Page 5 | Is Mogadishu safe?

ChamonixMountainBum · 2026-03-13T10:49:40+00:00

I know extremist group al-Shabaab are known for instigating bombings and the odd kidnapping and other armed militia are not shy of robbery and murder but I hear the beaches are really nice. I suffer anxiety but want to step outside of my comfort zone.

Snoken · 13/03/2026 13:12

It is very hot so make sure you pack your thong bikini so you don't over heat on the lovely beaches.

HelpMeGetThrough · 13/03/2026 13:09

KidsAndDogsGalore · 13/03/2026 12:59

Have you been? Woud you recommend? My teen DD has an offer to go there with a friend for the Summer Holidays.

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Very much would recommend.

Karaoke is a blast out there, they love Bruno Mars, you often hear someone trotting out the line…. “I’d catch a grenade for you….”

Thereissnowinmywellies · 13/03/2026 13:02

Do peeps really believe this is a serious thread??😀

KidsAndDogsGalore · 13/03/2026 12:59

HelpMeGetThrough · 13/03/2026 12:56

Probably about as safe as taking a walk in downtown Helmand Province OP.

Have you been? Woud you recommend? My teen DD has an offer to go there with a friend for the Summer Holidays.

AlcoholicAntibiotic · 13/03/2026 12:59

Bjorkdidit · 13/03/2026 11:37

Mind you I suddenly remembered last night that despite work related world wide travels to all sorts of interesting places (including some on the red list) the only place I was ever literally close to being mortar bombed was Heathrow

That reminds me of the time that I had to get special permission to do one of my work trips because the overseas travel risk assessment deemed it too dangerous because I was travelling alone to a rural area outside the EU.

Was I going to Tehran, Saudi Arabia or Colombia I hear you cry?

No, the Isle of Man.

It’s the gorse bushes. Evil little fuckers.

MeAndMyGhost · 13/03/2026 12:58

I really wouldn't and I have a pretty high risk threshold (living in an active zone right now that I have no plans on leaving).

Thereissnowinmywellies · 13/03/2026 12:57

Sskka · 13/03/2026 12:22

Thanks everyone. Sadly it sounds like Mogadishu isn’t for us. We were thinking about going to Mordor instead, anyone been there? Will be taking a newborn and a buggy so am particularly interested in step-free access.

Mordor is quite hot this time of year, you'll need plenty of sun block and don't forget to keep a keen eye out for Mount Doom, well worth a visit provided you can run fast on the way down.

HelpMeGetThrough · 13/03/2026 12:56

Probably about as safe as taking a walk in downtown Helmand Province OP.

Lindy2 · 13/03/2026 12:55

Yes you'll have a blast.

I heard they are bringing back Club 18 - 30 and Mogadishu is on the list because of the cheap booze.

Have fun!

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 13/03/2026 12:54

KillTheTurkey · 13/03/2026 12:09

A friend went to Rwanda for a humanitarian (maybe NGO?) job a good few years ago. She hid in her hotel room for a couple of nights and then arranged to get straight back on a flight home.

I had a job interview for a charity where there’d be a huge meeting in Rwanda. It sounded quite exciting to me. Didn’t get the job.

YellowFruitBowl · 13/03/2026 12:53

Much, much safer than Paris, I hear!

Amabo · 13/03/2026 12:53

Thereissnowinmywellies · 13/03/2026 12:52

A lot of Mners don't open their front door let alone go to areas near war zones especially if they have 'anxiety', so good for you OP.

That’s because they’re introverts despite not knowing what introvert actually means.

Thereissnowinmywellies · 13/03/2026 12:52

A lot of Mners don't open their front door let alone go to areas near war zones especially if they have 'anxiety', so good for you OP.

Amabo · 13/03/2026 12:51

I’d definitely go, but have you considered Tehran? I hear it’s lovely in the Spring.

