Somalia: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Somalia feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 12 written places.
Poetry, tea and conversation are national sports; hospitality is a point of honour.
✓ Considered polite
- Greet with salaam alaykum and a right-hand handshake between men - wait for a woman to offer her hand first
- Accept shaah, the spiced sweet tea, when offered - it is the basic unit of hospitality
- Dress conservatively - long sleeves and trousers for men, loose clothing and a headscarf for women
- Eat with the right hand, and try camel milk at least once - it is genuinely prized
✗ Better avoided
- Use the left hand for greeting, eating or passing anything
- Refuse hospitality abruptly - decline gently and with thanks if you must
- Photograph people without clear permission
- Show affection in public - couples keep it entirely private
Worth knowing
- Payments run on phones - mobile money covers even market stalls, alongside US dollars in cash
- Alcohol is not sold
- Friday is the day of rest - expect closures at least around midday prayers
- Life slows after lunch, the main meal of the day, and picks up again toward evening tea
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.