Written by Tobias Lyndon
Sitting in the midst of the Indian Ocean, far off the coast of Yemen, lies the archipelago of Socotra. You would be mistaken for thinking the island was from another world.
Though you likely have never considered traveling to an isolated island controlled by Yemen, this is one of those magical places that you would be lucky to visit. Its environment is nothing short of bizarre – it is hot and windswept, yet has some of the most stunning plants you have ever seen, more than a third of which can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. It is considered one of the most important places for biodiversity on earth as it has elements from Asia, Europe, and Africa, all of which have morphed together over the millions of years that the island has remained isolated.
For a place that most have never heard of, Socotra holds an important place in history and is one of the most underappreciated gems of the world.
Unlike most islands, Socotra did not form from volcanic action, nor did it break off of one of the current continents. Instead, Socotra broke off from the Gondwana supercontinent during the Miocene epoch, more than six million years ago. It is this that led the island to be such a breeding ground for amazing biodiversity that includes a cucumber tree, a spectacular desert rose, and a large reptile population of which almost all can only be found on the island.
However, Socotra’s most famous resident is the dragon’s blood tree. The tree has been used for millennia, from the Egyptians to the Romans and later traders from the east, for the deep red dye that it produces. Not only do the trees look unworldly, it turns out they were valuable as well.
According to National Geographic, both Marco Polo and Alexander the Great sought the natural riches of the island, and the Romans had high interest in the frankincense that is found there. The island remained important to trade well into the 19th century, particularly for British sailors en route between India and Britain’s African colonies.
But while Socotra was of great importance to traders in the Indian Ocean, the local population has remained underdeveloped. Yemen is extremely resource poor to begin with, but natural disasters and wars have drained the country. Two massive cyclones wreaked havoc on Socotra last year, causing death and destruction. But in part because of Socotra’s small population and relative obscurity, aid has been slow to arrive.
When you think about it, Socotra really is the ideal vacation spot, despite its brutally hot temperatures and lack of widespread amenities. Nowhere else on earth will you feel that you are not on earth. You can see plants and animals that look like nothing else and can be found nowhere else, all while providing a foreign investment to a local population that is in need. Sure, you probably have never considered a vacation to the middle of the Indian Ocean, but there is a whole world out there waiting for you.
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