Socotra Island: The Alien Land On Earth

This post is about what is probably the most alien place on Earth, the kinds they make in movies spending millions on animation. This post is about Socotra Island and researches reveal that there are 99.34518%* chances that you won’t visit this amazing place in your lifetime. So let this post take you there, for free!

Where on Earth is Socotra Island?

Unearthly as it may seem, Socotra or Suqutra Island is very much on our blue goblet. A part of the Yemen Republic, the island is over 500 km southeast of the mainland, in the Indian Ocean. It has always been isolated from the world and has yet remained bubbling with life forms that are highly adaptive and so unique that a third of them are not found anywhere on the Earth.

What makes it so unique?

A lot of bizarre things actually! For starters, a tree that resembles a giant mushroom or a saucer settled on thick trunk (Dragon’s Blood). Another tree looks like an elephant’s leg with one or two pink flowers at the top (Desert Rose). The only native mammal of the island is bat. You will find them in some of the many hidden caves at the island. Other species include yellow-faced vultures, over 600 insects and 24 endemic reptiles including a fabled chameleon that is supposed to render voiceless anyone who hears its hiss.

Besides deep caves with stalagmites, the island’s geography consists of narrow coastal plains, a limestone plateau, and underdeveloped roads (even by Indian standards!).As if to confirm the laws of uniqueness, the people of the island follow their own calendar of 24 months. With handshake, they touch their noses and foreheads thrice as a form of greeting. The island is even fabled to be used by Somalian pirates (Somalia is the second nearest land after Yemen) for refuelling captured ships.

The history of Socotra is no less intriguing. The Sanskrit origin of the island’s name, the incredible theory of Socotra being the land of dragons and phoenix, the credible theory of it being the original Garden of Eden, and the tussle between Christianity and Islam at the Island are some insights into the island’s history and etymology.

How to Get There

First book your round trip to Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. From there, domestic carriers like Felix and Yemenia will take you to Socotra. Remember to check their official websites for frequency of flights and rates, and then book your international tickets accordingly.

What is There to See

Just about everything on that island is unseen by the world. The locals practice and promote eco-tourism with environment-friendly practices. You can camp at Homhil, which looks like a prehistoric landscape with endemic plant species. For seeing the mushroom shaped Dragon trees, head to Dixsam Plateau. Keep a day for Wadi Daerhu and go for a swim in one of its clear-water holes. Visit the Hayf and Zahek sand dunes before sunset and you will see the most memorable sunset of your lifetime.

Coming to beaches, the Shu’ab beach is where you’ll love to swim, soak under the sun and even climb up to the mountain for a view that words can’t explain. Given the rough terrain and harsh climate, sightseeing on your own might not be the best idea. Booking a local tour operator will help you as well as the local economy which by the way is very nascent. Socotra Eco-Tours is the most popular and talked-about operator on Tripadvisor.

Best Time to Visit Socotra

If you like adventure sports like windsurfing or surfing, go between June and September. The best tourist season however is between October and April. November-December is rainy season so go prepared. Whenever you visit Socotra, make sure you have good shoes, sunglasses, enough sunscreen and your usual medicines.

* That’s the exact percentage of researches that are self-made and shouldn’t be believed. Prove this one wrong, take your first step to Socotra!