When you do a Socotra Tour your first might is spent in the capital of Hadibu and with YPT at least the Diamond Hotel Socotra. Not exactly the Hilton, but centrally located, has enough amenities and certainly a change from camping.
What is Hadibu like?
Where Socotra to leave the Republic of Yemen and even abandon the Southern Transitional Council (PDR Yemen) and become the Republic of Socotra then Hadibu would be the capital.
The airport is 12km from here and the government buildings, as well as most of the shopping are in Hadibu, but a Metropilis it is not! We will deal with Hadibu later, but this is a sleepy town of 8,000, or so people that goes to bed at 9pm on the dot!
Hotels of Hadibu
Tourism to an extent is booming in Socotra, but that does not mean there is a hell of a lot of infrastructure. There are though around 4 hotels, none of which are exactly deluxe, with the Diamond Hotel of Hadibu being the YPT weapon of choice.
To read about the Yanggakdo Hotel click here.
Of the other 4 only one would be considered “better”, but there are no 5 star resorts in Socotra at least not yet anyway.
The Diamond Hotel Socotra facilities
Rooms where are what you would call 2-3 star, or as one customer put it a 20 kwai Chinese hotel. This is not a deluxe place, but given the problems Socotra has and does face it is also of a decent standard. Rooms here are relatively clean and have a toilet and a shower. Hot water and strength of said shower do though leave an awful lot to be desired, but hey after a week of camping – or before a week of camping even this is way way better than nothing.
To read why Socotra is a haven from the war in Yemen click here.
There’s no restaurant as such here, but there is one near by used for breakfast, as well as the whole Habidu street food and restaurant scene, which while not exactly epic is pretty damned good. There shall be a street food Habidu article very very soon….
Opposite the hotel is a small shop that sells snacks as well as international drink brands aside some local gems that agin we shall review later. The main facility that they have though at the Diamond Hotel Socotra is the holy grail that is internet. It might not be fast, but it is pretty much the best wifi in Socotra and beats getting a UAE sim, which weirdly do not really work at the hotel.
Overall the Diamond Hotel Socotra might not win any awards, but it helps ease and facilitate a stay in Socotra, truly The Most Alien Place on Earth!
Want to Visit Socotra with YPT? Check out the following.
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