Stayed six nights in hotels and one night in a Dragon Blood Tree tent. It was very comfortable and not at all tough.
Before the trip, almost no one had heard of it.
Some say it is "the place on Earth that looks least like Earth."
Now I believe it.
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🏝 Day 1
A direct flight from Abu Dhabi took just over two hours, landing on a surprisingly quiet small island.
The wind was salty, the sky was blue.
The guide took us to the town of Hadibo,
The hotel wasn’t luxurious, but the sea was right outside the window.
Lying in bed at night listening to the waves,
Suddenly there was a long-lost sense of peace.
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🌊 Day 2
Visited Qalansiyah Bay and Detwah Lagoon.
The water was as blue as if someone had spilled a palette of paint.
The small boat rocked on the sea, I reached out to touch the water, it was cool to the core.
Had grilled fish by the sea at noon,
The fish was unbelievably tender,
After eating, I fell asleep right on the beach.
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🐚 Day 3
Took a boat to Shoab Beach.
There really was nothing there—
No signal, no people, no sound.
Only wind and waves.
While snorkeling, the sunlight shone on the small fish underwater,
Bright like stars.
I suddenly laughed out loud,
At that moment, it felt like nothing else mattered.
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🌳 Day 4
Set off in the morning to the Diksam Plateau.
Dragon Blood Trees began to appear, one by one, like open umbrellas.
The tree sap is truly red.
That night we camped under the Dragon Blood Trees.
The wind made the tent flap loudly.
I looked up and saw the entire Milky Way.
For the first time, I felt so close to the universe.
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💧 Day 5
Had breakfast in the shade of the trees,
Honey, flatbread, hot tea.
Then went to soak in a natural spring in the canyon.
Sunlight hit the water surface,
The whole stream sparkled.
That day I laughed a lot,
It felt like all worries were left outside the mountains.
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🏜 Day 6
Went to the Arher sand dunes.
It was amazing—one side was the sea, the other was desert.
I climbed barefoot to the top of the dune,
The wind was strong, the sun slowly sank into the sea.
The sand underfoot was hot, the waves before me were cold.
I sat there watching the sky turn golden bit by bit.
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☁️ Day 7
Homhil Nature Reserve.
There is a natural “sky pool,”
Water flows over the cliff edge,
Below is a whole stretch of sea.
I soaked in the water, watching the shadows of clouds drift over the sea.
At night, everyone gathered around the fire singing and dancing,
I didn’t understand their language,
But that kind of happiness was universal.
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✈️ Day 8
Heading back to Abu Dhabi.
I felt a bit reluctant while packing.
Before the plane took off, I looked down from the window,
That blue was so pure, like a dream.
Socotra has no signal, no malls, no trendy shops.
But it has wind, sea, and the heartbeat you’ve long missed.
Celeste @ Cox97