Socotra – photo report from the trip

What word, what adjective to describe it? Socotra defies easy definitions. Maybe a white island, because of the sand, both in color and texture resembling the finest flour or powdered sugar? Maybe emerald, because of the color of the water, although then the question immediately arises, why not turquoise, blue, navy blue or celadon? Maybe green - after all, there is an abundance of vegetation in all shades of green here. Also comes to mind the red, gray and anthracite of the rocks, the multicolored shimmer of the coral reef, the juicy pink of the bottle trees, the smoky ash of ghost crabs, which inhabit the beaches in droves.

So – it is impossible to choose one color. So maybe choose one of the words that appear in the few guides and articles about Socotra? Alien, cosmic, not of this world? Catchy and true, although banal. It is a fact that endemic species occur here, it is a fact that it is far from communication routes, it is a fact that the number of tourists does not exceed five thousand per year, and finally – the landscapes are like from fantasy films. But check it out for yourself. We invite you to trip to Socotra!

Dragon trees

When to go to Socotra?

Socotra, located on the Arabian Sea, has a distinctive desert climate, which is characterized by dry and hot conditions most of the year. Average temperatures can range from 25°C to 35°C, with the hottest months being in the summer, particularly July and August. During this period, temperatures can exceed 40°C. Rainfall is scarce, with the main rainy period occurring in the winter months, from December to February. Rain often falls in the form of short-lived, intense thunderstorms. Socotra has strong winds, known as khareef, which blow in the summer, usually from June to August, and again bring violent storms and tempests. As such, the best times to visit Socotra are in the spring, from March to June, and in the autumn and winter, from September to December.

Hadibo Market

Socotra - safety

Although Socotra is part of Yemen, which is embroiled in civil war, there is no trace of warfare on the island itself. It is very safe here, in every respect – crime is virtually non-existent, and the weather is quite pleasant. If you are worried about pushy vendors, don’t worry – there are so few shops here that no one will bother you!

Goats are literally ubiquitous in Socotra!

History of Socotra

To answer the question of why Socotra is an island that is extraordinary in every way, in a geological context, one must trace its geological history, which is associated with the separation of the Arabian Peninsula from Africa as a result of tectonic activity. The process of separation of these continents is associated with the development of the Red Sea Fault, which began about 20 million years ago. As the continents separated, tectonic faults were created, which caused the formation of the Red Sea and the separation of Socotra from the African continent. At the time of this separation, large organisms, such as mammals, had not yet developed, which is why in Socotra you will only encounter goats (lots, lots of goats) brought here by people, camels and rats, which came here on merchant ships, because the history of Socotra, dating back thousands of years, is associated with trade, colonization and the influence of various cultures.

Qalansiya, the second largest city in Socotra

The first mentions of the island date back to antiquity. In ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, Socotra was considered an important trading center for myrrh and frankincense, which were widely used at the time. In the following centuries, Socotra was influenced by various cultures and empires – controlled by the Persians, Ptolemies, Roman Empire, Byzantium and many others. For centuries, the island was an important point on the trade route connecting India, Africa and Europe. It was also a popular stopover for sailors who rested on its shores and replenished their water and food supplies. In the 7th century, Socotra was conquered by the Arabs and became part of the Islamic Empire. Under Arab rule, the island played an important role as a center of trade and recreation for Muslim merchants traveling between the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Islam quickly caught on in Socotra, and local culture began to merge with Arab traditions. In the following centuries, Socotra was occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, who vied for control of the strategic maritime region. European influences had a major impact on the island's development, with many European settlers introducing new crops and agricultural technologies. Socotra was also known as an important base for spice merchants, as well as a haven for pirates who preyed on the area's trading ships.

Socotra – visiting the enigmatic island

Socotra – Visiting the Enigmatic Island | Abu Dhabi, Hadibo, Detwah, Diksam, Aomak, Homhil, Arher, Dubai
Welcome to Socotra – an island from another dimension, called the most cosmic place on Earth! It broke away from the continent millions of years ago, thanks to which there are plant species that are not present anywhere else in the world. Amazing nature, trees unlike anything else, virgin beaches – all this makes up a completely unique quality! You will also feel like real explorers here: until recently, Socotra was completely closed to tourism!

