Socotra

1. The island archipelago of Socotra lies off the Southeast coast of Yemen, to which it belongs and close to the horn of Africa. It is known as ‘the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’. It has 825 plant species and over a third of these are found nowhere else in the world. These include the Frankincense tree.

Also what is called locally the Bottle tree for its ability to store water.

It is also known as a desert rose due to the beautiful pink blooms when it flowers.

The most famous of all though are the Dragon Blood trees, the iconic symbol of Socotra

These wonderful trees are only found on Socrota. Seeds have been taken to try to grow them elsewhere but all attempts failed. Some of the large trees are between 700 – 900 years old.  The reason for their name is the deep shade of red of the resin which seeps from the tree when it is cut. This is used for traditional medicine, to make cosmetics and skin care products and as paint.

90% of its reptile species are also unique to the islands. 200 bird specks live or visit here and it has the highest concentration of Egyptian vultures in the world.

The seas surrounding it are home to 250 types of coral, 750 different types of fish and 300 species of crustacean. In total 700 species are endemic to Socotra. This is also why the island was granted World Heritage status in 2008.

I can only describe Socotra as magical. The scenery was simply spectacular and everywhere I went I received a wonderful, warm welcome. Everyday was an adventure, so different, so diverse. It’s hard to know where to start. I think the easiest way is to take it day by day.

Getting There

To visit Socotra you need to go with a guide or tour. I don’t like big groups and would rather use local companies. A friend who has visited Socotra twice recommended Rafat. He is the longest serving guide on the island and as well as guiding for major tour companies, 2 years ago set up his own tour company.

This is Rafat’s instagram:

https://instagram.com/socotra.rafatours?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

and website

http://socotra.rafatours.com.tilda.ws

I advertised for a travel companion to reduce the cost. Cynthia agreed to join me. The cost was much less than if I had gone with a tour group and both Rafat and our driver Fadhel took such wonderful care of us.

There is only one flight a week from Abu Dhabi on a Tuesday. It is a charter flight so not bookable direct and doesn’t show up on search engines like Skyscanner. Rafat gave the contact details of the agent and he booked it for me. Rafat also sorted out my visa. The flight is a little over 2 hours and was a lovely flight. The airport is small and chaotic but Rafat met us off the plane and sorted everything out for us.

Socotra day 1

It was lunchtime so we stopped off at a local restaurant for our first fresh fish of the trip.

We’d be camping on a beach on the other side of the island. It was a beautiful setting, fringed by huge sand dunes at one side and the Arabian sea at the other.

This was Arher beach, our home for the next 2 nights.

Our tents were put up for us. I offered to help but was told to relax, so there was nothing for it but a rum and coke aperitif before dinner.

With a little company.

Fadhel cooked a wonderful dinner and then a bonfire was built on the beach.

I went to sleep to the sound of the sea. I woke in the early hours of the morning to rain pounding on my tent. Fortunately, we had rain covers and once I checked it wasn’t leaking I was soon asleep again. Others weren’t so lucky and had to move their tents at 2am.

Socotra day 2

What a way to wake up! A beautiful dawn with colours that were constantly changing.

After breakfast on the beach it was time for the first adventure. Our very early starts meant we arrived everywhere first so we could have these wonderful sites to ourselves. We were hiking to Hoq cave, a one and a half hour hike uphill. It was an exhilarating hike and I loved it, although I was a little sweaty when I reached the top.

En-route we saw our first bottle trees, even baby bottle trees.

and a little local wildlife.

The views from the top were spectacular, where the mountains meet the sea.

It’s a natural cave full stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes and with some very unusual formations. It is enormous! A torch was definitely needed, this is a natural cave, no mood lighting here.

The cave is 3km long and this is the end point.

Of course there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

After the hike down it was back to the beach for lunch.

Just in time as the heavens opened but we were safely under our shelter, it would have been a very slippery descent. The sun returned for lunch.

Of course as usual we always had a friend try to join us for lunch.

After lunch it was time for a swim and a shower after the sweaty hike. Here they have a natural shower and it’s wonderful, you get a massage from the water at the same time.

On the way back some local boys had come for a kick around on the beach. They kicked the ball to me and I had a little game with them. I think they were surprised I could play. I had to say goodbye as our activities for the day hadn’t finished.

The next stop was at the tip of the island where the Arabian Sea meets the Indian Ocean.

Rafat prised fresh mussels from the rock and I popped them straight into my mouth.

