a hot shower and you will have to carry your things yourselves to the campsite. However staying out of luxurious hotels with air-con and blinds will enable you to meet the real Socotra, a very authentic experience.

Eco-tourism services on Socotra island

When staying in an eco-campsite you can sleep in a tent or just under a palm-leaf shelter on the beach. A mattress, a pillow and a light bed sheet is provided. You can take lunch/dinner prepared by local staff of the campsite, usually fresh fish, rice, vegetable sauce and bread. Toilets (Arabic style) and showers are available. In some eco-campsites, you can recharge your batteries using energy from solar panels.

When camping outside with Socotra Eco-Tours, a maximum comfort will be prepared for you including freshly cooked lunch/dinner, drinking water, tea/coffee and dessert, relaxing area with mattresses and a large mat, tents, gas or solar lamps. All stuff including your baggage will be brought by a 4WD car to the place of camping.