Safety in Somalia

The regions differ hugely: Somaliland has been running its own peaceful affairs for thirty years and street crime is lower than in Nairobi. Southern Somalia remains an active armed conflict zone, which is a completely different proposition.

Armed escort: Leaving Hargeisa means taking an SPU guard whether you want one or not. The officer with a Kalashnikov is as much a pass through the checkpoints as protection. It's a legal requirement, not an option.

Clans: Society rests on a complex web of clan ties. Disputes between clans can flare up instantly, especially in the contested eastern territories. Follow the news and take your local guide's advice seriously.

Photography: Photographing military sites, checkpoints, government buildings and airports is absolutely forbidden. Always ask before pointing a camera at anyone. Women in particular may react sharply.

Health: The medical system is weak and competent care exists only in the capital. Buy insurance that specifically covers evacuation to Nairobi. Pack antibiotics and something for diarrhoea.

Mosquitoes: There is malaria risk along the coast around Berbera. Use repellent and cover up in the evening. Drink only sealed bottled water and skip the ice in drinks.

Advisories: Most Western governments advise against all travel to large parts of Somalia, and against all but essential travel to Somaliland. Read your own government's current advice, since it also affects whether your insurance is valid.

Somalia has been in conflict for decades. Every government advises against travel there under any circumstances and urges departure where possible.

What defines the situation. Much of the territory is under the influence of armed groups including al-Shabaab. Bombings occur regularly in Mogadishu, including at hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners.

Kidnapping. Foreigners are a priority target, and kidnappings in Somalia have historically lasted years. Piracy off the coast has declined from its peak but the threat persists.

Three different realities. Federal Somalia, Puntland and Somaliland. Somaliland, which declared independence and is not internationally recognised, is noticeably calmer and receives occasional travellers through operators with armed escorts. That does not make it an ordinary destination.

Practical realities. International cards do not work, but mobile payments are unusually well developed. Electricity and communications function; infrastructure is minimal.

Insurance. No standard policy covers Somalia.

The legal environment. There is no single legal system: a combination of federal law, Sharia and customary clan law, varying by region.

Armed escorts. In Somaliland and Puntland, foreigners travelling outside the cities require an official armed escort (SPU). This is a requirement rather than a choice, and it is paid for.

Photography. Military installations, checkpoints, armed personnel, airports and ports are categorically off limits.

Permits. Documents obtained in advance are needed to move between regions.

Alcohol is prohibited. The country is Muslim and conservative.

Dress. Women need covering dress with a headscarf.

Khat. Use is universal and lawful, but exporting it is prohibited in most countries.

Consular assistance. Diplomatic presence is minimal; embassies operate from outside the country or from fortified compounds by the airport.

Yellow fever. A certificate is required from arrivals out of endemic countries.

Malaria. High risk in the south and centre, lower in the north.

Vaccinations. Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, meningococcus, rabies, polio and cholera. Somalia remains a country with circulating poliovirus.

Epidemics. Cholera is endemic with regular outbreaks. Measles and diphtheria are recorded.

Water. Unsafe everywhere, and water scarcity is acute.

Drought and famine. The country faces recurrent food crises compounded by conflict and climate.

Healthcare. Among the weakest systems in the world. Hospitals in Mogadishu and Hargeisa operate with international support. Evacuation is extremely difficult and arranged via Nairobi or Djibouti.

Heat. Extreme on the coast and inland.

Somalia has ranked at the bottom of global tables for safety, the rule of law and corruption for many years.

Who controls the ground. The federal government, regional administrations, armed groups and clan structures. Control is fragmented.

Kidnapping and bombings. The defining risks to a foreigner in federal Somalia.

Somaliland. Noticeably calmer: Hargeisa and the rock art of Laas Geel receive occasional travellers. But an armed escort outside the city is compulsory, and the threat persists.

Checkpoints. Numerous, belonging to different forces.

Where people definitely do not go. Mogadishu and the south, Puntland outside the towns, and the Kenyan and Ethiopian border areas.

Consular assistance. Effectively absent.

The honest conclusion: Somalia is not a place for a tourist trip. Somaliland is visited by a handful of prepared travellers with operators and armed escorts, and that is a considered risk rather than a holiday.