We met a local fisherman. Here it is very easy, he just had a line with bait which he threw out, A couple of minutes later he pulled it in with a fish on the end. Our cook even had a go.

He had had a good catch.

He hitched a lift with us part of the way.

The next stop was to visit more local fishermen with their brightly coloured boats.

They had also had a good catch and we bought lots of fish, some of the 750 species here.

We said goodbye but there was still time to stop off at a small village on the way back to buy yet more fish which travelled back on the roof of the car.

The lovely thing here is that everyone helps each other. Rafat shared the fish with the other guides. Fadhel, our cook made us a beach feast for dinner.

All this in one day, I was sure I would sleep well.

Socotra Day 3

After another lovely breakfast on the beach

it was time to walk it off with another uphill hike.

First was a stop off at a small but interesting museum.

It was a one and a half hour hike to Homehim protected area. It was here that I saw my first Dragon Blood tree.

There were also very beautiful Frankinsence trees and more bottle trees.

Here is a natural infinity pool with lovely views down to the ocean. The rain had dislodged a lot of the silt making it a bit murky but that didn’t stop our intrepid guide. There were fabulous views from the top.

We had a lovely lunch spot.

Then it was time to move on to a new beach campsite. The afternoon was spent snorkelling. Lots of huge multi-coloured fish, shoals of tiny, fluorescent blue fish, needle fish, bright blue starfish and lovely corals. Unfortunately, I had a technical hitch so no photos of this. Then it was trying to conquer my fear of heights and climb a huge rock.

Another fun packed day.

Socotra day 4

So another day and another hike. This time downhill into a canyon. This is Kalishan and here is a wonderful natural swimming pool. It was incredibly beautiful, crystal clear waters in shades of green and turquoise. It was very refreshing after the hike, bliss.

At first we were the only ones but then some of the local children came to show off their diving and acrobatic skills.

En route we had a photo stop with a friendly chameleon.

It was a spectacular drive today and as always some fabulous photo opportunities along the way.

I’d trekked canyons and caves and climbed huge rocks but went flying on a straight piece of ground when I got over excited about seeing a camel. Still there is always a local remedy.

Then it was climbing the huge sand dunes at Zehj.

To get an image of the size, look how it dwarfs our vehicle.

We would be camping on another beach. This one came with its own camels.

If there is an opportunity to dance of course I am always going to take it. Everyone is always singing here and our car was filled with music and singing. Fortunately, not mine, I’m tone deaf but it doesn’t always stop me I can dance though. Tonight the other guides all joined us. Musical instruments were improvised from a manner of things and the music and dancing began.

Socotra day 5

I woke up to another splendid sunrise glimmering over the ocean.

We had camped on Omak beach and it was another stunning start to the day.

We had a visit to another cave full of wonderful rock formations.

We always had fun wherever we went and a stop at a petrol station was no exception.

It was then time to drive to the Dragon Blood forest.

The scenery en route was as always spectacular with dirt roads and huge drops. This was the magnificent Derher canyon .

Our lunch stop as always was very scenic, with the chance for a little cooling dip in the stream. As always we had a few lunch guests.

We visited a Dragon Blood nursery. 2 devasting cyclones hit the island in 2015 and very sadly destroyed 30% of the Dragon Blood trees on the island. The problem is they take so long to grow. The tiny ones here are 15-20 years old.

The largest trees are between 700-900 years old.

Also there are 4 times as many goats as people on Socrota and they eat everything including the saplings of these trees.

Tonight we camped next to the vast Dragon Blood forest. This was Frmhin forest.

It looked stunning at sunset and was so atmospheric by night.

Dinner was in the open under the light from millions of stars, galaxies and planets.It was mesmerising. I didn’t need the shooting star I saw, all my dreams had already come true.

Socotra day 6

Sunrise over the Dragon Blood forest was magical. A little eerie as the morning mist swirled and the black silhouettes of the huge trees dotted the skyline.

Then the sky began to colour.

This was one of my favourite experiences of the trip. I sat in silence for one and a half hours, the forest quiet and still and watched at the myriad of changes of colour until the sun like a huge yellow ball of fire rose over the forest.

As we drove back it was time to say goodbye to the forest and the Dragon Blood trees with one final stop.

This is the famous resin from the trees.

It was time to head back to the beach. In the 1980s Socotra was part of South Yemen, which was pro-Russian and the only communist state on the Arab peninsula. To protect the island from invasion, the U.S.S.R. gave them a few dozen old T-34 tanks which were installed amongst the sand dune on the North coast. Left over from World War ll, they were already rusted and few worked. Fortunately, they were never needed, they wouldn’t have been much help.

