Qaybtan waxaa loogu talagalay dadka wax ku qora luqada Soomaaliga. 
Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
Since there is no diplomatic representation anywhere, a visa can be granted upon arrival for 72 hours. Strangely, Ethiopian Airlines asked to see my visa before allowing me to board the aeroplane because the computer says that for Somalia a visa is needed. I convinced the staff that this applies only if you go to Mogadishu. They did not insist anymore. Upon arrival the immigration officer offered to apply for the visa on my behalf, prior to my arrival at the hotel. There is also an obligation for foreigners to change US$50 at the rates of the airport desk (which for some reason they forgot to ask from me). No embassies or consulates for any country exist in Hargeisa. Haralampos Bizas, Greece (Sep 03)
You need a Somaliland visa for Somaliland. A Somalia visa is not accepted. You can get a Somaliland visa in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). I don't think any other country issues one. In Addis, you have to find the Somaliland liaison office. Phone is 63-59-21. Find the Awraris Hotel, which is across the street from the St. Gabriel Hospital. Follow the dirt road that runs down the side of the Awraris Hotel for 200 metres, turn right and continue another 200 metres. The office looks like a large house and sits on a corner on the left side of the road. There is no flag or other distinguishing marking indicating the office. Look for doormen. The visa is 250 Ethiopian Birr (US$30) and is issued on the spot. It's good for 1 month. As Somaliland is not recognized by any other nation, no foreign consulates or embassies exist.
The land border between Djibouti and Somaliland has been closed for sometime now. The border between Jijiga (Ethiopia) and Hargeisa seems to be opened and closed sporadically. Recently it has been closed due to a customs dispute. Check before you try this. The easiest way to get to Somaliland is by air. There are flights 3 times a week to and from Djibouti. You can't get a Somaliland visa in Djibouti and you can't get a Djibouti visa in Somaliland. So you'll have to arrange that before you get there. You can get a Somaliland visa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and there are flights to Hargeisa via Dire Dawa (Ethiopia) 4 times a week. Any travel east into Puntland or Bosaso will require a Somalia visa.
Dave Dissette, Canada (May 03)
The overland border crossing from Somaliland to Ethiopia is easy: at the border post on the Nabadeed - Jijiga road the soldiers (bored out of skull and excited to see a strange passport) just check that you have an Ethiopian looking visa. Once in Jijiga, for a few extra birr the bus driver will take you to the immigration office, where the stamp is a breeze.
Kari Eloranta, Finland (Jan 03)
Travel Tips
Most, if not all the people are Muslim. So all the usual social conducts apply. Foreign women should dress accordingly (arms covered, no shorts). Foreign men should wear long pants as you never see Somali men in shorts (except if you're swimming in the ocean in Berbera). Don't eat with your left hand. Be careful photographing women or speaking to them. Although a thumbs up is a sign signifying that everything is OK, in certain circles it means something very derogatory, so you might want to refrain from using it.
The people in Somaliland are extremely friendly and accommodating. Being somewhat of a novelty, you are greeted everywhere you go including just walking down the street. You find yourself shaking a lot of hands. They are also extremely honest. I had an almost empty cigarette package returned to me 2 hours after I lost it. The 'Money Changers' on the street sit in front of huge bundles of cash with no fear of being robbed. Theft wise you feel very secure there.
Everyone in Somaliland speaks Somali. English and French are also widely spoken. Everything is written in the Roman alphabet. In Somaliland, if it's written with an 'X', it's pronounced a throaty "gh". Since many people have lived abroad during the troubles and have returned home now that it is safe, a variety of European languages are spoken.
There are a couple of banks in Hargeisa, none however are open to the public. 'Money Changers' are found in all the towns and villages. They can be found in exchange shops or just sitting on the street under umbrellas in front of chicken wire cages packed solid with shillings. Their rates are all identical. Traveller's cheques are useless. US dollars are best but in Hargeisa many currencies can be changed including Euros and even Ethiopian Birr. It's best to change a small amount at a time because, if you change US$100, you'll end up with a backpack full of notes.
There maybe the possibilities of mines in certain areas. Check with locals before you go hiking. If you go hiking bring plenty of water, as even in the winter it can get really hot around midday. Las Anod in the south is off limits to foreign travellers.
"Qureh" means breakfast, "Quado" means lunch and "Asho" means dinner. Traditionally, breakfasts usually consist of fried liver, heart or kidney served in a gravy with bread or on its own with a few vegetables (tomato, raw onion) and bread. Another common local favourite is "Laxoox" which is like "Iujera" in Ethiopia (a soggy pancake), often with meat broth mixed with sugar poured over it. It tastes much better than it sounds. Lunch is often the largest meal of the day. Lunch and dinner are often more or less the same thing. Meat in the form of goat with or without a gravy which may or may not have some vegetables floating in it, accompanied by rice and/or spaghetti noodles and it may or may not come with a salad and/or soup. You can get this also with fish. Whatever you order it always comes with bread. Vegetarians will have a hard time in Somaliland, as everything seems to have a meat base. Even noodles and rice seem to have an underlying meat broth taste.
You cannot get any alcoholic beverages in Somaliland. Locals caught with it face severe prison terms. You can get your usual soft drinks but fresh squeezed juice is usually limited to papaya. Other fruit juices like orange and lemon are usually made from cordial concentrate and local water. Bottled water is widely available and in most cases the local water is perfectly fine as well. Nobody in local restaurants expect tips and, if you do leave one, they often assume that you've miscounted your massive pile of notes and it's usually returned, unless it's less than 500 shillings.
