Socotra

Socotra, an isolated island in the Arabian Sea far off the coast of Yemen, is one of the most extraordinary natural places on earth, a UNESCO World Heritage site often likened to another planet. Cut off for millions of years, it has evolved a flora and fauna unlike anywhere else, above all the surreal dragon's blood trees, whose umbrella-shaped crowns bristle across the highlands, alongside swollen bottle trees, desert roses and hundreds of endemic plants and birds. Ringed by white beaches, dramatic dunes, limestone caves and turquoise lagoons, this remote, dreamlike island is a living wonder of evolution and one of the world's great natural marvels.

What you actually see

• The dragon's blood trees - the surreal umbrella-crowned endemic trees.
• The bottle trees - the swollen-trunked desert roses on the cliffs.
• The beaches and dunes - the white sands, lagoons and dramatic dunes.
• The caves and highlands - the limestone caves and endemic-rich plateaus.

When to go

October to April, outside the fierce summer monsoon winds that can isolate the island, is the season for visiting, with pleasant weather for exploring the highlands, beaches and lagoons; the dragon's blood forests are magical in the soft light of morning and evening. The winter months are calmest for travel and the sea.

Honest expectations

Socotra is genuinely remote, reached only by limited flights and requiring organised trips with camping and simple facilities, so a visit takes planning, patience and a spirit of adventure. As the most alien and biologically extraordinary island on earth, a UNESCO World Heritage wonder of dragon's blood trees and endemic life found nowhere else, though, Socotra is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime marvel.

Nearby

The island's beaches, the Dixam plateau and the Detwah lagoon are its highlights.