Essential Information

Essential Information Standards: Travelers to Socotra must understand that Socotra is an eco-tourism system and fairly new to the international tourist market, hence the Socotra hotel accommodation standard, though good, may not be up to the same international accommodation standards that you would expect in a more developed atmosphere. We at DBT Socotra Adventure Tours believe that this only adds to the appeal of the island of Socotra. Getting to Socotra Island: Yemania Airlines offers two flight per week:  Sana’a - Mukalla  - Socotra Island (Friday). And Aden – Mukalla – Socotra island (Monday). Flight duration is almost three hours.  A new airline is about to take over all flights to Socotra, providing flights once a day to the island.  You can find more information on this exciting endeavor here:  When to go: Climate is an important consideration. And this depends on your interest. Nature enthusiasts should go from early October to late April. The monsoon occurs in July till mid August (during July in the south east and south west of the island, wind surfing activity can be arranged). Generally, wildlife and natural viewing is most rewarding from the end of January through May.  You can see more information on the island's weather HERE. Visa and Money matters:   You can obtain a three months visa on your arrival at Sana’a airport (the capital of Yemen). As soon as you have cleared through customs, change some money into Yemeni Riyal (YR.) at the airport, or when in Sana’a, at the any money exchanger (recommended) or you can exchange money at national bank on Socotra .There are about 190 Riyals to the USD and 230 to ERO. Take cash hard currency with you; USD is acceptable on the island with ERO as an alternative. MasterCard, Visa Card, Cheques are not acceptable.   What to pack: Comfortable, light, casual clothing. Sleeping bag. Some thing warm to wear at night in winter and in the high altitudes. Comfortable walking shoes with good grip or sneakers. Protective clothing and sun lotion for the tropical sun. Rainwear clothing. Personal toiletries and any personal medication such as, some headache tablets, some things for digestive upsets, disinfectant, etc.  Antiseptic wipes. Film and spare batteries for your camera. Torch/ flashlight with spare batteries. Strap-on water bottle for day hike. Money belt for valuables (you don’t have to take expensive or expensive-looking jewelry to Socotra). Health requirements: While Socotra is not a malaria region, there are some mosquitoes in some places, so a malaria prophylactic is recommended.  Cholera is not present on the island at all.  Drink only bottled mineral water; it’s readily available in Hadibo and Qalansiya.  Consult your doctor and dentist or travel health clinic for advice and preventive measures.  The hospitals on the Island offer less than adequate service.  Pharmacies are presented around Hadibo, Time Zone:  GMT + 3 hours Power supply: 220v AC; plugs are generally two-pin and multiple plugs.  Languages: Socotri is the local language, Arabic is the official and formal language; English is spoken by the people working in the tourism industry. Religion: All the people follow Islam. Telephone: Telephone lines are available to major town of Hadibo, country code: (+967), followed by a one digit number for an access provider (5). After the international and access codes, number should be six digits including three initial digits for the geographical area (660). The cheapest way to make international phone calls is to use a telephone card and call from booth telephone line or mobile telephone. Telephone cards can be purchased at most shops in the main market. GSM system is not working on the island. Hitherto, only CDMA cavers north and west of the island remain in Hadibo, Dicksam plateau, and Qalansiya. Internet: Internet access is slow and expensive (It costs about $5 per hour.). There is no internet cafés on the island, but public internet access exists in the large town of Hadibo. Post office: The post office is located at the at the center of the town Hadibo, in Socotra Telephone Central building.

