Detwah Lagoon

About this place

Detwah Lagoon is a saline lagoon on the coast of the Yemeni island of Socotra, near the town of Qalansiyah in the north-west, separated from the Gulf of Aden by a sand spit. It has been a protected Ramsar site since 2007. It brings together white sand, turquoise water and dark mountains, making it one of the finest coastal views in the region. The lagoon holds broad seagrass meadows that serve as a nursery for young fish, along with vulnerable species of ray. Plants found only on Socotra grow along its shore. It is also an important roosting and feeding area for waterbirds and a breeding site for the Egyptian vulture and Socotra cormorant. The whole archipelago became a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2003. The finest view is from the rocky edge above the lagoon, where the white spit curls around pale blue water. You then walk down over the rocks to the beach. At low tide the sand lies wide open and you can walk far across it, with the water shallow and calm. Photos in the morning give the best colours. It is about 54 km in a straight line from Hadibo and needs a four-wheel drive with a guide. Bring a hat and water, as there is no shade, and leave no rubbish behind. Check the state of flights to the island before booking. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to the whole of Yemen and tells anyone there to leave, so check official guidance before making any plans.