About Socotra Island

Socotra, marvellous and uncontaminated island on the Indian Ocean, 3600 square metres, is situated 500 km from the Yemeni coast. Socotra is a unique island which opened to tourism only recently.

The island offers a surprising variety of natural beauty: mountains overlooking the sea, plains covered with palm trees and cane-brakes, beaches, limestone plateaux and deep ravines. On the island, visitors can find unique animal and vegetables species that give Socotra a primordial look.

More than 800 species of plants have been classified; the most famous is the Dragon Blood Tree whose name is derived from the fact that by carving its trunk it pours out a red resin, it is said by the ancient belief, to be the blood of the dragon. The birds species registered are 140 and every year more are added to the list.

The whole island and its coasts are under the protection of the Yemeni Conservation and Development Authority that declared the island a “Naturally Protected Area” and, in collaboration with the Yemeni Tourism Authority produces a guide for eco tourism.

The inhabitants of the island, friendly, amiable and very hospitable are about 35.000 and have their own culture and language. The coasts are crowded with fishermen mainly of African origin. The Island of Socotra is e real Eden for sea lovers. In the deep water more than 800 different species of coral have been classified together with thousands of fishes and shellfishes.Incredibly colourful coral can be found from 3,5 metres to 25. These waters are suitable also for snorkelling and of great effect due to the numerous fishes and coral.

Socotra People and culture

Socotra is home to an estimated 40,000 people, with their own distinct language and culture.

The inhabitants of the mountains are living in caves

They are nomads and descendants of an old South Arabian tribe speaking still the old Arabian dialect Soqotri related to the Mahri dialect.

The coastal people are fishermen, mostly African origin.

They live in primitive houses with roofs from palm leaves and tree stems. The windows are small low openings functioning as air condition. In the cold winters the windows will be closed.

The main cash income for the fishermen of the three inhabited islands (Darsa is uninhabited) is almost exclusively from the export of dried shark and shark fins to the mainland, where the meat is eaten locally and the fins re-exported for the lucrative far eastern trade.

The nomads of the wadis are Arab origin

They live in small stone houses and their source of living is based on date palm farming. During the date harvest they practice traditional customs and celebrations accompanied by spiritual dances.

Socotra History

About 5000 years, developments in southern Arabian navigation and trade put Socotra on local maps. Abundant supplies of Frankincense, myrrh, dragon’s blood, and aloe were valuable commodities that were traded widely and made Socotra a destination for fleets from many parts of the known world. By the first century B.C., Socotra was the world’s foremost supplier of these rare and expensive resins.

Within a century Arabs, Indians, Greeks, and Africans had settled on Socotra, drawn by the riches that could be made there. By the 4th century A.D. the global demand for frankincense had declined to the point in time, Christianity remained dominant on Socotra for almost a millennium after which it gave to Islam. Between the 10th and the 14th centuries, Socotra was mainly noted as a haven for pirates, the demand for its incenses having dwindled to almost nothing. Socotra eventually came under the scrutiny of the Portuguese who occupied it from 1507 until 1511 before being ousted by Mahri warriors. The next colonial power to conquer the island was the British who stationed a garrison here in 1834 to protect the island as a potential coaling station for India-bound traders. Unfortunately, for the British, the annual monsoon and the lack of a good harbor made Socotra unsuitable for this purpose so they left in 1839 when they decided that Aden would be a more useful conquest. The British, while based in Aden, signed a treaty with the Sultan of Socotra in 1876 and maintained diplomatic relations and protectorate status over the island for most of the next 100 years. In 1939 they built an RAF airfield at Mori, site of the present airport, which they occupied throughout World War II. British involvement on Socotra formally ended on November 30th, 1967 when Southern Yemen gained full independence following 128 years of colonial rule.For the next three decades Socotra remained a forgotten backwater although it received considerable attention from the Soviet Union, which maintained a strong presence in the Marxist people’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. Rumors of a Soviet Naval base on the island during this era are probably unfounded although evidence of a Soviet presence on Socotra can be found to the present day.

The Socotra Archipelago was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. It was recognized for its exceptional biodiversity and unique flora and fauna, including many endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.

Socotra Nature

While the people help make Socotra a haven in a hostile world, the island is also a natural wonderland. From the aqua lagoon at Qalansiya to the snow-white dunes at Rass Momi, from the alpine meadows of the Haggier Mountains to the desolation of Nowgad, Socotra is a land of surprising contrasts. Rising to over 1600 meters, the Haggier Mountains loom over Hadibo, Socotra's administrative capital.

The red granite of the peaks has been stained a ghostly grey by the lichens, which grow thickly above tree line. Perennial streams radiate from the misty heights, green ribbons of life teaming with endemic fish and freshwater crabs. Limestone plateaus fan east and west, providing alkaline soils for the iconic Dragon's Blood Tree.

Bottle trees grow in such profusion that entire hillsides turn pink following winter rains. Cucumber trees, statuesque relative of the melon, provide fodder for starving animals during times of drought.

Socotra Flora

Socotra is home to more than 900 species of plants, some 300 of which are endemic to the island, and there are certainly many more plant species that have yet to be discovered, For example, Dr. Tony Miller of the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh recently collected the first known specimens of a tiny carnivorous plant, which grows on moist tree One of the most famous Botanical curiosities of Socotra is the Dragon's tree, the tree is so named because any injury to the bark results in a deep red liquid excreting from the scar – compared in the past to the Blood of Dragon

Socotra Fauna

Birds, insects and underwater life which is considered very poorly explored areas of this fascinating island has received relatively little attention from the scientific community. There may be also undiscovered species of insects Socotra. Because of the persistent monsoon winds, many Socotran insects have evolved relatively small wings, an adaptation, which prevents them from being blown out to sea. Other arthropods include immense centipedes which can reach a length of more than 20 centimetres and give a nasty pinch, at least two species of freshwater crabs, and huge spiders which spin yellow webs across woodland gaps, harmless to humans, but intimidating nonetheless.

