Eastern Socotra is where the island feels most like itself and least like anywhere else. The point lies about twenty-seven kilometres east of Hadibu, the island's main town, in the stretch between the coast and the inland limestone plateaus. Socotra sits in the Arabian Sea, closer to Somalia than to Yemen, and it has been isolated for so long that a large share of its plants and reptiles exist nowhere else on Earth. UNESCO recognised it as a natural World Heritage Site in 2008.
The symbols of the island are the dragon's blood tree, with its umbrella crown and red resin, and the bottle tree, with its swollen trunk and pink flowers. The big stands grow on the Dixam plateau in the centre, while the coast has white dunes, turquoise lagoons and rough granite. Frankincense and myrrh trees cling to the cliffs, and the air in some places smells faintly of resin. Egyptian vultures wheel overhead, and the nights are brilliantly starry.
Honesty about the practicalities matters. Socotra is reached by flights, and access depends on the security situation in Yemen, which has been uncertain for years, so check current advice before planning anything. Roads are limited: a paved coastal highway around Hadibu and along the north, and many dirt tracks beyond that, often best handled by local 4x4 drivers. Fuel is sold in Hadibu and a few villages, and you should treat it as scarce. Carry water and food, because there are long gaps between settlements.
From June to September the southwest monsoon whips the island with fierce winds, sand and rough seas, and travel is often disrupted or impossible. October to April is the season to come, with mild days and calm water. The Socotri people speak their own ancient language, herd goats and camels, and live in stone houses and caves. They are welcoming, and a visitor is usually offered sweet tea or fresh goat milk, but the island's fragility means you should take away nothing and leave nothing behind.