Socotra: Discover the island of mysterious dragon blood trees.

Yemen's Socotra island, dubbed an 'alien land' on Earth, boasts unique flora and surreal landscapes, offering a worthwhile journey of discovery.

Isolated from the world in the Indian Ocean, Yemen's Socotra archipelago is one of the planet's most unique destinations. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, it is renowned for its endemic flora and fauna, found nowhere else, creating a breathtaking landscape straight out of a science fiction film.

Ms. Hoang Thuy Anh, a Vietnamese traveler who has visited 140 countries, shared about her 8-day, 7-night trip here: "Socotra is truly one of the most unique destinations in the world that I have ever explored. Every day, my tour guide took me to a place that was more beautiful than I could have imagined."

The land of unique plants

The most striking feature of Socotra is its unique flora, most notably the dragon's blood tree (Dracaena Cinnabar). Resembling giant umbrellas or mushrooms, they grow densely on the arid hillsides. Legend says the tree's bright red sap is the blood of a dragon and has medicinal properties.

The dragon's blood tree has the shape of a giant mushroom, growing amidst dry, rocky soil.

"The images of the unique dragon's blood trees inspired me to visit Socotra. I came across a broken branch with sap oozing out, bright red like blood. Tourists with weak hearts would certainly be frightened by this sight," Thuy Anh recounted.

Ms. Thuy Anh stands in front of a dragon's blood tree that is 12 meters tall, considered the tallest on Socotra Island.

In addition, Socotra is also home to the "desert rose" (Adenium Obesium). This plant has a strangely swollen trunk to store water, and can grow up to 5 meters tall and 3 meters wide. Around April, vibrant pink flowers bloom on the rustic trunk, creating a striking contrast.

Desert roses are a species commonly found in the African and Arabian mainland. However, in Socotra, the stems are more swollen to retain water, and the flowers bloom more profusely.

Surreal landscapes and pristine experiences

Socotra boasts not only unique vegetation but also breathtaking natural landscapes. The island is a combination of pristine beaches with crystal-clear waters and sprawling white sand dunes. "Socotra's beaches are serenely beautiful, like the paradise of Bora Bora, combined with the undulating sand dunes reminiscent of Namibia. I've never seen anything like this anywhere in the world," Thuy Anh affirmed.

The scenery on the island is incredibly beautiful.

A trip to Socotra is a journey back to wild nature. Visitors will rest in individual tents, living without electricity or internet access. Meals are also simple, mainly consisting of vegetables sourced from the mainland and hand-caught seafood such as small fish and crabs, prepared by boiling or steaming.

Tourists sleep in individual tents.

Despite the rudimentary tourism services, the local people are incredibly friendly and enthusiastic. They live in harmony with nature, not relying on modern conveniences. A memorable experience is watching how the locals take shelter in caves during the rainy season and learning how they harvest oysters and scallops for survival.

Information you need to know for the trip

Getting to Socotra is not easy. Finding a tour operator and completing visa and flight ticket procedures can take several months. The transportation system on the island is limited, with rough, unpaved roads.

The roads on the island are mostly rough, rocky dirt roads, and sometimes the car would roll downhill without brakes, giving the female tourist a fright.

One unique aspect of local culture is the rule prohibiting tourists from giving money to children. Locals worry this will create bad habits for future generations. This civilized approach surprises many tourists.

The total cost for an 8-day, 7-night trip to Socotra was approximately $4,000 (over 105 million VND). According to Thuy Anh, despite the high cost and limited living conditions, it was a completely worthwhile trip to admire one of the most unique places on Earth.

According to Thuy Anh, the total cost for this trip was approximately $4,000 (over 105 million VND).

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/socotra-kham-pha-hon-dao-cua-nhung-cay-huyet-rong-bi-an-410507.html