Travelling soon - any advice if hostels accept cards in Somalia or I have to give them cash
If you’re planning Somalia, forget about card payments at hostels or guesthouses. The only currency that works smoothly is USD cash, with Somali shillings used for small daily things. Bring enough notes before you arrive-ATMs are unreliable and don’t always link with foreign banks. For Mogadishu, guesthouses like Peace Hotel or anything similar will expect you to hand over cash on arrival. Don’t depend on cards at all; organize cash beforehand and budget accordingly. That’s the only way to avoid stress.
My time in Somalia was eye-opening. Stayed at a small place in Mogadishu near KM4, and when I asked about card payment they laughed. It was straight-up USD cash only. I’d brought notes with me and that’s what got me through. ATMs weren’t an option with my foreign debit card. Even small things like bottled water or food stalls were all handled in cash. Honestly, I stopped thinking about using a card the whole time I was there-it’s just not part of the system.
I was in Hargeisa recently, and while I didn’t find a typical hostel, I stayed at a budget guesthouse that only took cash. It wasn’t a problem though-Somaliland is very used to handling dollars, and everything from rooms to taxis can be paid in USD. The staff were friendly and even helped me change into local shillings for small spends. No card machines at all, but once I had enough cash, it felt pretty straightforward. Just plan to pay your stay and food in cash and you’ll be fine.
In Mogadishu and Hargeisa, hotel is almost entirely cash-based. Smaller hotels and guesthouses don’t have card machines, and international cards are not accepted for payments. Even if a place looks modern, they’ll usually ask for USD or Somali shillings in cash at check-in. ATMs are unreliable and don’t always connect to foreign banks. Hostels are rare, but guesthouses like Peace Hotel in Mogadishu or hotels in Hargeisa all expect cash. If you’re going, bring USD in clean, newer notes and settle directly with cash. Card won’t get you anywhere.