Socotra Island: Unbelievable Beauty

Socotra Island

Socotra Island: Unbelievable Beauty
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Imagine waking up on the Socotra Island and taking a good look around you
. After a yelp of disbelief, you'd be inclined to think you were transported to
 another planet - or traveled to another era of Earth's history.


The second would be closer to the truth for this island, which is part of a group of 4
islands, has been geographically isolated from mainland Africa for the last 6 or 7 million years.

 Like the Galapagos Islands, this island is teeming with 700 extremely rare
 species of flora and fauna, a full 1/3 of which are endemic, i.e. found nowhere else on Earth.

Socotra Island

The climate is harsh, hot and dry, and yet - the most amazing plant life thrives there.

 Situated in the Indian Ocean 250 km from Somalia and 340 km from Yemen,
 the wide sandy beaches rise to limestone plateaus full of caves(some 7 kilometers in length) and mountains up to 1525 meters high.

Socotra Island

The name Socotra is derived from a Sanscrit name, meaning "The Island of Bliss"... Is it the beaches?The isolation and quiet? or the strange and crazy botanical allure?
Alien-looking plants: H. P. Lovecraft's secret inspiration?


Was the famous Chtulhu myths creator aware of these forbidding mountains with their hauntinglyweird flora (think of plant mutations from his "The Color out of Space") ?We almost tempted to call Socotra the other "Mountains of Madness" -the trees and plants of this island were preserved thru the long geologicalisolation, some varieties being 20 million years old...


We begin with the dracena cinnibaris or Dragon's Blood Tree, the source ofvaluable resin for varnishes, dyes, and "cure-all" medicine; also (predictably) used in medieval ritual magic and alchemy -

Socotra Island

The branches spread out into the sky and from below appear to hover over the landscape like so many flying saucers... and from above they have a distinct mushroom look:

Socotra Island

Socotra Island

There is also the Desert Rose (adenium obesium) which looks like nothing so much as a blooming elephant leg:

Socotra Island

Socotra Island

Dorstenia gigas - apparently does not require any soil and sinks roots straight into the bare rock:

Socotra Island

Socotra Island

It also has a distinct personality and likes to smile for the camera:

Socotra Island

Somewhat similar to the weird Dorstenia gigas, is this "bucha" vegetable, found as far north as Croatia. I hope it's not pregnant with anything malignant inside this sack. John Wyndham (with his "The Day of the Triffids") would've loved it:

Socotra Island

Also found in Socotra's landscape is the ever-strange and extremely rare Cucumber Tree (dendrosicyos socotranum) -and yes, it's related to what's sitting in a pickle jar in your fridge:

Socotra Island

Getting around can be a challenge, as there are almost no roads.Despite the fact that this island has around 40,000 inhabitants, the Yemeni government put in the first roads just 2 years ago - after negotiations with UNESCO, which has declared this island a World Natural Heritage Site.

 It is a quiet and peaceful enclave in an otherwise troubled world. If you decide to visit there, you can forget about beachfront hotels and restaurants; this island is
geared towards Eco-tourism and sustaining the local economy and way of life.

Socotra Island

Socotra Island

This island is a birder's paradise as well, with 140 different species of birds;10 of which are not found anywhere else in the world. A unique Socotra warbler, sunbird, starling, bunting, sparrow and cisticola are among the ones found here.

 There are also Socotra Cormorants:

Socotra Island

Want to see some fairy-tale (and possibly haunted) shipwrecks?There are diving tours available... Hopefully some IMAX crew would film it in all its glory one day.

Socotra Island

To give you a glimpse of Socotra's and Yemen's in general totally unique architecture,check out this place located on the mainland:
Al Hajarah, Yemen - Walled city in the mistComputer game designers take note - this mysterious city in the foggy Yemen'sHaraz Mountains can surely fire up imagination of anybody who decides to explore it:

Socotra Island

Socotra Island

Socotra Island

Dune? Clark Ashton Smith's Zothique? Pack your bags, for this is on our good old planet Earth, no interstellar visa required.

Socotra Island