I have been wanting to visit Socotra for years. My biggest questions are: what is the visa situation for US citizens, and what is the best way to travel to Socotra? The flights I have found are only a few days a week and only from Sana'a via Yemenia, which has a weak reliability record. Is that the only option?

I confess that the fact that Socotra is in Yemen, and also uncomfortably close to the Somali pirate corridor, has kept me from thinking more seriously about planning a trip.