Samha is a small, barren island in the Indian Ocean, one of the two islands known as the Brothers that lie between the main island of Socotra and the Horn of Africa. Together with Socotra and the other islands of the archipelago, it belongs to Yemen and is part of the Socotra Archipelago World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2008 for its extraordinary biodiversity. A few hundred people live on Samha, mostly fishermen, in a village by the shore, and the island has its own endemic plants, adapted to the harsh, dry climate.
Let me be honest: this is not a place for a motorcycle. Yemen has been at war for years, and while Socotra has been relatively calm, the situation is complex and travel requires careful planning, local contacts and up-to-date advice. If you go, you go as a traveller on foot, with a local guide and boat.
The reward for those who make it is a world unlike any other. Socotra is famous for its dragon's blood trees, with their umbrella-shaped crowns and red resin, and its bottle trees, frankincense trees and many other endemic plants. Samha shares some of this flora, and its coastal waters are full of fish, dolphins and coral. The cliffs and beaches are wild and empty, and the light is intense, with turquoise water against white sand and dark rock.
The people of the archipelago speak Soqotri, an ancient language related to the languages of southern Arabia, and their traditions of fishing, herding and poetry have developed in isolation for centuries. Life on Samha is simple and tough, with limited fresh water and few supplies from outside.
For riders, Samha is perhaps more of a dream than a destination, a reminder that some places remain beyond the reach of wheels. If the archipelago ever becomes more accessible, the main island of Socotra has a few roads that could offer an unusual ride, but for now, the best way to experience it is on foot, with patience, respect and a sense of adventure.