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Wild beaches in Socotra
Wild beaches in Socotra

On the island of Socotra beautiful wild beaches, ocean waves and no one around. At dawn and at sunset is a good time for photos, but during the day have something to do on the coast:)

photos qadama
Socotra opens a new tourist season
Socotra opens a new tourist season

Overcoming strong summer winds Socotra starts the next tourist season.

Tourism Canyons Mumi trekking
Updating of "Standard Socotra tours" programs
Updating of "Standard Socotra tours" programs

We have updated our “Standard Socotra tours” programs developed to show you the best sights of Socotra and Yemen. The programs are tailored for various categories of travellers.

Tourism
Series - First Impressions
Series - First Impressions

The first trip in December 2008

photos
The new tourist map of Socotra
The new tourist map of Socotra

The new tourist map of Socotra shows the most interesting places of the island

map tourism attractions
Tale of Two Brothers  - Soqotri folk tale
Tale of Two Brothers - Soqotri folk tale

This Soqotran tale was recorded from Fatima Salim Sho'o (ca. 19) near her family small cave at Mauna Mountain in the north-western Muri area of Soqotra island just near the airfield and the camp in 1980. Her father Salim ‘Abdella Sho'o, her mother Maryam Keshen, and both of her brothers Sa’id and Sa’ad were also there. Fatima, a young clever Bedouin woman, never went to school. Here is a beginning of the tale which is very close to the famous Egyptian tale of Two Brothers from the d'Orbiney papirus.

Culture Fairy-tales Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
Heavy rains on Socotra
Heavy rains on Socotra

It has been pouring for almost a week on Socotra. Such rainy weather in May has not been for a long time.

weather
Important discoveries of Russian archaeological expedition on Socotra
Important discoveries of Russian archaeological expedition on Socotra

Preliminary Report of the Russian Interdisciplinary Mission to the Republic of Yemen submitted to the General Organisation of Antiquities and Museums (G.O.A.M.), Season 2009

Archeology Oldowan
Ali The Clever One treats the Sultan  - Soqotri folk tale from Muri
Ali The Clever One treats the Sultan - Soqotri folk tale from Muri

One day Ali the Clever One was wondering. And he was wondering if he is not as good as other people? Other people who came to the Sultan, gave him good presents. But he, Ali, surely he was also good so he decided to treat the Sultan.

Culture Fairy-tales Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
Ali The Clever One and his kitchen garden  - the most popular Soqotri folk tale around the island
Ali The Clever One and his kitchen garden - the most popular Soqotri folk tale around the island

One day Ali the Clever One decided to try his hand at agriculture. He found a piece of land, cleared it of stones and brush-wood, dug the earth and made a kitchen garden. After a little time his kitchen garden began to grow, now he had only to water it and to wait for a harvest. But that didn’t happen.

Culture Fairy-tales Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
The Dream  - Soqotri folk tale from Hadibo
The Dream - Soqotri folk tale from Hadibo

One night a young fellow slept and had a dream that he married a Sultan's daughter. In the morning he told his friends about the dream, they told their friends about the dream and finally the Sultan knew about the dream. The Sultan became very angry. "Take him to jail!" he ordered his servants and they carried out his order immediately...

Culture Fairy-tales Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
Сhronology and fairy-tales of Socotra
Сhronology and fairy-tales of Socotra

New materials from Vladimir Agafonov - chronology of Socotra island and two Socotran fairy-tales, one of them you can listen to Socotri.

Culture Fairy-tales Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
Bismilla - Soqotri folk tale from Qalansiya
Bismilla - Soqotri folk tale from Qalansiya

There were two friends. One day one of them said: “Hey, brother! Do you want (us) to go for a walk?! To that place on this plain?!” “Yes, I do”, this friend said. They went. When they went the strong wind came and the whole place disappeared...

Culture Fairy-tales Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
Mehazelo - Cinderella of Soqotra. Soqotri folk tale from Qarya
Mehazelo - Cinderella of Soqotra. Soqotri folk tale from Qarya

Once upon a time there was a girl. Her parents died when she was very small so she went to stay with an old man and his wife who would look after her. The old man was a fisherman, but his catch of fish was small - just enough for them not to die from hunger. His wife was very angry, aggressive and very noisy. The girl lived with them but was worried because the old man and his wife didn't love her and that is why she was named Mehazelo, the unloved, by the neighbours.

Culture Fairy-tales Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
First breakfast in Socotra
First breakfast in Socotra

Photos from photo tour in March 2010

photos
Temethel as the most bright element of soqotran folklore poetry
Temethel as the most bright element of soqotran folklore poetry

Every field researcher of the Soqotri Modern South Arabian language from the first steps in his work on the island will meet these, beloved among the islanders, very useful, sharp-witted short poetry jewels of folklore, which are named "temethel" by the Soqotrans themselves.

Socotri Vladimir Agafonov
Hotel Summer Land 4*, Socotra, Hadibo
Hotel Summer Land 4*, Socotra, Hadibo

Comfort lovers will surely like the recently reconstructed Summer Land Hotel in Hadiboh.

Hadibo Hotels Booking
Socotra at "PhotoForum 2010"
Socotra at "PhotoForum 2010"

At "PhotoForum 2010", the international photo-exhibition held in Moscow, SONY Company exhibited more than 20 posters of Socotra by Yuri Afanasiev, a professional photographer. More photos from exhibition...

Photos
Our best photos
Our best photos

Photos of our trip to Socotra in February 2010

Photos
Trekking on Socotra
Trekking on Socotra

Socotra is a perfect place for those who like trekking. Trekking activities will allow you to watch the island’s nature more closely and to make great photos. You will be able to see the places not accessible by cars.

Trekking
For an Adenese-Socotran expedition, in 1960 there were issued special postage stamps.