Somalia

Somalia Holidays - Tours & Adventure Travel Guide

PureTravel Says
"Although news about Somalia is often disturbing, this country has a diverse typography consisting of tropical forests, untouched beaches, coral reefs, deserts and mountains. Coupled with an Arab influenced culture it is a fascinating country, albeit one plagued with internal strife."
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Somalia Holiday Highlights

National Parks - With its amazing natural typography the national parks are by far the biggest attraction for holiday makers in Somalia. There are a number of well preserved national parks across that country that will give the tourist the chance to gaze upon a collection of common and rare East African species. The Kismayu National Park of Somalia is one the best that it has to offer. If you want to get a glimpse of some of the rarest African species then the Hargeisa National Park situated in the north is not to miss. Another popular park is situated outside the city of Mogadishu.

Beaches - Somalia has some beautiful beaches lined up against the Indian Ocean in the east. Beach trips when visiting this country should be on top of your priority list. Along with the beaches Somalia boasts an amazing coral reef that runs from Mogadishu all the way up to the Kenyan border in the south. Somali beaches offer a unique experience of tranquility and extreme natural beauty. Situated at a distance of five kilometers from the city of Merca is one of the most sought after beaches of Somalia known as the Sinbusi beach. The shore has some excellent beach huts that will enable you to have modern amenities on a heavenly beach.

Las Geel - Every country has a unique selling preposition when it comes to attracting tourists. The Las Geel is Somalia’s prized possession and perhaps its biggest tourist attraction. It is a series of inter connected caves and shelters in Somaliland. The wonder lies on the inside walls of this strip of caves which have been decorated with Neolithic paintings. The Somali government has made much effort to preserve these paintings. The Las Geel offers a marvelous experience and if it weren’t for the current political state of Somalia it surely would have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mogadishu - The capital city of that make it a must see city of Somalia. Amongst the different things to explore in the city is the Shanghai Old City. This area served as the playground of the wealthy once upon a time and has been preserved for the globetrotters to explore on their vacations. The area offers unique scenic beauty and examples of architecture that one wouldn’t expect to see in Somalia.

Bakara Market - Once in the capital city you make sure you visit this lively street market. Here you will be able to get a wide range of food, clothing and ornaments in the Somali style. Experience the African ethnic designs and colors and that too for a cheap bargain price. When it comes to the street food it will have you licking your fingers. The street food is made using the simplest of ingredients yet it turns out to be simply irresistible although not all that healthy. Unlike the other destinations that have been shot down due to war in the country the Bakara Market is one of the regions that actually gained popularity during the warring years.
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When To Go

From January begins the hottest and harshest period in Somalia so this is a time that you would definitely want to avoid. Things start to cool down with the commencement of the rainy season in March which is perhaps the best time to go. Another good time to go to Somalia would be before the heat kicks up from September to December.
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Top Tips

The high crime rate and sensitive internal security has made Somalia a very unsafe holiday destination despite its many intriguing aspects. You would want to think twice about going to Somalia unless you are in the spirit of adventure.
If you do happen to make your way to the region stay away from the street food if you’ve got a sensitive digestive system.
Once there you would want to exercise great caution when dealing with the locals as you wouldn’t want to get into trouble in a war torn country.