Must See

Mogadishu

This former beautiful city now has a history of lawlessness and brutality. Since the civil war, the country's dishevelled capital has taken on a Mad Max feel, with heavily armed clans protecting their own patch and prowling the ruins in armoured pick-ups.

Bajuni Islands

These isolated islands are located off the shore of Kisimayo, at the beginning of the coral reef that stretches from the equator down Africa's east coast. The islands offer good diving.

Berbera

In the north of Somalia on the Gulf of Aden, Berbera served as the winter capital of British Somaliland until 1941 and is home to an old Soviet naval and missile base. Today it's a bustling city port, with little to draw travellers.

Kisimayo

Located on the coast of the Indian Ocean, Kisimayo is the principal town and port of the Jubbada Hoose region. It is home to several mosques and an elegant palace constructed by the sultan.

Somaliland

This self-proclaimed republic, whose capital is Hargeisa, has been bombed by the Somali military and subsequently rebuilt by monies provided by the region's overseas citizens. It is considered an area of future growth.

National Parks

Somalia has ten game reserves, including Kismayu National Park. These wildlife areas are home to many common - and a few rare - East African species.

Beaches

Somalia's Indian Ocean beaches are hugged by coral reefs from Mogadishu to the Kenyan border in the south. They are amongst the longest in the world.