Socotra Island In Yemen

In 2010 a Russian archaeological team discovered the ruins of a city on Socotra dating to the second century. The island is also held by some to be the location of the original Garden of Eden, due to its isolation, biological diversity, and the fact that it is located on the edge of Yemen’s Gulf of Aden, which many connect with the ancient Sumerian tales of a paradise called Dilmun.

Another surreal plant found only on Socotra is the “Desert Rose” or Bottle Tree, so-called because of its massive trunk that has adapted to store water during dry spells.