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brooke beyond

the tag

vanlife USA
Arizona / USA / Utah

Vanlife diaries #10: Kanab, Page & North Rim

May 24, 2021
Arizona / USA

Vanlife diaries #9: Petrified Forest National Park & Sedona

May 10, 2021
Arizona / USA

Vanlife diaries #8: Saguaro National Park East & the Superstitions

May 7, 2021
Arizona / USA

Vanlife diaries #7: Phoenix & Saguaro National Park West

April 27, 2021
Nevada / USA

Vanlife diaries #6: Red Rock Canyon & Valley of Fire

April 20, 2021
California / USA

Vanlife diaries #5: Alabama Hills & Death Valley

April 12, 2021
California / USA

Vanlife diaries #4: Joshua Tree

April 7, 2021
California / USA

Vanlife diaries #3: Big Sur, Malibu & Anaheim

March 29, 2021
California / Oregon / USA

Vanlife diaries #2: Southern Oregon, Redwoods & California wine country

March 22, 2021
Oregon / USA / Washington

Vanlife Diaries #1: Washington & Oregon coast

March 18, 2021
Previous

hi, I’m brooke!

I've spent the last decade exploring the world— everything from solo climbing in the Andes to overlanding in Zambia, all while completing a PhD in Biomechanics. In 2020, I fulfilled my dream of becoming a full-time nomad! Whether it’s vanlife in Mexico, scuba diving in the Galápagos, road-tripping through the Middle East, or climbing in the Dolomites, I hope this blog will inspire your future adventures & help you find wonder in every corner of the globe. xx bb

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recent posts

  • Socotra Yemen brookebeyond

    Socotra travel journal: our epic 8-day roadtrip in Yemen

    February 7, 2025
  • The Treasury

    Hiker’s guide to Petra: the perfect 2-day itinerary

    November 16, 2024
  • Hiking from Dana to Petra on the Jordan Trail

    Hiking the Jordan Trail from Dana to Petra: Jordan’s best 5-day hike

    October 5, 2024
  • getting Argentinian Pesos in Mendoza

    Argentina’s Blue Dollar: Buying pesos on the black market (updated 2024)

    February 22, 2024
  • solo climbing Aconcagua without a guide

    Solo climbing Aconcagua: complete independent expedition guide

    February 21, 2024

@brookebeyond_
brooke ✨travel & mountain gal

@brookebeyond_

  • Socotra, a land unlike any other ✨ Home to alien-like Dragon’s Blood Trees, vast white sand dunes, limestone caves, emerald wadi pools, and some of the world’s most pristine beaches, this little Yemeni island is a paradise for nature lovers, adventurers & those looking to experience a truly untouched corner of the world. During our 4-month stint in the Middle East this autumn, James and I flew to the impossibly wild island of Socotra & spent 8 days cruising around the island with local legends @eye.of.socotra It was one of the most incredible places we’ve EVER been & we can’t shut up about it… travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
  • our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
  • going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
  • One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
  • amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
  • After travelling for months through 7 Middle Eastern countries, THIS is the most beautiful place we saw: Socotra, Yemen ✨ A magical little island adrift in the Indian Ocean, Socotra protects pristine beaches, high-elevation forests, sparkling wadis, rippling sand dunes, and 700 plant & animal species found nowhere else on earth. ✨follow @brookebeyond_ for more about how to visit Socotra & our amazing 8-day roadtrip around the island with @eye.of.socotra ✨ . . . . 📸 video by my talented @slatojc #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
  • Without question, the best astro photo we’ve EVER taken & one of the most magical moments of our time on Socotra 😭✨ After driving for hours across the island through increasingly wild terrain, we arrived under nightfall to a small clearing surrounded by hundreds of Dragon’s Blood Trees, their gnarled & somewhat mystical branches illuminated only by a small flashlight clutched between us. It was here we pitched our tent on the 2nd night of our roadtrip, right under one of the largest Dragon’s Blood Trees in the forest. As we sat in our vestibule & looked up at this ancient tree silhouetted against an incomprehensibly brilliant Milky Way, we knew we wanted to try & capture even the smallest sliver of this magic 📸✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #yemen #astrophotography #astro #milkyway @eye.of.socotra
  • HOW TO VISIT SOCOTRA 🐡🌱🌙🌊 a quick travel guide to the most magical island in the middle east ↯ 🙋🏽‍♂️GUIDE: this is a visa requirement & there’s no way to visit the island without a guide + driver— we recommend @eye.of.socotra ⛺️ CAMPING: there are a few hotels in the capital, but driving out & back each day is incredibly limiting, so I wouldn’t recommend visiting Socotra unless you’re prepared to camp (tents & bedding provided by company) 🗺️ PROGRAM: all companies on Socotra operate basically the same 8-day program— expect to pay about $1-1.3k per person, including all food, transport, activities ✈️ FLIGHTS: you can fly to Socotra from Cairo with a stop in mainland Yemen or direct from Abu Dhabi (this is what we’d recommend)— flights costs ~$1k return per person & are limited to TWO departures per week, so this will dictate the days you can start & end your tour 🛂 VISAS: the Socotra visa costs $150USD and your tour company will organise this for you— confirm whether the price is included in your program cost What other questions do you have about how to visit Socotra?? ↯ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
  • WELCOME TO SOCOTRA, A LAND UNLIKE ANY OTHER 🐉🌴✨ This tiny island in the Indian Ocean, technically part of Yemen but culturally & ecologically distinct in just about every way, is truly one of the world’s last untouched paradises. There is real magic here. And despite surging internet popularity, we were delighted to find the island so rugged & authentic, home to rich local culture & a charming isolation entirely uncorrupted by tourism. (It seems that the strict visa requirements, remote location & twice-weekly flights are a pretty good limiter!) It’s been 2 months since our trip to Socotra & it took that long (while continuing to travel 😮‍💨) to go through the THOUSANDS of photos & videos we took on the island so we could do this incredible place justice. I’m so excited to FINALLY be able to share Socotra with you guys— a place that truly stole our hearts & exceeded all of my insanely high expectations. If you’ve been thinking about going: PREPARE TO BE BLOWN AWAY 🤩✨🤍 @eye.of.socotra . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
follow @brookebeyond_

