Standing sentry at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden, Yemen’s Socotra Island is perhaps best known for being ‘the most alien looking place on earth’
To me, however - it felt more like an intersection between Arabia and Africa. With one foot in each and an identity entirely of its alone, Socotra’s complete lack of phone signal (outside of Hadibo) ensures even the most jaded are left with few options but to appreciate her beauty.
The first sunset on Socotra set the tone for our exploration of the island : vibrant, alive, unexpected and brilliant
Being strategically located at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden, watching over the comings and goings to the Suez Canal, influence over Socotra has long been sought by foreign powers. Many of these tanks ‘donated’ by the Russians are still scattered about the island, a testament to ambitions for dominance over the region during the Cold War
The magical Detwah Lagoon plays host to a myriad of marine species which are easy to spot in the lagoon shallows during lowtide. Although this shot gives a pristine impression, the issues caused by plastic pollution persist even here, with debris washing up on the shores with each new high tide.
After waiting years to see the endemic Dragon’s Blood tree, the first got a good half an hour’s attention from us all - which turned out to be exactly enough time to let the rest pass in a bit more of a blur (sort of)
Even blanketed in clouds, Socotra’s Detwah Lagoon still distracts with starlight once the sun goes down
Socotra - always happy to provide a sneak peek of what adventures might await beyond the next horizon
With horizontal winds threatening to sandblast our legs on Socotra’s southern beaches, the date plantations provide a lush green cocoon for escaping the elements
The Zahek sand dunes in southern Socotra are backed by a ledge of high mountains to one side, and the open ocean to the other
Meet Zaid bin Sultan. He’s the guy staring back at you from the windscreen.
Driving around Socotra Island, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were actually in the UAE or Saudi Arabia for the number of foreign flags around. Both are vying for influence over Socotra and fight for it in the form of donated infrastructure and plastered propaganda in the form of romanticised images of both country’s leaders. bin Sultan was the leader of the UAE, however he passed away 16 years ago, leaving his son to rule, though his image remains in an attempt to win over the hearts and minds of Socotri people.
Socotra’s Arher Beach, where the wind pushes sand dunes up against cave-mottled cliffs
A river running through the Homhill Protected Area empties out into a natural infinity pool overlooking Socotra’s coast, before reaching out to the ocean below
Blown up from the beach and into the cliffs, the sand dunes of Arher beach command spectacular views across this part of the island.
The climb up is fraught with false summits, but the reward at the top makes getting there more than worth the while.
Socotra’s Diksam Plateau might be best known for its abundance of Dragon Blood trees, however the canyon it overlooks is impressive enough to constitute a marvel of its own.
A hike down into the canyon from Diksam and out the other side gets you to Fermhin Forest, where the Dragon’s Blood trees are abundant and the shade welcoming for a picnic and siesta under the trees.