Text and photos ; Miles Davis
Socotra is nestled between the horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, in the Arabian Sea. The island of Socotra has a long history of occupation and re-occupation due to its strategic point along the trading routes of antiquity between east and west. The island has for centuries been a source of frankincense and myrrh, once valuable trading commodities for the islanders. Ancient Greeks had a presence on the island, as did the Portuguese in the 16th century as exponents of the spice trade. Socotra also became a vital port for the British on-route from India to Europe and then became part of the British protectorate of Yemen in the late 19th century until Yemen gained independence in 1967. It was then governed by south Yemen and used as a Soviet military outpost until north and south Yemen unified in 1990. The Socotra archipelago also includes three other islands (Darsa, Samha, Abd al Kuri) with Socotra, a little smaller than Corsica, being the largest in the archipelago. The population of Socotra is estimated to be around 50,000 people. The main urban area is the town of Hadibo, on the north coast. However, many people live a semi-nomadic life by fishing along the coast for most of the year and then moving inland to harvest date palms when the monsoon winds from the south envelope the island making it impossible to access the sea from July to September. Some islanders live permanently inland in small villages in the central mountain range (the Haggier mountains) that runs across the island, as sources of fresh water and food for their goat and cattle livestock can be found here. Sources of fresh water are distinctly lacking from the lowland coastal areas. Economically, fishing is the main source of income for many islanders. It is hoped that tourism can be developed and become the main engine of growth for the island.
Tour Information
There are tour operators on mainland Yemen that offer tours to Socotra, but booking direct with the Socotra Ecotourism Society is the most effective way to ensure that money derived from ecotourism is directed to exactly where it is needed, the people and communities of Socotra.
Contact
Mr Abdelateef Saad Amer
Socotra Ecotourism Society,
Hadibu, Socotra Island, Yemen
Tel. : 00967 05 660132/660579
E-Mail : ecosocotra@socotraisland.org
Internet : www.socotraisland.org/ses
Language : English and Arab