Society and Economy

he main sources for the local economy are fishing, pearl diving and small-scale agriculture. Exports go principally to the rest of Yemen, and include the butter calledghee, fish and frankincense. Despite its size, Socotra has nomads who live from their cattle and other animals, as well as doing some limited agriculture. 
The only city on Socotra of some size is Hadibu. Important villages include Suq and Qalansiyya. These 3 are on the north coast, while Mahattat Nujad lies on the south coast. Infrastructure is badly developed, and connections to mainland Yemen are very limited. There are weekly flights, but these are victims to unstable weather about 6 months a year.
The ethnic origin of the people of Socotra is not quite established. The Russian scholar Vitaly Naumkin concludes that the people are a mix, and that they became isolated from the rest of Arabia, from where they must have most of their origin, between 1000 and 500 BCE. In addition to this, traders passing through, Indians, Portuguese, British must have given their contributions too. The people living in the extreme east, have blue eyes, and are believed to be descendants of Europeans.

welcome to Socotra Island

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Your Compass for a Different World



Socotra is one of those “lost world” islands (separated
from the world six million years ago) where intrepid
travelers - particularly those seeking  exotic nature and
wildlife in a remote tropical setting - can go days on
end without rubbing shoulders with that less -than-
endangered species…tourists.

Known for decades as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean,
it’s the world’s tenth richest island for endemic plant
species. And the biggest island in the Middle East 125
kilometers in length and 45 kilometers across.

Meanwhile the landscape is one of contrasts, for example,
it has isolated nature preserves with dazzling wildlife
(including 900 species of plants, and the famous Dragon’s
Blood Tree “dracaena cinnabara” and the some of rarest
birds that exist nowhere else in the world), and
picturesque sandy beaches.















This website is designed to help you discover the virgin
beauty of the magical Socotra Island. This site is a
complete eco-tourism and destination guide to Socotra
Island and offers over 50 Pages of Essential Information,
Travel Tips for visitors, comprehensive reports about the
Socotra General information, Socotra History, Socotra
natural history of fauna and flora, people and culture,
Socotra weather patterns, and the local organizations
present on the island.  Additionally, we describe in
detail our services in Our Contacts and Who we are?

This is the award winning tourism destination guide to
Socotra Island where recommended programs/itineraries and
tailor-made  tours can be made at your convenience. DBT
Socotra Adventure Tours offers a variety of science trips
by 4x4 vehicles with a wealth of beautiful sceneries,
ancient culture, traditional villages. And some
vicinities incorporate camping in the presence of pure
nature, trekking and camel riding, bird watching, and the
sea waters invites you to go scuba diving, surfing and of
course swimming, as well as many other activities such as
fishing and boat safaris. You will have the opportunity
to reward yourself by observing whales and dolphins right
next to the boat, and if you are lucky you will be
thrilled to swim with the gentle dolphins of the Indian
Ocean.  There are many other activities such as
bicycling, visiting tropical markets, etc.  There is much
to see and do outdoors.  Socotraislandadventure.com will
help you to choose this paradise island as one of your
future eco-vacation destinations .



Other links discuss the places to visit  with an
interactive map and tour guide plus exhaustive
information about the verity of tourism sites on the
island you will visit including the spectacular fresh
water pools, splendid canyons and valleys, amazing sand
dunes, and giant clam beaches. In addition are some
useful articles about the Zoning Plan, the Caves
Explorations, and the Geography & Geology of Socotra
Island.

One of our most popular pages is the Socotra photo
gallery  where you can browse through our extensive image
library which shows current images and views from around
the island. Be sure to check out Socotra Map  where you
can see its location from the world and identify it from
Yemen-Socotra. A dynamic map of Socotra Island and the
archipelago map shows the other islands of Abdul Kuri,
Samha and Darsa.  

 Enjoy your visit to our website and find out for
yourself why this small island in the Indian Ocean is
really known in as the other Galapagos Island!

socotra Places to Visit

Places to see: If you look at the size of Socotra, you can hardly imagine that this island has so much to offer! From the many historical monuments, and picturesque villages, to the amazing landscape, impressive volcanic caves, rugged cost lines, beautiful natural beaches, marine biodiversity, and last but not the least, the breathtaking views. There is so much to see that you will soon realize that one visit to Socotra just isn’t enough! To help you to put together your own itinerary of the places you would like to explore on your first visit to Socotra – or of all the sites you haven’t seen yet - you will find in the following pages all the information needed about the most interesting and attractive places to see, just start navigating!