In the 2008th century, Socotra became part of the Republic of Yemen and experienced political and social changes. In 700, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique nature, which includes over XNUMX species of plants and animals, many of which are endemic. The Socotra people maintain their traditional way of life and culture, and the island is also an important site for scientific and ecological research.

What to see in Socotra

Detwah Lagoon it is water of a colour that is difficult to define. In the sun, it takes on an unrealistically bright, turquoise colour, and it is separated from the deep, navy blue sea by a narrow stream of blindingly white sand. In the burrows dug in them live... ghosts. Small, transparent-white, nimbly escaping on stiff legs - crabs. If you want to take a photo of them, you have to run faster than them, and that is no small feat! The water in the lagoon is warm and so clear that you can easily see the smooth as silk, sandy bottom. After a swim, we climb a dune, from which there is a view of the insanely blue sea and the football pitch. Bare feet or flip-flops? Such details do not matter to young footballers! And the goal posts are made of coconut palm trunks...

Right next door is the town of Qalansiya, the second largest city in Socotra, a cluster of simple stone houses with tiny windows protecting against the wind and heat and beautifully decorated tin doors. Colourfully dressed children run between them. There are plenty of them – in Socotra a large family is a value in itself. With curiosity and without shyness they ask everyone: What's your name? They don't beg, they are not used to it, because when someone from the newcomers wants to help them, they give a donation to specially established aid organisations or directly to the village chief, who knows best who needs what. From Qalansiya we sail in a simple wooden boat to the Shu'ab beach, accessible basically only by sea. Along the way, on the bare, jagged slopes there are many flowering bottle trees, the pink of which is as surreal as the turquoise of the water. The contrast between the thick, grey, wrinkled trunk, so vividly reminiscent of an elephant's leg, and the delicate, pink flowers could not be more striking. Shu'ab Beach itself is perfectly empty, the water calm and warm, and the sand white and fine as semolina sticks to the bodies.

But enough of these heavenly landscapes (for now)! Ahead of us is a drive on a beaten, bumpy, uneven and winding road through Dixam plateau. This is finally the “real” Socotra and our first encounter with dragon trees in such a mass. Against the background of the mountains looming in the distance, their domes look like shapes from another dimension. The most picturesque part of the plateau is the Firmihin Forest, a forest full of dragon trees stretching over a large area. Their crowns, resembling umbrellas overturned in the wind, often tangled together and dense as bush, almost do not let the light through. Here and there you can see fallen giants, already dried out and impressive in this form as well, the result of a hurricane that passed through the island a few years ago. It is hard to believe how these mighty trees, next to which a person seems like a comma, look like in childhood – bushes resembling pineapple plumes, not even reaching the knees! We visit their plantation, run by Czechs, who come here every year to check the progress of the tiny dracaenas. Why plantations? The soft and delicate leaves of small trees are a real delicacy of the ubiquitous and omnivorous goats, which is why it is difficult for wild-growing dracaenas to survive to adulthood.

After visiting the Dahub cave, full of side, low corridors and strange forms, from which a fantastic view of the sea stretches, we go to the Hayf dunes. It is a truly refined feast for the eyes. White, stretching to the horizon closed by a thin navy thread of the sea, every now and then gilded and blushed by the glow of the setting sun, hiding and emerging from behind the clouds stretching the sky, they are cool, gently wavy, silky soft underfoot. If only we could see the sunset! However, this disappointment is compensated by the spectacle that takes place before our eyes at night, on Aomak Beach. The waves crashing against the shore in total darkness seem to glow with white light. No, they don't - they glow! Floating on them are plankton blooms, the so-called aurora borealis, which in this very original way defends itself against potential predators, for whom sea particles are a tasty delicacy. Other aquatic organisms also use bioluminescence to communicate, attract partners or prey. If that wasn't enough, in the morning at breakfast we are accompanied by vultures, completely undaunted by our lack of interest.