travel beyond the ordinary

Explore my travel guides, custom itineraries & blog posts with an interactive world map ✨

all destinations

  • Socotra, a land unlike any other ✨ Home to alien-like Dragon’s Blood Trees, vast white sand dunes, limestone caves, emerald wadi pools, and some of the world’s most pristine beaches, this little Yemeni island is a paradise for nature lovers, adventurers & those looking to experience a truly untouched corner of the world. During our 4-month stint in the Middle East this autumn, James and I flew to the impossibly wild island of Socotra & spent 8 days cruising around the island with local legends @eye.of.socotra It was one of the most incredible places we’ve EVER been & we can’t shut up about it… travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
  • our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
  • going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
  • One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
  • amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
Socotra, a land unlike any other ✨ Home to alien-like Dragon’s Blood Trees, vast white sand dunes, limestone caves, emerald wadi pools, and some of the world’s most pristine beaches, this little Yemeni island is a paradise for nature lovers, adventurers & those looking to experience a truly untouched corner of the world. During our 4-month stint in the Middle East this autumn, James and I flew to the impossibly wild island of Socotra & spent 8 days cruising around the island with local legends @eye.of.socotra It was one of the most incredible places we’ve EVER been & we can’t shut up about it… travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
1/5
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
our absolute favourite spots on Socotra— all seen on an epic 8-day roadtrip with @eye.of.socotra travel guide coming soon on the blog brookebeyond.com ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
2/5
going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
@brookebeyond_
@brookebeyond_
•
Follow
going full Bond girl on Socotra with @londrebodywear 💃🏻✨ . . . . . #bondgirl #snorkel #girlswhoscuba #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
3/5
One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
@brookebeyond_
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•
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One of our absolute favourite places in Socotra: Homhil, a wild landscape of native trees & travertine pools overlooking the ocean 💦✨ The walk can’t have been more than a kilometre, but we made slow progress stopping constantly to photograph the spectacular landscape— the only place on the island we’ve seen the Dragon’s Blood Tree, Bottle Tree, Fig Tree, Cucumber Tree, Frankincense, AND date palm clustered together, all of Socotra’s most unique plant life in a single environment.    Our guide had artfully coordinated our arrival to the quietest day of the week and the only other people at the pools left just as we dropped our bags, leaving us to enjoy Homhil in complete solitude.   And it absolutely lived up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular stops on the trip, a sparkling emerald pool perched on the edge of the limestone cliff, almost like a natural infinity pool suspended in space above the sea below 🌊 . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #yemen @eye.of.socotra
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
4/5
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
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amongst the Dragon’s Blood Trees 🐉🩸✨ Socotra protects 700 plant & animal species found no where else in the world, but perhaps the most striking & mystical of these is the Dragon’s Blood Tree. With origins over 20 million years ago, these ancient trees produce a dark red sap known as “dragon’s blood,” which has been used for centuries as dye, ceremonial makeup, medicine, and incense by native Socotri people. After an entire day of exploring the expansive forest, we were stopped by a local man who said his grandmother wanted to paint my face— a Socotri tradition reserved only for women & seen as a symbol of beauty amongst the locals. We entered their simple stone house & sat cross-legged on the floor to wait for the woman, frankincense hanging thick in the air between us. Before long, the family’s crinkly-eyed matriarch entered and sat opposite me, collecting red paste onto her fingers— made from ground up resin & a bit of water— & smearing it all over my face. She couldn’t speak a single word of English, but wordlessly passed something ancient & beautiful to me through this tradition, granting me a glimpse of her culture that felt completely authentic & unspoilt & raw. A powerful moment on a magical island suspended in time ✨ . . . . . #socotra #socotraisland #socotrayemen #middleeast #roadtrip #yemen @eye.of.socotra
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