(1)   Hadibo (2)   Qalansiya (3)   Higgihir Mountains and Scant (PA) (4)   Dicksam plateau (5)   Aomak beach (6)   Momi plateau (7)   Arher beach (8)   Wadi Daerhu (9)   Dihamri (MPA)

(10)    Homhil (NPA) (11)    Detwah lagoon (PA) (12)    Shouab beach (13)    Ayhaft Canyon (PA) (14)    Hoq Cave (15)    Dagoub Cave (16)    Rosh (PA)

The People and Culture of Socotra

The Socotra Archipelago is divided into two administrative districts, Hadibo and Qalansiya, which also includes the islands of Abdul Kuri, Darsa and Samhah. Both districts come under the administration of the Governor of Hadramaut in al-Mukalla, The population of the entire Archipelago is estimated at 70,000 , with most people living on Socotra Island and concentrated in the capital town of Hadibo and the western town of Qalansiya. Owing to the isolation of the islands, the ancient language of Socotra was able to survive. Today both Socotri and Arabic are spoken on the island. Socotra is distinguished by a distinct and unique cultural history.  Although it is unlikely that the legend that Aristotle advised Alexander the Great to send colonists to Socotra to harvest aloe is true, the existence of such a legend points to Socotra being “on the map” already in ancient times.  Archaeological work over the last century has shown that the island was inhabited from at least the first centuries A.D., and that Socotra was visited and settled by Africans, Arabs and Indians.  Socotra’s language – belonging to a group of Semitic South-Arabian languages – was most probably spoken in some form on the island even at this time.  Christianity was the island’s most prominent religion until the 15-16th centuries, when Socotra came increasingly under the influence of the Mahran Sultanate of eastern Yemen.  It is difficult to say how quickly Socotra’s Islamization proceeded, but by the end of the 18th century at the latest the last vestiges of Christianity had disappeared.  During the 19th century Socotra came to attract the attention of great powers again with the interest of Great Britain the region culminating in the island becoming a British protectorate in the 1870s.  British influence on Socotra ceased in 1967, when the Socialist People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen came to power in Southern Yemen.  In 1990 North and South Yemen were unified and Socotra has been part of a unified Yemen ever since. Socotra’s population is divided between the inhabitants of the mountainous interior and the islands’ coastal regions.  The former have traditionally made their living herding goats, sheep and cows and harvesting their date palms, while the latter’s livelihood has been based on fishing.  Some of the fishermen on the island’s northern coast are of African origin, having been brought over at the end of the 19th century to work for the Sultan.  Since 1999, when the island’s airstrip was lengthened, enabling flights year-round, including during the four month summer monsoon, development on the island has expanded rapidly.  Simultaneously, Yemenis from the mainland have immigrated to Socotra in greater numbers, opening numerous shops in the island’s capital, Hadibo. Socotra heavily depends on outside support, which comes mainly from the Yemeni Government and some development programs of NGO’s and International Organizations. An estimated number of 8,000 Socotris live and work in the Emirates,   probably contributing considerably to the income of related families on the island. Due to the insufficient provision of basic human needs, such as access to sustainable livelihoods, safe water, health services, education etc.., a majority of the population of Socotra Archipelago are considered to live below the absolute poverty line. Today, as the memory of the days when Socotra was ruled by local sultans fades with the passing of the island’s older generations, Socotra finds itself at a crossroads.  Will the Socotris be able to preserve their environment, their culture and language while benefiting from development and tourism, or will Socotra suffer the fate of so many other once isolated regions of the world and lose its unique human and natural heritage as it is increasingly integrated into world economic flows?

Socotra Weather

General Climate

 There are two annual monsoons: the south-west monsoon, which kicks up high seas around the island from early June to early October (this monsoon occasionally brings heavy rains in June), has created a physical barrier to access by sea since the 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 ft. 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. The north-east monsoon from April to 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 in 1999, a new airstrip was built (the longest in the Yemen) facing into the monsoon winds, allowing the Boeing planes the ability to land all year round. So as tourists you can come to Socotra at any time, depending on what you want to experience. 

