Did you know?

🧭 In ancient times, sailors believed Socotra was home to the Phoenix — the mythical bird that rose from its ashes — and that magical herbs growing there could heal any wound.

👑 The island was famous in the ancient world for its frankincense and myrrh, essential ingredients in sacred rituals. Some legends even say Alexander the Great tried to colonize Socotra to control its valuable plants.

🎶 Traditional Socotri music and poetry are entirely oral and often improvised. Songs are deeply emotional, passed down for centuries, and can last for hours during celebrations.

🐉 "Dragon’s blood" resin from the island’s famous trees was so prized in the Middle Ages that it was used for medicines, dyes, and even alchemy. Some medieval texts claim it had magical powers!

🎬 Socotra’s alien landscapes have inspired countless filmmakers and artists — from science fiction settings to surreal nature documentaries. Some say it looks more like Mars than Earth!

🐟 Even the seas around Socotra are special: the island is surrounded by coral reefs teeming with hundreds of fish species, many found nowhere else in the world.

Most Socotri families still live a semi-nomadic life, moving with the seasons to find fresh pasture for their goats — a rhythm of life that has remained almost unchanged for thousands of years.