Socotra: The Alien Island of Dragon Blood Trees That Feels Otherworldly

Socotra: The Alien Island of Dragon Blood Trees That Feels Otherworldly (Image: Canva)

It is a very strange island far out in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Yemen, and is often referred to as the most alien-looking place on earth. This has been accumulated on Socotra, one of a group of islands that are separated by a long distance, due to its harsh terrain and odd flora that looks as though it is on another planet. Socotra is a place that becomes surreal and memorable, thanks to its iconic Dragon Blood Trees, white dunes, and unspoiled coastline.

The Dragon blood trees are mysterious
Dragon Blood Tree, or Dracaena cinnabari, is the most well-known symbol of the island. The tree resin, which was originally used in medicine, dyes, and rituals. Famous for their umbrella canopies and crimson resin, which occupy the hills of Socotra.

An exceptional Biodiversity Hotspot
Thanks to its incredible biodiversity, Socotra has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearly a third of its flora is not present elsewhere on Earth. Desert roses that look like pink-blooming bonsai trees, giant cucumber plants with swollen trunks, the flora on the island is unlike anything you would find elsewhere.

The endemic bird species found on the island include the Socotra starling and sunbird, rare reptiles and marine organisms that live in the immediate waters.
Outlandish Landscapes.

The landscape in Socotra varies drastically over short distances. Some of the beaches, such as Qalansiyah and Shoab, remain empty, and the sands are white as far as the eye can see, with clear blue sea extending beyond. These surreal oppositions of desert and ocean, alien-like trees and tropical lagoons, make Socotra unlike any other island on Earth. Something is surprising every twist of the scenery that supports its image as a place beyond this world.

Socotra is not the island of islands: it is another planet. Be it the haunting forms of Dragon Blood Trees, to its shimmering beaches and astounding biodiversity, it defies all traditional notions of what a destination should be like. Going there is not just a matter of travelling; going there is a matter of experiencing the Earth in its strangest and most alien shape.