25 Unforgettable Places to Go in 2026: Socotra

In the mountains, that biological quirk from millennia of isolated evolution is perhaps best seen in the iconic dragon’s blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari), which has a striking umbrella canopy built to trap moisture in an arid climate. Down on the coast, Socotra’s beaches have their own signature wildlife. Ghost crabs — pale, quick, and mostly nocturnal — live in deep burrows above the tide line, sprinting across the sand to forage after dark. Birders come for species such as the Socotra scops owl and Socotra starling, among the islands’ distinctive resident birds. Hundreds of species of coral, coastal fish, and crustaceans call the coast home.

Photo: Scott Sporleder

In 2026, the draw is also logistical: operators are publishing Abu Dhabi to Socotra flight schedules through the May 2026 season, typically twice weekly. The catch is that seats are limited and booking is usually handled through licensed outfitters rather than the standard channels. Arrivals funnel through Hadiboh, the main town. Most itineraries quickly pivot to the island’s camp-based circuits that range from simple tents to glamping, with travelers generally required to hire local guides and stay in family-run campsites that spread tourism income beyond town.

Photo: Scott Sporleder

Yemen’s political context can’t be airbrushed away. The US State Department maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Yemen, though Socotra is geographically closer to the Horn of Africa than it is the country it belongs to. Visit responsibly and with the right local guides, like Matador’s founder and CEO Ross Borden did in 2025 with his 10-year-old son and a small group of friends, and the experience will be defined instead by locals eager to share their culture and their landscape’s unique features than fearful headlines.

The result, for those who go carefully and responsibly, is a rare place still largely untouched by algorithmic tourism, where the landscape, and the species that evolved to fit it, remain the focus.