©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Somaliland Why Go? Hargeisa .........................321 For seasoned travellers in search of a totally unusual travel Las Geel ........................326 experience, Somaliland is a must. Where else in the world Berbera .........................328 can you visit a country that doesn’t officially exist? While Sheekh ..........................329 the rest of Somalia has been a no-go zone for travellers for two decades, the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland Burao .............................330 has restored law and order within its boundaries. Here the Sanaag ...........................331 safety of Westerners is taken very seriously and foreigners Borama .........................332 are welcome. Understand Somaliland offers plenty of unexpected and wonderful Somaliland ....................333 surprises. Admire some exceptional rock paintings, feel History ..........................334 the pulse of the fast-growing capital, walk along deserted The Culture ...................334 beaches, visit bustling market towns, be awed by stunning Food & Drink .................334 landscapes, and blaze a trail of your own in the far east and Survival Guide ...............335 west of the country – wherever you go, you’ll feel like a pio- Directory A–Z ................335 neer. More than anything, though, it is the Somali people who make a visit to the country so memorable, with their Getting There & Away ... 337 legendary sense of hospitality. Getting Around .............338 When to Go Best of Culture Hargeisa » Las Geel (p 326 ) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 10/250 » Berbera (p 328 ) 8/200 » Zeila (p 330 ) 30/86 6/150 » Dhagax Khoure (p 333 ) 20/68 4/100 » Maydh (p 332 ) 10/50 2/50 0/32 0 Best of Nature J FDNOSAJJMAM » Daallo Forest (p 332 ) Apr-Sep Rainy Oct & Nov Dec-Mar Best » Giriyad Plains (p 330 ) months make Comfortable weather: very few » Saadedin Islands (p 330 ) travel tough. temperatures rains and cool July/August is make the shoulder temperatures. very hot along the season good for coast. travelling. 320 AT A GLANCE Entering Somaliland » Currency Somaliland Somaliland has one primary international airport in Har- shilling (SISh); US dol- geisa, while Berbera receives some flights from nearby coun- lars (US$) tries. At the time of writing, Hargeisa airport was closed for » Language Somali renovation and expansion, and all Hargeisa-bound flights were diverted to Berbera, with a free bus connection pro- » Money Bring cash vided to Hargeisa. There are regular flights to/from Addis (US dollars). One ATM Ababa (Ethiopia), Djibouti City (Djibouti), Dubai (UAE), in Hargeisa (not work- Mogadishu (Somalia) and Nairobi (Kenya). Land borders ing at time of writing); with Ethiopia (Tog Wajaale) and Djibouti (Loyaada) are open. credit cards generally SOMALILAND SOMALILAND not accepted. » Visas Single-entry ITINERARIES tourist visas; see p 337 . » Mobile phones Local Three Days SIM cards (and top-up Arriving in Hargeisa, spend your first day getting orient- HARGEISA credits) OK in unlocked ed and soaking up the atmosphere. On your second day GSM-compatible visit the livestock market early in the morning and take phones. Other phones an overnight trip via Las Geel – Somaliland’s touristic must be set to roaming. pièce de résistance – to the port of Berbera. Wander the streets of Berbera’s character-filled old town, check out Baathala beach and end the day feasting on fresh fish. Fast Facts Day three should see you returning to the capital. » Area 637,657 sq km Ten Days » Capital Hargeisa Having enjoyed Hargeisa, Las Geel and Berbera at a more relaxed pace, go where few are bold enough to attempt » Country Code %2522 and book a trip to the Sanaag province. Devote at least four » Population 3.5 million days to Erigavo, Daallo Forest and Maydh. Alternatively, you could explore the far west of the country and arrange a Exchange Rates 4WD trip to the historic port of Zeila, taking in the rock art sites of Dhagax Khoure and Dhagax Marodi, Borama and the Giriyad Plains before reaching the coast – from Har- Australia A$1 US$1.04 geisa, this is a five-day expedition (return). Canada C$1 US$0.99 Euro €1 US$1.36 Zone Japan ¥100 US$1.10 Safe Travel New NZ$1 US$0.84 Somaliland was safe at the time of writing, and our on- Zealand the-ground research included Hargeisa, Las Geel, Berbera, Borama, Zeila, Tog Wajaale, Sheekh, Burao, Erigavo and UK UK£1 US$1.58 Maydh. However, despite what officials claim, there is an US$1 = SISh6500 element of uncertainty regarding the security situation. The Somalilanders have established law and order in their For current exchange rates separatist territory, but as long as their unruly brothers from see www.xe.com. Puntland and Southern Somalia don’t settle for peace, there will be an element of risk – borders are not terrorist-proof. Set Your Budget Prospective travellers should carefully monitor the situation before setting off. In late January 2013, after French troops » Budget hotel room: US$10 liberated Saharan cities in northern Mali from fundamen- » Local- style meal: US$2 talist rebels, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is- » 4WD hire per day: US$150 sued an advice against all travel to Somaliland. Although security has improved in previously high-risk » Police escort per day: areas such as the Sanaag province, check the situation locally US$20 before heading there. Travel in the Sool region is currently un- safe due to conflict in Puntland, which claims this province..