The wild magic of Socotra
Getting to the island of Socotra isn’t easy, but travellers who make the journey will be rewarded by its wild landscapes
A lonely island in the Arabian Sea some 150 miles off the Horn of Africa, Socotra figures in ancient texts as a place of mystery and enchantment. It seems Greek and Arab sailors once spoke of it as an earthly paradise, perfumed with frankincense and bristling with magical trees.
They weren’t far wrong, says David Pilling in the Financial Times. The island’s mountain wilds really do look like a “wonderland” – a place from the dreams of Dalí or Dr Seuss – and are stippled with odd-looking “dragon’s blood” trees whose deep-red sap is said to have extraordinary properties, and was used by Stradivari to varnish his violins. Getting there has never been easy, and the civil war in Yemen (to which Socotra belongs) has only made it harder, but a trickle of tourists has recently been returning.
The UAE has governed it since 2018, when it landed troops on the island, claiming to do so on behalf of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government, although the latter called the move “unjustified”. Most tourists now arrive on infrequent charter flights from Abu Dhabi. Booking tickets can be complicated, making it easier to travel with a tour operator such as Untamed Borders (from roughly £3,500 for a week) or Cookson Adventures (which is at the more luxury end of the market).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trekking in the island’s interior is tough but rewarding. Socotra’s mountains are “as jagged as a sea monster’s back”. Over-grazing by goats has caused deep ecological damage, but you can still see the wonderful endemic flora and fauna for which the island has been dubbed “the Galápagos of the Indian Ocean”.
The island’s culture is distinctive, from its language (Soqotri is an ancient Semitic tongue) to its folk beliefs. And its coast is “wild and sublime”, with “vertiginous” sand dunes, “blinding white” beaches and “lapis lazuli” seas teeming with life, including whale sharks, huge pods of dolphins, and such an abundance of smaller species that fishing is almost too easy.
Sign up for The Week’s Travel newsletter for destination inspiration and the latest news and trends.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why the Earth's water cycle is under threat
Under The Radar Disturbances in the system that moves water around the world place more than half of global food production at risk
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - October 20, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - Secret Service flaws, weather control, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 cartoon critiques of the Kamala Harris media blitz
Cartoons Artists take on 60 surrealist minutes, word salad, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Salem's Lot: Stephen King adaptation is 'half-baked' thriller
Talking Point The latest adaptation of this 1975 novel has left many critics feeling underwhelmed
By The Week UK Published
-
Grenada's luxurious new resorts
The Week Recommends The Caribbean island boasts gorgeous beaches and tropical landscapes
By The Week UK Published
-
Tartiflette recipe
The Week Recommends This cheesy dish is perfectly warming in the winter
By The Week UK Published
-
Transformers One: entertaining prequel is 'pacy good fun'
The Week Recommends Josh Cooley's 'thoughtful' animated film tells the origins stories of Optimus Prime and Megatron
By The Week UK Published
-
Monet and London: an 'enthralling' exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery
The Week Recommends 'Misty, mysterious' paintings of London are a 'revelation'
By The Week UK Published
-
Sarah Rainsford shares the best books to explain Vladimir Putin's Russia
The Week Recommends The correspondent picks works by Anna Politkovskaya, Catherine Belton and more
By The Week UK Published
-
The Other Place: an 'excruciatingly funny' and 'shockingly frank' take on Antigone
The Week Recommends Alexander Zeldin's retelling of the ancient Greek tragedy is 'sucker-punch theatre'
By The Week UK Published
-
Jeff VanderMeer's 6 favorite books that delve into the unknown
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Tana French, John le Carré, and more
By The Week US Last updated