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 very frequent. 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. On the Hagghier Mountains everything is green so there has been a good rain up there, and also behind the mountains.  But 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 kneck 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/ August: 

These are the very windy months on the north coast especially. The south coast is fairly 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.  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 allowing planes land and take off straight into the wind.

Flora and fauna in Socatra

Socotra is characterized by the unique land and marine biodiversity. The island itself measures approximately 125 kms long by 45 kms wide and covers a total area of 3665 sq kms.  Topographically it can be divided into three main zones: the coastal plains, a limestone plateau and the Hagghir Mountains. The island is sparsely vegetated and dominated by xenomorphic (drought resistant) forms which are well adapted to the harsh conditions, including the desiccating effects of sun and wind. Only in sheltered valleys and higher mountain areas is the vegetation more luxuriant. Open deciduous shrubland of the coastal plains and low inland hills is dominated by the common shrub Croton socotranus and the bizarre tree succulents, the desert rose, Adenium obesum socotranum, and the cucumber tree, Dendrosicyos socotranus. Higher altitudes are home to a variety of frankincense trees, three endemic Suqotran aloes, and wild pomegranate. One of the most famous botanical curiosities of Suqotra is the dragon’s blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari) which is restricted to the zones of submontane thicket and montane grassland. The tree is so named because any injury to the bark results in a deep red liquid exuding from the scar. It was compared  to the "blood of Abel” in ancient history. It is called Dum al Axwein, “blood of the two brothers” Cain and Abel, in the present day Arabic language. The Suqotri name “Arriyahib” has no connection to the Arabic.

 Flora

Scientists first reached the remote Socotra Archipelago in 1880, when Scottish botanist Isaac Bailey Balfour collected around 500 plants. Over 200 were species new to science. To date, approximately 900 vascular plants have been recorded from Socotra, of which between 300(including some fifteen species restricted to Abd al Kuri) are found nowhere else (i.e. endemic species) they create weird vegetation - and make the archipelago the world's tenth richest island group for endemic plant species.

Many are strange-looking remnants of ancient floras which long ago disappeared from the African/Arabian mainland.

Socotra’s flora has strong links with adjacent parts of Somalia and Arabia but some species and genera have interesting disjunctive distributions: Dracaena cinnabari, the Dragon's Blood tree, is a tertiary relict with related species in southern Arabia, north-east Africa and the Canary Islands; species of Kalanchoe and Helichrysum show strong links with southern African species but perhaps the most strange distribution is that shown by the genus Thamnosma with T. socotrana on Soqotra and related species in southern Arabia, south-west Africa and south-west North America. Socotran’s flora includes plants which can be considered taxonomic relicts, that is with no close relatives, these include: Dirachma socotrana, one of only two species in the Dirachmaceae, a family related to the Malvaceae but with an interesting mixture of characters including 8 merous flowers, stamens opposite the petals and fruits with a dehiscence similar to that found in Geranium; Dendrosicyos Soqotranus the only arborescent member of the Cucurbitaceae and Wellstedia a small shrub of boraginaceous affinities but which is sometimes placed in a family of its own.

There is one sub-endemic family - the Dirachmaceae (recently a second species has been found in Somalia) and ten endemic genera: Angkalanthus, Ballochia and Trichocalyx (Acanthaceae), Duvaliandra and Soqotranthus (Asclepiadaceae), Haya (Caryophyllaceae), Lachnocapsa (Cruciferae), Dendrosicyos (Cucurbitaceae), Placoda (Rubiaceae) and Nirarathamnos (Umbelliferae). The families richest in endemics are Compositae (26), Acanthaceae (24), Euphorbiaceae (21), Labiatae (20) and Asclepiadaceae (11).

