A brief History of Mogadishu, 

Mogadishu is the capital city of Somalia, situated just north of the Equator on the Indian Ocean. One of the earliest Arab settlements on the East African coast, its origins date to the 10th century, Mogadishu also called Xamar. Mogadishu becomes the fastest growing city in the world.

Mogadishu has historical Monuments, beaches, old buildings in colonial times, Italians built Mogadishu’s old port in 1892 which become the main port of Italian that time.  Mogadishu is located on the coastline of the Banadir region on the Indian Ocean sea “the white pearl of Indian Ocean”, during the medieval era Ajuran Sultanate was controlled south and central Somalia, after world War two the British Military administration of Somalia and UN Trust Territory in the 1950s, followed by Somali Independence 1960 where the two-part of British Somaliland and Somali Italian united in July one 1960 by rising Somali flag and putting down the colony flags.

The Somali government was collapsed in 1991 after a long time of fighting between government and opposition parts and in 1992 there were starting the Somalia Civil War that Mogadishu surfed in 30 years but the situation has deteriorated when Americans involved in the war in Mogadishu while the US wanted to capture one of the Somali leaders called General Mohamed Farah Aidid who is against to American Mission in Somali.

That memorial war in 1993 was well-known in Somalia and Americans as well because that’s an unavailable story that’s why America made a famous Film called Black Hock Down. After the 1993 Civil war ruined the country while Mogadishu city mostly destroyed that time media called Mogadishu “The Hell on the earth” for the worst fighting in City.

In 2006 Islamic Courts took over the warlords in Mogadishu that caused Ethiopian troops to interfere with Somalia’s territory by agreement of Somalia Transitional Government in 2007.

Mogadishu population

Mogadishu is the most populous city in Somalia it was an estimated 3.5 million inhabitants in Mogadishu only, which means that Mogadishu hosted almost a fourth of the Somali population in the country.

Hotels Mogadishu/restaurants

Mogadishu has a lot of famous hotels and newly constructed hotels in Mogadishu including Sahafi Hotel, Shamaw Hotel, Makka Al-Mukarama Hotel, Jazeera Palace Hotel, elite Hotel, Airport Hotel, and Decale Hotel.

The best hotel in Mogadishu, well-equipped and well-rated hotels are Decale Hotel, Airport Hotel, and Jazeera Palace Hotel respectively.

The Mogadishu City is very large and has a hundred hotels and restaurants and small guest houses in the city that local people and Somali diaspora lived but as foragers need a secure and well-sophisticated Hotel available international food standard.

ATM and MOBILE MONEY

Mogadishu has three different banks that provide ATM Service to withdraw USD cash while in Mogadishu, earlier travelers used to worry if they need extra cash, at this time the Premier bank, IBS, and Salam Somali Bank provide the service and available 24/7.

As well as local people are adopted using Mobile money that you can shop entire Somalia and can transmit abroad through your hand mobile.

Popular Mogadishu Destinations

Mogadishu has a lot of destinations for tourist that travelers underline to add their itineraries during the visit time, we mention here some tour destinations and activities.

Mogadishu City Tour: making City tour is one of the important things that travelers do to visit city war, Historical Places, markets, gardens, and popular composed people, TV’s, radios, Somali National Theatre, Somalia Archives (Museum), Somali Post, and Somalia culture Activities and other Important things in Mogadishu.

Mogadishu Beach Tour: Mogadishu is an oceanic city and coastal which is very beautiful and attractive to the visitors like Lido Beach is so populated on Thursday and Friday while more than 30,000 people come to gather to swim, relax, photo capturing and breath-taking, lido has a lot of classic restaurants, Hotels and guest house you can stay.

1. Lido Beach, Most popular beach.

The beach in northern Mogadishu was initially developed in the late 1930s for the residents living in the capital of Somalia.

Today, hundreds of families come to relax on Mogadishu’s coastline each weekend. People stay out at Lido Beach way past dusk to watch the beautiful night skyline and the deep blue ocean. This is a perfect place to get the fresh perspective of a rediscovered Somalia.

Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa with 3100 km along the Indian Ocean, which is home to attractive beaches valuable for tourism. To make Somalia one of the biggest entertaining and tourist destination spots in Africa, Lido Beach has seafood restaurants, hotels, and parks.

The Somali diaspora plays an important role in recovering Mogadishu, building new luxury downtown and beaches like the village, Ocean restaurant, Lido seafood restaurant, Oceanview many more that attract international tourists. The tallest building is under construction at Lido beach which supposed to be a luxury hotel. International travelers have lunch on the beach, boat ride, and walk around the beach with locals.

2.  Mogadishu Light House

Mogadishu Lighthouse is the iconic landmark building in the city built by Italian colony which becomes first Italian Old Port is when you reach the lighthouse will see banks and luxury hotels overlooking a glimmering coastline that once buzzed with pleasure boats, an awful truth dawns you can’t believe it and realize that Mogadishu was never like other African cities. Mogadishu was a remarkable city.

Even in its disfigurement, the beauty is still there, in ghostly Hamarweyne market and Shanghai Old City. The Mogadishu lighthouse locates at the beautiful beach and Old Urubu Hotel that once was a tourist destination where thousands of travelers were booking and accommodate before 1991, Not only lighthouse there, The Old Mosque Arba’a Rukun, the Italian Cathedral, and the first Seaport.

3. Mogadishu Fish Market

Fish market locates between Mogadishu main Port and Lighthouse, is the biggest one in Somalia, this market delivers every day, thousands of tons of large exotic fish species including Swordfish, Stingray, Kingfish, big white Shark, Shrimps, Lobsters, and Turtle.

4. Black Hawk Down crash site- Mogadishu Mile

Black Hawk Down crash site and Mogadishu Mile are two places near Bakara Market in Mogadishu, which American army and Somalis memorize the battle between Somali revolutionary and US military Mission in 1993.

the USA mission required to hold General Mohamed Farah Aidid the leader of the organized Somali clan denied the mission Americans want to lead the country what resulted in the death of thousands of Somalia, 70 USA army, and death toll to hundreds of American alliances including Pakistan’s and Bangladesh.

These two places tourists interested to visit when they come to Mogadishu to see the footage of the War they watch in the Film Black Hawk Down.

5. Monuments

Somalia’s historic monuments that were built after the country got independence, this monument retells the people to remember Somali heroes who fight during a hard time of colony to get independence. The Monuments have been restored as part of efforts to revive the country’s cultural heritage.  A ceremony to unveil restored statues was held on October 18 2019.here is the list; Monument of unknown soldiers, Sayidka, Dhagaxtuur, Xawo Tako, SYL.

6. Jazeera Beach 

Jazeera beach located on the outskirts of Mogadishu, is about 25 KM to the city, is one of the most beautiful places to go with family and friends, is a paradise for locals and visitors to take easy and disregard annoyance and confusion.

Here is no way you can ignore spending your time at Jazeera beach when you reach Jazeera your eyes will see the white sand, blue water, and ocean waves till you stop near the small Island that you can reach with a boat and sometimes you can walk if water back. At that place will recognize the wisdom” The White Pearl of Indian Ocean”.

Jazeera beach is one of the most impressive beaches in the world. With pure sand, temperate waters and abundant wildlife, Mogadishu’s beachfront could be developed into a most-wanted tourist destination never regret traveler to visit.

7. Camel Camp

Of the world’s estimated 35 million camels, Somalia, a country of more than 15 million people, houses more than seven million camels – the highest number per country globally. Somali people are popular with camels, so do not miss to visit camel camps around Mogadishu and have fresh milk milked in front of you upon arrival.

Destination Summary 

Mogadishu and outskirts there are a lot of good attractive destinations that tourist interest like Shanghai Old city, peace Park, Hamarweyne Market, Bakara Market, stadium Mogadishu, Arba’a Rukun Mosque, Unknown Monument, Somali Youth League Monument, cathedral and Abay Dhaxan Beach.