55 Breathtaking natural wonders of the world
Multiple countries
Former travel editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine James Fair round-ups the earth’s greatest natural wonders, which will literally take your breath away.
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Socotra Island
Yemen
|Bucket List Experience
Last updated: 26 June, 2023
Sitting off the coast of Yemen in the Arabian Sea, Socotra Island is to the Indian Ocean what the Galapagos are to the Pacific – a natural, open-air laboratory where more than 700 species of plants and animals have evolved that are found nowhere else on Earth.
The umbrella-shaped dragon’s blood trees – so called because of their red sap – are the most distinctive endemics, but there are a host of birds and reptiles that are also unique.
Logistics
Price from: £Varies
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
Frequency: monthly
When: All year around
Duration: 1 night
Getting there & doing it
Due to the ongoing security situation in Yemen, access to Socotra is unsurprisingly difficult. At the time of writing, there were only two flights going direct to Socotra, one from Cairo, the other from Abu Dhabi. You need a Yemeni visa first.
Locally-based agent Welcome to Socotra can help arrange trips. Start there.
When to do it
Sococtra is beautiful all year round, but January to May is the dry season and arguably the best months. January to March has some rain, making the island of Socotra green and lush.
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