The next point on our list travel around Socotra jest Dihamri Marine Reserve, a place where you can rent snorkeling gear and explore the almost untouched coral reef that stretches right off the shore. Parrotfish, moray eels, rays, sea urchins and turtles swim in the clear water, and the corals enchant with a riot of colors and shapes. Just walking along the paths covered with fragments of dead coral and other sea creatures is a pleasure, and when the sun begins to sink into the sea, it is best to climb one of the rocks and watch the auroras that are spreading across the sky and water.

The next day brings a short trek along a steep, winding path to Hoq Cave. Theoretically, a cave like any other, with stalactites and stalagmites resembling the shape of wax pouring from a candle, with dripping water and an underground lake… And yet, as we traverse this vast space, revealing its interior with the gentle light of flashlights, it is hard not to feel like the first explorers. Besides, it was not explored until the turn of 2000 and 2001, which gave rise to a full inventory of caves in Socotra, providing detailed information on the island's geodiversity, biodiversity, climate and history. The entire cave is about 10 km long, but only two are open to visitors, while the remaining parts are accessible only to scientists.

But that's not the end of the attractions for today - we have a visit to the village of Erissel ahead of us. The ladies sit in the yard with the ladies and children, the gentlemen - outside, with the gentlemen and older boys. We get the obligatory tea, we smile at each other... and that's it. The lack of a common language, however, does not interfere too much with the exchange of smiles and warm glances. We buy small souvenirs, hats and belts, and it's time to go further, to Ras Erissel, a cape where the Arabian Sea meets on the left and the Indian Ocean on the right. The waves converge, foam gently, not differing in color or temperature, only in name... The night awaits us on an empty Arher beach, dominated by massive white dunes, adjoining steep rock walls. You could climb them and watch the sunrise, but it's much nicer to float in the warm, clear water and watch others suffer. The entire beach is dotted with mounds of ghost crabs, and its big attraction is a natural pool, created by a stream that falls with great force onto the sand. There are no bathrooms on Arher, so a natural bathtub like that is worth its weight in gold!

The next day of our trip around Socotra and another great experience is the steep road leading up a rocky slope to Homhill Reserve, not without reason called Socotra in a nutshell. Before we get there, however, we stop at a deep, sloping gorge. The steep path down leads among flowering bottle trees, yellowish cucumber trees and insanely fragrant, resin-bleeding frankincense trees. At the bottom, a clean, cool, turquoise wadi spreads, surrounded by rocks burned by the dead heat, which owe their white, softly rounded shape to centuries of torrential rains. From the rock crevices crawl multi-colored crabs, surprised by the sun-heated bodies that appear out of nowhere in their previously empty lake. And finally Homhill – a camp spread out on terraces, from which there is a magnificent view of the distant mountains dotted with characteristic umbrellas of dracaenas, tents are placed in the shade of bottle trees, and during dinner the aroma of goat meat mixes with the smell of incense resin, which we bought on the way from children running to greet us. A little below, there is an infinity pool on the Socotra scale – a natural pool created at the threshold of a stream, from which there is a stunning view of the not too distant sea, merging in color with the cloudless sky. You would like to stay here longer, but it is time to return to civilization, phones, internet, comfortable beds and clean toilets…

Socotra – for whom?

If you are a fan of five-star all-inclusive hotels – Socotra is not for you. If you value refined and varied cuisine – Socotra is not for you. If your vacation is inextricably linked to shopping – Socotra is not for you. If you cannot imagine a vacation without drinks – Socotra is not for you.

So who is Socotra for? For travelers who don't mind staying in simple tents, with (or without) basic sanitary facilities. Who won't frown on a monotonous, almost daily menu. Who prefer wandering along narrow paths to caves or wadis to visiting shopping malls. Who will respect the feelings of Muslim guides and drivers and won't drink alcohol in their presence. Finally, who, over the achievements of civilization, prefer the stunningly beautiful, still unspoiled and untransformed, wild and untamed, unpredictable and unique nature...