Now that 2016 is ending, it is a good time to start planning what our next trips will be during 2017. A getaway that becomes an adventure to a distant and exotic place from which we take unforgettable memories when we return.
There are travelers for whom the usual routes are too small and need to undertake a journey into the unknown. Making these vacations a life experience depends on many factors that cannot be left to chance, especially in certain destinations to which the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends taking special care when visiting.
Before leaving for any destination, it is advisable to take a look at its website to find out the recommendations that this institution makes to tourists before traveling to certain countries.
The increase in the international terrorist threat and, consequently, the deterioration of the security situation in much of the world has increased the risk that Western citizens may be the target of an attack or a kidnapping. Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation strongly urges travelers to take extreme precautionary measures, avoid risky situations and register at the corresponding Embassy or Consulate General of Spain.
Which countries does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advise against traveling to?
In total, traveling to 21 countries in the world located in Africa, Asia and Oceania is discouraged due to their dangerousness: Libya, Egypt, Somalia, Chad, Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Central African Republic and Burundi in Africa; Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, North Korea, and Syria in Asia; and Papua New Guinea in Oceania.
Africa is the continent that includes the largest number of dangerous countries to visit. Most of them are immersed in conflict or political instability and the safety of the tourist is not guaranteed because there is a risk of terrorist acts, robberies with violence and kidnapping for foreigners. It is also advisable not to move away from urban centers and more tourist areas and to always be accompanied. Never travel at night, do not go to political gatherings and avoid routines in schedules and trips.
Below we analyze the situation in five of the African countries to which it is not advisable to travel because of the danger it entails.
Mogadishu | Image via Ecodiario
Somalia
This East African country is one of the most dangerous in the world. The civil war that has raged Somalia since the early 90s is not over yet and its weak government has not been able to control this chaotic country. Kidnappings, skirmishes, assaults and acts of piracy are the biggest problems suffered together with the terror spread by Islamist militias in different areas of Somalia. Despite this bleak outlook, in recent years the situation has softened somewhat and the Somali government believes that in the future they will be able to attract tourism thanks to their excellent beaches, national parks and caves like those in Laas Gal, which contain thousands of years old cave paintings of animals and people.
Sierra Leona
Sierra Leona
This is one of the West African nations hardest hit by violence, hunger and poverty. Having emerged from a long civil war, Sierra Leone was rocked by a new tragedy, becoming the second country in the world most affected by the 2014 Ebola epidemic. Despite everything, the future is bright and Sierra Leone has some of the most beautiful beaches in this part of Africa such as Sussex and Lakka as well as plains, jungles and game reserves. It even has historical places like Bunce Island, where there is an XNUMXth century British fort that was used for the slave trade.
Lagos
Nigeria
With 170 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. In 2014 it became the largest economy on the continent above South Africa and the main oil producer on the continent. However, social inequalities are great and security is fragile.
The risk of terrorist attacks is high, robberies are common and it is a country where being a Westerner can be dangerous. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs especially discourages traveling to Nigeroa due to the appearance of the jihadist group Boko Haram.
However, taking the risks some of the most popular tourist places in Nigeria are the city of Lagos, Benin City or Calabar. From an ecotourism point of view, the Yankari National Park, the Owu Falls or the Kainji Lake Park stand out.
Chad
Chad
This former French colony has incredible tourist attractions such as the desert landscapes of Ennedi, the Zakouma National Park, the Ounianga Lakes and Lake Chad, the second largest on the continent. However, the armed conflicts suffered in recent years have created a breeding ground for insecurity for tourists, who are the target of highway robbery gangs that operate where there is less government presence.
Algerian desert
Algeria
Tourism in Algeria is still in an incipient phase of growth, which had declined due to the bloody terrorist attacks of the 90s. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends avoiding the vast desert region of the south and travel to rural areas and mountainous, especially in the northeast of the country.
Despite the relative calm following the virulent attacks at the end of the last century, terrorism remains a real threat in Algeria. A delicate situation that prevents the visit to such beautiful places in this country as Tassili n'Ajjer, a mountainous area, with high archaeological and natural value, considered one of the best places in the world to enjoy the beauty and vastness of the Sahara desert.