The map below shows the areas that we explored on days two and three.
This was our first day when we saw the Dragon Blood trees (Dracaena cinnabari). I was very curious about what these trees look like from up close. I've seen many images, but these are usually without any reference to features that would allow one to guess their size. After breakfast at the same roadside restaurant, we went for a ± 1-hour ride in our old but still in good condition Toyota Land Cruiser, which was shipped to Socotra many years ago from the UAE. On that note, cars on Socotra do not require a license plate, nor does the driver need a driver's license. If you have a car or a donkey, you can use it just as it comes.
There are not too many paved roads in Socotra. Main highways and only selected streets in Hadiboh are paved, but tar for road paving needs to be shipped from the mainland. Therefore, repairs to these roads are only done if the road becomes impassable to drive on. From June to October, Socotra experiences powerful winds, and occasional cyclones or hurricanes can cause significant damage. The one in particular in 2016 caused tremendous damage not only to the roads, but also wiped out a considerable portion of one of the Dragon Blood tree forests. A large shipwreck that is now 'parked' on the beach near Hadibih became stuck there during this storm.
After we'd gotten by our car as far as it was possible, we went hiking for about one hour through a sparsely vegetated landscape. We passed a few houses where kids were curious about two women who were not wearing hijabs, and they followed us for a while. A typical forest on Socotra is composed of small, thumb-thick trees that grow to approximately 1m in height. The two special types of vegetation that are standing out on this landscape are: Bottle Tree (Adenium socotranum) and Dragon Blood tree. There are other indigenous species throughout the island, such as the Cucumber Tree, but these two are, in my opinion, the most attractive. We were lucky, as the Bottle Trees were in full bloom, and we could see their spectacular flowers.
The hike through the forest leads to the infinity pool —a rock pool that collects rainwater. As we were told, there had been no rain on Socotra for a very long time, so the pool, which sometimes overflows (giving it the 'infinity' name), was only three-quarters full. Bathing in it was still an amazing and very refreshing experience in this hot and harsh climate. After a short lunch, prepared by our fantastic guide Mahdie, we continued a descent from the mountains down towards the coastline. Our car was waiting for us as we drove around. After a 1/2 hour drive, we got to our first camp on the beach.
After dinner, prepared by Mahdie, we went for a stroll along the beach and later took a swim in the darkness. What was amassing were the waves, sparking with light - bioluminescence. I have no photo of this, as it was a very faint light, but when you agitate water with your hands, it sparkles like it is full of fireflies. This happens on that beach once in a while. We were incredibly fortunate to have experienced this.