Tourism in Somaliland is very rare. Most of the foreigners found here are working for various agencies from abroad. As a tourist your whereabouts are monitored. When you arive in any place it's a good idea to report to the police station. If you don't then chances are they will find you anyway. In Berbera you'll need a photocopy of your passport and visa - there are many photocopy shops around. Everyone is always very friendly and in smaller towns you're often introduced to the mayor. As tourism is rare they are somewhat wary of spies and journalists. The down side to all of this is that they will try to encourage you to take guides, and on occasion police escorts, which will be at your own expense. This is all completely unnecessary and you can usually talk your way around it.
Dave Dissette, Canada (May 03)
Moving About
Unless you're trying to get to Erigavo which requires at least 2 days by vehicle if you're lucky enough to find one, air travel is not necessary as roads are relatively good and distances are short. Buses cover the major routes and are very inexpensive. Shared taxis generally consist of 1 passenger in the front, 4 in the back and 1 or 2 in the back-back. The are slightly more expensive than a bus. On some routes these are the only option. The advantage is that they are faster than a bus, you have the option of buying up more seat space and you can always get the driver to stop if you want to take a photo. The luggage on the roof is no extra charge. Pickup trucks are the cheapest option and are best used only on short routes, unless you want to get sunstroke. Mini buses run up and down the main street area of Hargeisa and are good if you're tired of walking in the midday sun.
Dave Dissette, Canada (May 03)
Scams & Warnings
Burao is the second largest city in Somaliland. It is very flat and spread out and is the main livestock market area for Somaliland. You definitely feel like you've crossed some imaginary border as you see civilians with automatic weapons and the atmosphere is not quite as friendly as it is in the rest of Somaliland. It is very unwise to even be seen with a camera on the streets here as you could get arrested and/or have your film confiscated for reasons unknown to you. Also the Secret Police will find you quickly here so it's probably best to be in the process of looking for the police station when they do.
Dave Dissette, Canada (May 03)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
The beach is the main attraction in Berbera. It's about 4kms from town. If you wish to walk there bring lots of water, as there is no shade and no ride back once you're there. Look for any dirt road leading north. Hit the shoreline and continue walking east past graveyards until you come to a small building. The beautiful beach and warm sea stretches east from there. You'll most likely have the place to yourself. You can also arrange for a taxi to take you out there, wait for you and bring you back. This will cost 35,000 shillings for 1½ - 2 hours, depending on whether the taxi driver swims with you or not. If getting a taxi, don't confuse Bataalelaha Beach (sand beach) with Bataale Beach, which is only 1 ½ kms from town and is rocky and has graveyards.
Dave Dissette, Canada (May 03)
Yarns, Fables & Anecdotes
Somalia, as it is shown on the maps does not exist! In reality it has been broken into many small (or not so small) parts and each one follows its own way. The most stable and organised part is the north part of the country called Somaliland with the capital, Hargeisa. It occupies the same territory of the former British protectorate of Somaliland. It has a central government, its own currency, and has been recognised de jure, but not de facto yet, by the UN and NGO's. It has even been allowed to operate liaison offices in Britain, Germany and Ethiopia. Hargeisa is the hub for flights to the Horn of Africa.
The second big part is the so-called Puntland (Punt was the ancient name of the country during the Pharaoh). Although it has a ruler, it is not organised to the level of Somaliland. The remainder of the country is divided in chiefdoms (around 50) and is totally without law and order, but (as the locals say) the people have their own laws and their own order. There is no central government, and no public institutions. The people live with certain rules such as, self defence, obey the strong men in the area they live and pay money when asked. There were initially 6 strong men and now there are 50. They have their own armies and the bigger enterprises have their own armed bodyguards. Each lord runs private businesses, customs, immigration, airports, etc. Mostly they are former politicians or army officers who have the knowledge and the power to employ private armies to keep their possessions. This means there is no war in the reality going on in Somalia, but at any moment the situation can change. By showing your guns at every moment you have the respect of the competitors. A silent peace between the various lords exists at the moment, which allows everyday life to run as smoothly as it can. Having that in mind it not impossible to visit Somalia. The visitor must be prepared to be under the protection of a group who controls a specific territory. I entered under the protection of the group, K-4.
The hotel you stay in can provide security with their own vehicles and armed bodyguards when you want to walk around the city. The rule is clear: no bodyguards-no stepping out from the hotel. Not only foreingers, (there's not many any way) but even Somalis are kidnapped for ransom (US$10,000 minimum).
I agreed with the owner of my hotel to US$100 for an armed escort. He told me he was going to provide me "good security". Within 20 minutes an open 4X4 truck arrived with only the driver. I was wandering if this is considered good security for Mogadishu. I boarded the car, sitting in the middle between the driver and Black, my guide. Not so bad. Suddenly 8 militiamen appeared with heavy machine-guns, kalashnikovs and hundreds of bullets in belts hanging from their necks. I was panicked only with the sight. "Your bodyguards", Black said to me. The next 3 hours I walked through the city, I went shopping in the markets, I made long distance calls (only 40 cents per minute) and we even walked to some neighbourhoods where the kids continued to play, but not their parents who looked speachless at the wild looking militiamen walking with all their guns 5 metres behind me and Black. The first tourist had arrived in Mogadishu!!
Haralampos Bizas, Greece (Sep 03)
