Socotra Island: A Paradise in the Arabian Sea
Isolated from the rest of the world, this 4,000 km² island lost in the Arabian Sea (a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008) between the coasts of Yemen and the tip of the Horn of Africa, is a true natural paradise. Long unknown to travelers, even the most curious, Socotra has preserved its lush and unspoiled nature.
With a geological history that began more than 600 million years ago, evidenced by a wide variety of metamorphic, volcanic, and limestone rocks, Socotra is considered a biodiversity gem, home to nearly 700 endemic species of flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. This long geological isolation, along with a unique climate, has created an extraordinary and unique flora, including the famous Dragon’s Tree (Dracaena cinnabari) with its umbrella shape and unusual red resin, as well as a special type of Aloe (Aloe perryi) among others.
The archipelago also boasts rich fauna, including several endemic species of birds like the Socotra Starling (Onychognathus frater) and the Socotra Sunbird (Nectarinia balfouri), as well as reptiles like the Socotra Chameleon (Chamaeleo monachus) and some fascinating arachnids, such as the Socotra Blue Baboon Tarantula (Monocentropus balfouri) and a giant centipede (Scolopendra valida). The only endemic mammals are bats (Hypsugo lanzai).
The marine environment of the Socotra archipelago and the surrounding waters of the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean contains high biodiversity along its rocky and sandy coasts, in open sea, coral reefs, and in the transitional areas between land and sea, such as intertidal mudflats, lagoons, and estuaries, which are highly productive and diverse.
The inhabitants of the island, the Socotri, are simple, friendly, and very hospitable people. They have their own culture and language in addition to Arabic, and they are mostly concentrated in the capital, Hadibu, and the eastern region. They speak Arabic and Socotri, an ancient unwritten language, and primarily live off fishing.
