I Was Among The First Travelers To Socotra After Pandemic, And It Surpassed My Wildest Dreams (40 Pics)

It was very hot (April is already scorching on Socotra), but all the trees were in bloom — both the endemic dragon trees and the bottle trees. The water in the springs was an incredible emerald color (and when it rains, they turn brown from the mud flowing down from the mountains). The sea was like glass, a surreal shade of blue — perhaps the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. You could walk for kilometers along white-sand beaches or wander through forests of dragon and bottle trees, completely alone.

At that time, no one really knew about Socotra through social media, and we ended up playing a huge role in its sudden rise to fame on Instagram and across the modern internet. After our photos and videos were published, a huge number of people began traveling there.

Getting there wasn’t difficult, though the planning was stressful. We were among the first modern travelers to visit, and there was almost no infrastructure for tourism on the island. We washed ourselves in lakes, and the toilet was literally a hole we dug in the sand. But that raw simplicity still warms my soul — we were truly alone out there, except for our small team and a few local drivers.

I’ll never forget that moment — a trip to the toilet under the Milky Way in the middle of the desert. It was absurdly wonderful.

Socotra is astonishing from beginning to end. It’s so unlike any other place I’ve ever been that it’s hard to even describe. Now, of course, there are many tourists, with showers, hotels, proper toilets, and food. But back then, it was a challenge — living in a tent with all my gear, endlessly sweating, and yet constantly in awe.

The dragon trees with their red sap (used in cosmetics and medicine), the small bottle trees, the endless white-sand dunes swept by strong winds from Africa between May and October — all of it simply blows your mind.

I’ve been to Socotra countless times since, and each visit reveals something new and extraordinary. The island’s magic lies in its unique nature, its people, its winds, and its position between worlds. My favorite places remain the Arher dunes and the forest of dragon trees.

Socotra is not about comfort — it’s about adventure. It’s a place for those who love visual wonder. You spend a week there (the plane comes only once a week), and in those seven days, you never seem to sit still — there’s just too much beauty to take in.

The people of Socotra are incredibly kind. Of course, there are challenges, especially with garbage in villages and towns, but local travel agencies are beginning to lead by example, showing how to protect and care for nature.

Socotra is accessible from October to May; during the rest of the year, the winds are far too strong.