We were staying on another beach, Kalansya, close to the stunning Dethwh lagoon.

It was here that we net one of the islands most famous residents, the Caveman. His real name is Abdullah but everyone on the island knows him by his nickname Ellai. He was born is this cave which overlooks the lagoon and lived here for many years. These days he also has a small house in town but still comes here everyday to fish with his son and often still sleeps here.

I could see why, it was such a beautiful spot with lovely views over the lagoon.

When the tide goes up the water is just past your knees and you can wade out and see the rich variety of sea life. The entrance to his cave is flanked by 2 huge whale bones from a carcass washed up on the beach,with stairs made from stone and handrails of bone. At the top of these steps was the caveman waiting to greet us.

The caveman is quite a character and very enigmatic. He is 59 years of age, he was the father of 15 children but sadly 9 died.

The cave had matting on the floor, a kettle was boiled on a fire for tea. Shells were used as plates and cups.

Inside is a dolphin skeleton which also washed up on the beach. He calls it his friend.

He prepared us a wonderful seafood lunch,  fresh mussels, squid, fish and probably the best crab I have eaten.

What a wonderful lunch view too.

After lunch the tide was low enough for us  to explore the lagoon. From the rocks and sea bed came fresh oysters, clams, mussels and sea urchins popped straight into my mouth, so fresh and so delicious. Another seafood feast.

We saw sea potatoes, which squirt red dye.

The caveman showed us the boat he uses for fishing.

He showed us a blowfish. There are so many of these and you have to be very careful walking on the beach, so as not to stand on one.

The caveman then disappeared under the water and reappeared holding a turtle. I was a little worried at first, especially when he took out his knife. However this isn’t cruel or for food. He proceeded to remove the barnacles attached to the  outside of its shell which cause the turtle problems, he then releases it.

According to the caveman, I am a very strong woman and should stay in his cave for a week and fish with him. It was tempting!

This was another huge highlight of my trip.

The day wasn’t finished thought and there was still time to experience sunrise over the sand dunes from a viewpoint atop a rock. The views as always were spectacular as we waited for the sun to set.

Sunset did not disappoint.

Tonight would be our last night camping.

Socotra Day 6

So another early start but that is fine when you are going to bed early too. It’s lovely to wake up to sunrise.  Today we were hiring a small fishing boat to look for dolphins. It wasn’t long before we found some.

There were also lots of sea birds.

Then  it was on to a lovely sand beach for a swim in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. It was such a beautiful spot and we had the whole beach to ourselves.

The water was like getting in to a warm bath and the waters so clear, shoals of small fish darted around next to us. We made the first footprints in the sand.

This is Shaob beach.

A couple more boats arrived as we were preparing to leave. Another reason for the early start is that the wind picks up later. It was a much bumpier ride back and much more exhilarating with the peaks and troughs of the now much larger waves. I loved it, then we returned to the stillness of the harbour.

It was now time to say goodbye to the beach.Tonight we would be staying in a hotel in the capital. There were still a couple of stops entering route. Firstly at the salt flats.

Then we met some very friendly local children.

The hotel was functional but basic and I missed the beach. It was interesting to walk around the capital. Men played dominoes on the street.

Goats picked through the piles of rubbish.This is a big problem on the island, like many places. I watched my guide and other guides picking up rubbish on the beaches and they are also leading initiatives to clean up the island. In the city plastic was piled everywhere.

It was an interesting walk.

Tonight we dined a in style with the biggest fresh lobsters I have ever seen.

Socotra day 7

There was one last treat in store before our flight took us off the island. We’d been invited by the guide to his house for breakfast. It was such a privilege to meet his family and see his house. His wife had cooked us a delicious breakfast.

Here women are always covered when they are out, so it was lovely to see her relaxed in her home.

His daughter was incredibly beautiful with an infectious smile and the interaction and care Rafat took with his daughter was lovely to witness.

He is a very kind man and has become a friend. I can’t thank him enough for sharing so many wonderful experiences with me during this week. It has been a magical trip I will never forget. We said our goodbyes to Rafat and Fadhel and also to Socotra.

Maybe we’ll meet up somewhere in the world but in the meantime if you would like to buy me a beer to say thanks, it would be much appreciated and I’m always thirsty. Click on the link below. Cheers.
https://www.buymeabeer.com/lynnstepheo