Is Mogadishu safe?

I think it's a great holiday destination!
Adventure guaranteed, beaches, wildlife and mingling with the locals. If you are lucky enough they will make you extend your stay at very little extra cost. Really what's not to like?

If you have family in Somalia and are visiting, it's a perfectly reasonable question. I think you'd be better of asking - if this is a serious question - in a more specialist forum than this.

I have regularly visited places that are on the "no go" list, which have actually been perfectly safe, but not without some risk. You need extra insurance to cover you in these areas, as medical evacuation and treatment can be expensive. But it just depends on your preferred level of risk if you would go or not. I have, and will, but with good insurance (which is £££, obviously). But I might not go to Somalia with the issues in the Middle East right now.

Now that's a step too far.

Any good Mumsnetter would never bring herself to visit Luton but would probably happily visit Mogadishu just so she can show off how wordly and adventurous she is.

I've heard "them" say that London is a bit like Mogadishu on a Friday night.

Would you go to London on a Friday night?

HTH

As if people think the OP is being serious.

I suggest you start off gently.
I hear Luton is nice at this time of year, & the airport is very near the Town Centre.

I think this is excellent advice. Can also recommend gadventures.

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.

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.

More dangerous in London or Paris op. Have a great time!

We really need the 😄emoji back.

Maybe go on a sailing excursion while you’re there. I’m sure you’ll meet some friendly faces out on the seas.

I hear it's lovely at this time of year.

DH is very important and goes there all the time. He says yes it’s safe, try the nudist beach if you have time.

He prefers it to Cyprus and has cancelled his plans for Italy but it’s just normal daily life in Mogadishu. Go!

I do wonder what was put into ChatGPT as a search for adventurous beach holiday destinations that would get Mogadishu as a result ?

Great post, OP.

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.

OP, kindly, I think you need to be a bit more clued up. Great to go outside your comfort zone, but I think Mogadishu isn't for you if you aren't aware of geopolitical issues. Have you thought about going on a trip which is adventurous but you have support? My son loves Intrepid Travel and some of their trips are adventurous. May be your thing more than completely alone and somewhere the government doesn't advise we travel? Hope it goes well whatever you decide.

We walk around all the areas with our valuables out

i hope you have suncream on, it might be a bit sore without it

All a lot of fuss and nonsense. Teen girls and I had a marvellous time in Kabul last summer.

Of course it’s safe. I took my 11yr old there last half term and had a whale of a time

Plus all the 'should I cancel my holiday to......' posts.

Dubai next week, you probably won't get much of a say in the matter.

Tenerife in October, who could possibly say at the moment and if the war in the Middle East is affecting flights between UK and the Canaries, we've all got bigger problems than someone's lost holiday deposit.

Its completely safe.

DH and I holidayed there over Christmas. We've been wintering there for 369 years and have never had a single issue.
We walk around all the areas with our valuables out and wearing matching T-shirts saying "I'm British, Kidnap Me". No-one bats an eyelid. Reports of the city being unsafe are just right wing press ideology.
Go. Have fun.

You have no way to disprove what I'm saying

Watch "Black Hawk Down"

This. Factor 2,000,000 will protect you from most bombs, given enough distance and the grease will make you harder to kidnap.