Things to Do in Somalia

About Somalia

Somalia arrives first through your ears — the call to prayer echoing over Mogadishu’s Lido Beach at dawn, competing with the crash of the Indian Ocean and the hiss of khat sellers setting up their day’s first bundles. This is a country being rebuilt in real time: the Turkish-built tarmac of the Aden Adde International Airport runway gleams, but the drive into the city passes through streets where bullet holes still pockmark the walls of the old Italianate villas in Hamar Weyne district. You can eat grilled lobster on the sand at Lido for 50,000 Shilling ($4), watching fishermen haul in their nets, then spend ten times that on a security detail for the 15-minute drive to see the restored 13th-century Fakr ad-Din Mosque in Shangani — its intricate coral-brick walls standing defiantly amidst the rubble. The truth is, you’ll see more armed checkpoints than museums, and a simple errand requires more logistical planning than a week in most other countries. But that’s precisely the point: to walk the rebuilt Bakara Market, where the scent of frankincense and cardamom coffee now drowns out the memory of war, is to witness a resilience so raw and recent it rewires your understanding of what a city can survive. Come for the empty, dune-backed beaches of Berbera that stretch for hours without a footprint; stay for the chance to tell the story of a place on the cusp of its next chapter, not its last.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Forget car rentals — you’ll be hiring a car and a driver, and often an accompanying security vehicle, through your hotel or a licensed agency like Dalsan. A day’s hire for a 4x4 with a trusted driver currently runs about 600,000-800,000 Shilling ($48-$64). Between cities, Jubba Airways operates surprisingly reliable (and secure) domestic flights; the 90-minute hop from Mogadishu to Hargeisa costs around $150 one way and saves you a grueling, risky two-day overland journey. Within relatively secure cities like Hargeisa or Bosaso, yellow three-wheeled Bajaj taxis are your best bet for short trips — a ride across town shouldn’t cost more than 20,000 Shilling ($1.60). Always agree on the fare before getting in.

Money: Cash is king, and the US dollar is its queen. Bring a stack of crisp, unmarked $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills — larger denominations are hard to change and attract unwanted attention. Somali Shillings (SoSh) are used for small, everyday purchases: a bottle of water is 5,000 SoSh ($0.40), a cup of shaah (spiced tea) is 3,000 SoSh ($0.24). Exchange dollars for shillings at small kiosks in the markets; the rate floats but has been holding around 12,500-13,000 SoSh to $1. Credit cards are useless outside of a few major hotels in Mogadishu, which will add a hefty 5-7% surcharge. Tipping isn’t a formal custom, but rounding up for good service is appreciated.

Cultural Respect: Dress conservatively, always. For women, that means loose clothing covering shoulders and knees, with a scarf handy to cover hair when entering mosques or conservative neighborhoods. Men should avoid shorts. Photography is a minefield — never photograph government buildings, checkpoints, military personnel, or anyone without explicit, enthusiastic permission. A simple “Sawir ma?" ("Photo?") goes a long way. When meeting locals, use your right hand for eating and handing items (the left is considered unclean). The pace of life is slower; patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s a necessity. If invited for tea, accept — it’s a sign of great respect, and the hour spent sipping sweet shaah is likely where you’ll hear the most honest stories.

Food Safety: Stick to cooked foods and peeled fruits. The goat meat sizzling on roadside grills (30,000 SoSh / $2.40 for a skewer) is generally safe — the high heat sees to that. The real prize is the seafood: lobster, kingfish, and calamari grilled on the beach in Mogadishu or Berbera are spectacularly fresh. Avoid raw vegetables and salads outside of upscale hotels. Drink only bottled or purified water (a 1.5L bottle costs 7,000 SoSh / $0.56). The one exception to the ‘no ice’ rule is in established hotels catering to foreigners. For a truly local experience, join the queue at a Hargeisa street stall for lahoh, a spongy pancake dipped in honey and ghee (10,000 SoSh / $0.80) — watch them pour the batter onto the hotplate to ensure it’s fresh.

When to Visit

Somalia’s climate is less about seasons and more about surviving the heat. The year splits into two: the dry Jilaal (December-March) and the wetter Gu (April-June) and Deyr (October-November) rains. Your best window is the tail end of Jilaal, February and March. Daytime temperatures in Mogadishu are still bearable at 28-32°C (82-90°F), the humidity is lower, and the sea breeze on the coast is constant. This is peak season, so hotel prices in Mogadishu are at their highest — expect to pay 20-30% more than in the low season. By April, the Gu rains begin, turning the interior briefly green but making some rural roads impassable. The **July-September Hagaa season** brings the Kharif wind — a dusty, strong wind that can shut down air travel for days, but it also keeps coastal temperatures a manageable 30°C (86°F) while the interior bakes at 40°C (104°F). This is the time for Berbera’s beaches, when the wind creates a natural air conditioner. The short Deyr rains in October-November are lighter and prices dip; it’s a decent budget option if you don’t mind occasional showers. Avoid Ramadan (dates shift yearly) unless you’re prepared for drastically reduced daytime activity and dining options. For families or first-timers, stick to March in Hargeisa or Berbera, where the security situation is more stable and the climate is milder. Solo adventurers or journalists chasing stories might find the more charged atmosphere of Mogadishu in the shoulder months of November or February more compelling, accepting the trade-off of higher costs and more complex logistics.