Socotra Island- The World's Most Alien Place on Earth

Although the planet is home to several exotic locations that seem to belong to another planet, one place in the list stands out.

Located in the Indian Ocean 250 km from Somalia and 340 km from Yemen, Socotra Island has earned the reputation for being the most alien place on Earth. Like the uninhabited islands of the Galapagos Islands, this particular island is one of the most isolated places on the Earth.

The island gets it name from the Sanskrit word which aptly means “the island of bliss.”

Despite its extremely dry weather conditions, the island is teeming with some of the world’s rarest and exclusive flora and fauna. It is said that a total of 700 extremely rare species, a full 1/3 of which are endemic can be found nowhere else on the planet. The island’s main features include white sandy beaches and limestone plateaus full of caves which can reach up to 1,525 meters in height.

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Perhaps, one of the most iconic figures that are synonymous with this place is the dracena cinnibaris or most commonly known as the Dragon’s Tree Blood. Known for its crimson red sap that is believed to be steeped with medicinal properties, the tree is widely recognized for its upturned, densely packed trunk that strongly resembles an uprightly held umbrella.

From its wood to its sap, this is one miracle tree that literally takes a miracle to find.

Another plant that indigenous on this part of the world is the extremely rare Socotra Rose or the “bottle tree” which is known for its massive trunk that is widely believed to store an ample amount of water during the island’s driest spells. The island is now part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.

A total of 43,000 people also inhabit this strange yet wonderful island. They make fishing and animal herders as their lifestyle. Residents of the Socotra Island even have their own native language.