Lag Badana National Park

You could believe the Lag Badana-Bushbush National Park is a true paradise, with waxy palm trees and golden dunes, the steady wash of the Indian Ocean kissing the shore, and stilted bamboo houses shouldering their way into the coconut plantations. Or it would be if it weren't for the violent battles that have enveloped Somalia's southern regions, where the reserve is located. These have ranged from the civil wars of the 1990s and 2000s to today's clashes with radicals. When they're done, perhaps this lovely land of tropical beauty will be back on the menu.

It's time to bring up the Lag Badana National Park, where you may experience the best of tropical African nature. Tall coconut trees, white sands, turquoise water, and wild animals evoke images of abandoned tropical islands in movies. In the National Park area, you can take your most popular Instagram photo. The Somalian government has designated Lag Badana National Park as a natural reserve area. Since the late 1990s, the National Park has been open to visitors.

Location: MGPC+MG6, Somalia