Socotra

Whether you are producing a travel or political documentary or shooting a film set on an alien planet, idyllic Socotra is the most unique island filming location in the world.

Situated between Yemen and Somalia, right where the Indian Ocean meets the Arabian Sea, Socotra boasts blue waters, yawning caves, mesmerizing rolling white sand dunes and a host of endemic plants and wildlife, including the iconic and photogenic Dragon’s Blood Trees. There is no other place like it on the planet.

OVERVIEW

Whether you are producing a travel or political documentary or shooting a film set on an alien planet, idyllic Socotra is the most unique island filming location in the world.

FILM LOCATIONS

Filming in Socotra offers a surprisingly wide range of scenery. The capital of Socotra, Hadibo, gives visitors a taste of mainland Yemen. Delisha beach is home to the rusting Golf Dove oil tanker. Hoq’s cave is home to impressive stalagmite and stalactite formations within its winding tunnels that go deep into the cliffside where it is located. Dixsam Plateau, situated within the island’s interior, looks like an alien landscape with its red rocks, thousands of dragon’s blood trees and flocks of endemic birds. Amak Beach features the massive sand dunes of Sahek and Hayf. Finally, Shuaab is an untouched beach paradise, accessible only by a boat ride through awe-inspiring rock formations and pods of playful dolphins. Rusted T34 tanks left behind by the Soviet Union along the island’s coast add yet another surreal and photogenic quality to the island’s scenery. There is no other filming island filming location like Socotra in the world.

Pioneer Media can also arrange filming itineraries around specific interests on the island such as scuba diving, cultural or anthropological study, scientific discovery, fishing, and politics.

FILM PERMITS & PERMISSIONS:

Pioneer Media can arrange filming permissions with authorities on Socotra for a wide range of production scenarios. Visiting filmmakers should bear in mind Socotra’s unique political situation and adherence to the Islamic faith when writing or planning their content to film in Socotra. Pioneer Media can advise visiting filmmakers and journalists and help them work with local authorities to achieve the best possible content for their projects.

FILM TALENT, CREWS & EQUIPMENT:

Socotra does not have film crews or equipment available. Chartered flights from Abu Dhabi on Air Arabia allow for easy access for visiting film and news crews traveling with equipment. Round Trip Abu Dhabi-Socotra tickets are $895 per person.

FILM COST, TAX INCENTIVES & CO-PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITIES:

ACCOMMODATION & TRANSPORTATION FOR FILMMAKERS

As Socotra is becoming an increasingly popular vacation destination, its capital Hadibo is home to a number of dedicated foreigner hotels. That said, there are no major hotel chains on the island – yet! Pioneer Media’s partners in Socotra have access to 4 wheel drive vehicles as well as drivers experienced in navigating the island’s sometimes rugged terrain.

VISAS & TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR FILMMAKERS:

All visitors to Socotra require a Yemeni visa, although work visas are not required. Visas cost $150 and Pioneer Media can handle all aspects of the visa process. Travelers with Israeli passports cannot obtain a Yemeni visa. Yemen is currently listed a Level 4: Do Not Travel by the US State Department due to the ongoing civil war in the north of mainland Yemen. Socotra is supported by the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council in the south of Yemen and travelers to Socotra are not impacted by the unrest in the north.