Socotra the “Mountains of Madness” The Island of Bliss

Socotra Island, you’d be inclined to think you were transported to another planet - or traveled to another era of Earth’s history.







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.

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.

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 hauntingly weird 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 geological isolation, some varieties being 20 million years old…



We begin with the dracena cinnibaris or Dragon’s Blood Tree, the source of valuable resin for varnishes, dyes, and “cure-all” medicine; also (predictably) used in medieval ritual magic and alchemy -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:There is also the Desert Rose (adenium obesium) which looks like nothing so much as a blooming elephant leg:Dorstenia gigas - apparently does not require any soil and sinks roots straightIt also has a distinct personality and likes to smile for the camera:



Somewhat similar to the weird Dorstenia gigas, is this “bucha” vegetable, found as far north as CroatiH.hope it’s not pregnant with anything malignant inside this sack. John Wyndham (with his “The Day of the Triffids”) would’ve loved it: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 govenment put in the first roads just 2 years ago - after negotiations with UNESCO, which has declared this island a World Natural Heritage Site.







I would prefer a camel ride to what is bound to be a bumpy and slow 4×4 ride… 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 warbler, sunbird, starling, bunting, sparrow and cisticola are among the ones found here.