logo

Discover the alien charm of Socotra

by Gyanvitaranam

   If you are a travel freak with an undyingpassion for sci-fi movies, then here’s good news for you. You don’t have to travel as far as Mars to encounter your alien counterparts.At least, for the time being, you can be satisfied with some of the most strange, amazing and flamboyant specimens of animal and plant life on earth which more or less resemblesthe supposed alien inhabitants of Mars. A trip to Socotra Island would surely delude you into thinking thatyou were transported to a distant planet. Socotra Archipelago, situated in the northwest Indian Ocean adjacent to the Gulf of Aden, is 250 km long and consists of four islands and two rocky islets.Since the last 6 or 7 million years, the Socotra Island has remained geographically cut off from mainland Africa. The island is part of the Republic of Yemen. What makes Socotra so special? Aptly described as “the most alien-looking place on Earth”, Socotra is popular for its rich biodiversity; the....

Want to keep reading? Subscribe now

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

Subscribe Now

Back Issues