WhoreDing · 13/03/2026 12:48

Bukrahfilmishmish · 13/03/2026 12:27

Back in 2004, I did a hostile environments training course - learning how to navigate your way out of a minefield with a grass stem, treat gunshot wounds in the field, make a mental map based on landmarks if you are kidnapped etc. Everyone was headed to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan… except for a Japanese journalist whose newspaper was sending him to Athens to cover the Olympics 😂

As an aside, threads like this make it easy to spot the bots 😂

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This reminds me of the time about a decade ago when a female colleague's work travel risk assessment was "low" for Saudi but "very high" for Germany. When she queried it, it was because the likelihood of a car crash was higher in Germany. No fucking shit - women couldn't drive in Saudi at the time which suggested a slightly more risk general environment for women, no?!

JuliettaCaeser · 13/03/2026 12:38

They said DH did actually cycle up a live volcano in 2023 🙄. It erupted a few days after we left shutting the nearby airport

AllJoyAndNoFun · 13/03/2026 12:34

Sskka · 13/03/2026 12:27

Fortunately we are thinking of July! For April (1986) we’ve booked Chernobyl Reactor 4. Should we take sunscreen?

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I hope you’re not disappointed. I found Chernobyl a bit tame. This year I’m going to fire myself straight into the sun ( transiting in Dubai natch)

AngelinaFibres · 13/03/2026 12:33

Stepping out of your comfort is always a good thing to do. Going to Mogadishu has never been a good thing to do. Maybe back pack around the Greek Islands instead.

Octavia64 · 13/03/2026 12:32

Well I’ve done a lot of travelling and the only place I’ve actually seen a bomb is in Manchester (thanks iRA it was a shit shopping centre anyway) so on that basis you’ll be fine.

Sskka · 13/03/2026 12:27

JuliettaCaeser · 13/03/2026 12:25

I would avoid Mordor in April it’s too windy. Lovely in July and good clubbing for teens.

Fortunately we are thinking of July! For April (1986) we’ve booked Chernobyl Reactor 4. Should we take sunscreen?

Bukrahfilmishmish · 13/03/2026 12:27

Bjorkdidit · 13/03/2026 11:37

Mind you I suddenly remembered last night that despite work related world wide travels to all sorts of interesting places (including some on the red list) the only place I was ever literally close to being mortar bombed was Heathrow

That reminds me of the time that I had to get special permission to do one of my work trips because the overseas travel risk assessment deemed it too dangerous because I was travelling alone to a rural area outside the EU.

Was I going to Tehran, Saudi Arabia or Colombia I hear you cry?

No, the Isle of Man.

Back in 2004, I did a hostile environments training course - learning how to navigate your way out of a minefield with a grass stem, treat gunshot wounds in the field, make a mental map based on landmarks if you are kidnapped etc. Everyone was headed to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan… except for a Japanese journalist whose newspaper was sending him to Athens to cover the Olympics 😂

As an aside, threads like this make it easy to spot the bots 😂

JuliettaCaeser · 13/03/2026 12:25

I would avoid Mordor in April it’s too windy. Lovely in July and good clubbing for teens.

Isittimeformynapyet · 13/03/2026 12:24

Lifelover16 · 13/03/2026 12:10

FCDO is advising against all but essential travel to Somalia. Travel insurance is therefore invalid, and you are advised to make your own arrangement in case of evacuation.

Awww. You're taking this seriously.

That's so cute 🤗

FKAT · 13/03/2026 12:24

Hmm, you might be flying over Dubai airspace so be aware there might be delays.

There's a lovely little crowd pleasing Tom Hanks drama about a boating holiday in Somalia. It's the Under the Tuscan Sun of the Horn of Africa.

Sskka · 13/03/2026 12:22

Thanks everyone. Sadly it sounds like Mogadishu isn’t for us. We were thinking about going to Mordor instead, anyone been there? Will be taking a newborn and a buggy so am particularly interested in step-free access.