At least 80% of Socotra reptiles are endemic, and herpetologists believe that there are still several undiscovered species on the island. About 140 species of birds have been recorded here with new species being found every year. The Socotra Bunting, Socotra Starling, Socotra Sunbird, Socotra Sparrow, Socotra Warbler, and Socotra Cystocoele are six species that can be found nowhere else. Ornithologists believe that more detailed study of the ten endemic subspecies will lead to the splitting of some to full specific status. This most obvious bird to the visitor, however, is the ubiquitous Egyptian Vulture, known locally as AlBaladiya Socotri for its habit of cleaning up everything from kitchen waste to human faces.

Outside of Hadibo, Socotra is a wonderfully clean place, thanks in large part to these active scavengers. Few terrestrial mammals live on Socotra although there are some bats and a species of genet. The sea surrounding the island teams with whales and dolphins, however, Sperm Whales, Short-finned Pilot Whales, Spinner, and Bottle-nosed dolphins have all been spotted close to shore.

Socotran waters also abound in fish, ranging from tiny bright-reef dwellers to great spotted Whale Sharks more than 15 meters long.

Crystal clarity makes this a divers dream. Its unique character with Arabia's greatest Biological diversity makes Socotra a potential candidate for designation as either a Natural World Heritage or a MAP biosphere reserve, there is a need to undertake detailed Botanical & Zoological surveys throughout, but most urgent. A trip to Yemen is considered an experience of a way of life long since lost to the modern world, a dream destination of unusual record, a very rich mixture of archaeological, cultural, traditional arts, natural and historical heritage, a picture of a different age.

Socotra Weather Patterns For Tourists Travel

September:

Coming out of the windy season, and still somewhat windy on the north coast. The sea is just navigable; usually no rain and the temperature still quite warm.

October:

Wind now on shore, (usually just a breeze) from the North East, usually bringing some rains to the island, but maybe only a few days of intermittent heavy and scattered showers. But usually most parts of the island get the effects of this rain. Last year (2005) there was no rain in October. And the temperature is cooling down, but still warm.

November to February:

These are the pleasant months. There can still be rain in November, even into December, but usually only scattered, and not general rains. The sea begins to calm down, and travel in small boats is possible. The best month to travel to the islands is February or better still March/ April. This year we didn’t really have rains until three solid days in early January. On the Haggier Mountains, everything is green so there has been a good rain up there, and also behind the mountains. However, on the top of the mountains, especially at Scant at this time, the temperature can be very cold with frosty mornings! At other times the mountains are swept by wind gusts all day, which drive clouds across the top at break neck speed, and lift your tent off the ground!!

March/April/May:

Warming up, and at mid March the midday temperature can be 30 degrees centigrade, with developing humidity. April and May are quite hot, up to 38 degrees near the coasts, and still the weather is coming gently from the north east. But it is quite a lot cooler on the top of the mountain range, and at Scant you would still need a covering at night to keep warm, but probably not a sleeping bag. These are the best months to visit the island. Sometimes there are more rains in April (a couple of days?) or even in May.

June/July/ Augus:

These are the very windy months on the north coast especially. The south coast is calm at the same time. The winds blow in Hadibo day and night for three months at about 80 kph, only slacking off most days for an hour or two in the afternoon to perhaps 60kph. Gusts have been recorded at the port area, Howlaf, at 180kph. These winds are the base of the big inter-continental winds that blow at this time of the year from the high pressure over Africa to the low pressure over the Himalayas, bringing the monsoon to the Indian sub-continent. The tops of the mountains catch these winds and pull them down over the north coast of Socotra. Schools close, and fishing stops, except for a couple of places such as Deleisha, but all round the island fishing is limited by the strong ocean currents at this time of the year. At this time the temperature drops by about 5 degrees centigrade, but it is not really a time for normal tourism except for surfing boards and the weather still calmer in the middle of the island and the south so, it is possible to make tours on the other side of the island the southern west side). There are no rains accompanying these winds. The Boeing aircraft land and take off safely throughout this period, because the airstrip is straight up and down the wind direction, and planes land and take off straight into the wind.

The monsoon winds

There are two annual monsoons the south-west monsoon, which kicks up high seas around the island from early June to early October (this moon soon brings occasionally heavy rains in June), has created a physical barrier to access by sea since earliest times.

These intercontinental stratospheric winds blow from Africa towards the Himalaya mountains, bringing the wet to India. But as they pass over Socotra they are caught by the nearly 5000 feet high Hagghier mountains and dragged fiercely down over the northern coast.

The wind blows on the north coast, non-stop, day and night, for three months at approximately 90 kilometers per hour with some gusts at 180 kph, in the area of Hadibo, between Howlaf and Mori.

May delivers a smaller amount of precipitation. The annual rainfall varies between 130 to 170 mm/hour. Even during the calmer months, sea landings may still be difficult due to a combination of logistical problems, including the absence of adequate harbor facilities. But since 1999 with the building of a new airstrip (the longest in the Yemen), which is built facing into the monsoon winds, the Boeing planes are now able to land all the year round. So as tourists you can come to Socotra at any time, depending on what you want to experience