Perhaps the most notable of these are the podagrics or swollen-stemmed trees, these include: Dendrosicyos socotranus - which somewhat resembles a small baobab; Dorstenia gigas and Adenium obesum ssp. socotranum. One of the most interesting trees, and an important potential genetic resource is Punica protopunica. This is related to the pomegranate (P. granatum) but has smaller and less palatable fruits and is the only other species in the family Punicaceae. Several species on Socotra are of horticultural interest for instance Begonia socotrana, the hybrid parent of winter-flowering begonias, and Exacum affine - the Persian violet.

The least studied groups are the lichens, bryophytes and fungi. The people living on Socotra, especially the Bedouins, have a thorough knowledge of the flora, and many of the plants have traditional uses, such as providing livestock fodder, fuel, building materials, foods, gums, or resins. The majority of islanders still rely on livestock - and thus of necessity on the vegetation - for their survival. And the many sheep, goats, camels, cattle and donkeys of the island are supported solely by the island's vegetation.

Plant extracts are still used in medicines, cosmetic and hygiene preparations, and in the manufacture of cordage, as a source of insecticide, and in tanning and dyeing. (Click hear to learn more about the flora traditional uses).

Fauna 

Socotra's fauna is just as fascinating. Among the land birds Socotra Island is home to 180 species of birds 6 species are endemic, ((Socotra sparrow – Socotra Cisticola – Socotra Starling – Socotra Sun bird –Socotra Warbler – and the rarest Socotra Bunting ( estimated with 1000 specimens alive) )).  as well as 14 sub-species, are restricted to Socotra. And also it’s a host point for many immigrated/breeding birds of over 45 species such as Flamingos, Kettle Egrets, Reef Hearns, Gulls, etc. And the highest density in the world for Egyptian Vulture has registered on the island.

More work is still needed to clarify the status of other species.

There are 190 species of butterfly and with a large number of endemics. The reptilian and insects fauna is also very rich 600 species of insects with 90% with high proportion of endemic. The reptilian fauna is also very rich with 19 out of a total of 22 species regarded as endemics.

 Goats, shapes, caws, donkeys, and camels are common to come across. Bats and civil cat is the only mammals native to the island.

In the marine world Socotra has taken a spectacular place as it has mixture of species from different biogeography regions- the western Indian Ocean, the Red sea, East Africa and the wider Indo-Pacific. Despite of the small archipelago, Socotra Island is home to more than 680 Species of fishes are comparable to those of the Red Sea. and about 230 species of hard corals (five are endemics) and 30 species of soft corals. In addition to 300 speciesof crustacean (nine are endemics), 490 species of mollusks, and 230 species of algae. Sea-turtles also nest on the north of the island but there is a need for more work on these (as with almost all Socotra's wildlife). An endemic fresh-water crab, Potamon socotrensis, is common in the temporary water-courses. In general the fresh-water habitats of the island have been little studied and it is still not clear whether there are endemic freshwater fish living there. Among the insects it is not surprising to find many forms with reduced wings, lessening the likelihood that they are blown off the island.

From a biogeographic perspective, Socotra is more closely linked with Africa than Arabia but there are also interesting affinities with other island groups such as the granitic Seychelles and even some remote islands of the Atlantic Ocean. There remains a great need for further studies of individual species and of main habitats on Socotra. To date, for example, there has been very little work done on the southern and western plateau, the more isolated granitic pinnacles, as well as the major part of the islands' coastal waters.

Its unique character makes Socotra a natural World Heritage site. In practice however what matters is the effect on the ground. There is little doubt that potential revenue sources for the local population must be developed and these may include small-scale tourism, the cultivation and export of native plants, or the collection and storage of seeds and cuttings for propagation as part of international programs.

Given the social and developmental pressures which are now a fact of life on Socotra the continued survival of many endemic species, and of unique habitats is at risk. Socotra provides both an opportunity and a challenge for mankind. Fortunately the concept and value of conservation is still high on the agenda of the island's people. It is to be hoped that local and national efforts to protect Suqotra's unique wildlife are supported by international assistance and that the island's uniqueness is maintained for the benefit and pleasure of future generations.

Geography and climate in Socatra

ocotra is one of the most isolated landforms on Earth of continental origin (i.e. not of volcanic origin).[citation needed] The archipelago was once part of the supercontinent of Gondwana and detached during the Miocene, in the same set of rifting events that opened the Gulf of Aden to its northwest.
The archipelago consists of the main island of Socotra (3,625 km2 (1,400 sq mi)), the three smaller islands of Abd al Kuri, Samhah and Darsa and small rock outcrops like Ka'l Fir'awn and Sābūnīyah that are uninhabitable by humans but important for seabirds.[7]
The main island has three geographical terrains: the narrow coastal plains, a limestone plateau permeated with karstic caves and the Haghier Mountains.[8] The mountains rise to 5,000 feet (1,500 m). The island is a little over 80 miles (130 km) long east to west and typically 18–22 miles (29–35 km) north to south.
The climate for Socotra is classified in the Köppen climate classification as BWh and BSh, meaning a tropical desert climate and semi-desert climate with a mean annual temperature over 18°C (64°F). Yearly rainfall is light, but is fairly spread throughout the year. Generally the higher inland areas receive more rain than the coastal lowlands, due to orographic lift provided by the interior mountains.[citation needed] The monsoon season brings strong winds and high seas.

socatra History

There was initially an Oldoway (or Oldowan) culture in 

Socotra. Oldoway stone tools were found in the area 

around Hadibo by V.A. Zhukov, a member of the Russian 

Complex Expedition in 2008.[3][4]

Socotra appears as Dioskouridou ("of the Dioscurides") in 

the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a 1st century A.D. 

Greek navigation aid. In the notes to his translation of 

the Periplus, G.W.B. Huntingford remarks that the name 

Socotra is not Greek in origin, but derives from the 

Sanskrit dvipa sukhadhara ("island of bliss").[5]

A local tradition holds that the inhabitants were 

converted to Christianity by Thomas in AD 52. In the 10th 

century, the Arab geographer Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-

Hamdani stated that in his time most of the inhabitants 

were Christians.[citation needed] Socotra is also 

mentioned in The Travels of Marco Polo according to which 

"the inhabitants are baptised Christians and have an 

"archbishop"" who, it is further explained, "has nothing 

to do with the Pope in Rome, but is subject to an 

archbishop who lives at Baghdad". They were Nestorians 

but they also practiced ancient magic rituals despite the 

warnings of their archbishop.[citation needed]

In 1507, a fleet commanded by Tristão da Cunha with 

Afonso de Albuquerque landed an occupying force at the 

then capital of Suq, their objective was a Portuguese 

base to stop Arab commerce from the Red Sea to the Indian 

Ocean, and to liberate the presumed friendly Christians 

from Islamic rule. Here they started to build a fortress. 

However, they were not welcomed as enthusiastically as 

they had expected and abandoned the island four years 

later.[6] The island was also come across by Somali 

sailors.[citation needed]

The islands passed under the control of the Mahra sultans 

in 1511. Later, in January 1876, it became a British 

protectorate along with the remainder of the Mahra State 

of Qishn and Socotra. For the British it was an important 

strategic stop-over.[citation needed] The P&O ship Aden 

sank after being wrecked on a reef near Socotra, in 1897, 

with the loss of 78 lives.

In October 1967, the Mahra sultanate was abolished. On 30 

November 1967, Socotra became part of the People's 

Republic of South Yemen (later to become the People's 

Democratic Republic of Yemen). Today it is part of the 

Republic of Yemen.

The Wonder Land of Socotra, Yemen

The road to the forest of frankincense trees, on the Yemeni island of Socotra, is a rough one. From the passenger seat of a battered Toyota Land Cruiser, it looked like pure rock pile, on and on, up, down, over. Ahmed Said, my driver and guide, wrestled the wheel like a man engaged, surely and calmly, in a struggle to the death. When at last, after 90 minutes, he stopped and got out, we had traveled perhaps no more than five miles.