Xiis
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Xiis

Xiis

Remote Gulf of Aden town in Somaliland, set below the dry mountains of Sanaag.

Xiis (also spelled Heis) is a small coastal town in Somaliland's Sanaag region, perched on the Gulf of Aden shore where the dry mountains drop down to the sea. The town is ancient — archaeological sites in the area include cairns, ruins, and rock art that point to centuries of trade connections across the Gulf.

The coastline here is dramatic: rocky headlands, clear water, and very few people. Xiis is remote even by Somaliland standards, reached by rough roads from Erigavo through mountain passes with spectacular views. The journey is part of the experience — the Sanaag highlands are some of the most beautiful and least-visited landscapes in the Horn of Africa.

Facilities are minimal. There is no formal accommodation, and you will need your own transport and supplies. But for travellers willing to make the effort, Xiis offers a glimpse of a coast that few outsiders have seen.

Guide

Getting There

Xiis is reached from Erigavo, the regional capital of Sanaag, which is itself a long drive from Hargeisa. The road from Erigavo to Xiis descends through the Sanaag highlands to the coast — a spectacular route through mountain passes with views across the Gulf of Aden, but rough enough to demand a 4WD vehicle. Allow three to four hours for the journey from Erigavo, longer if the road has deteriorated. There is no public transport on this route. You will need a private vehicle, either hired in Erigavo or brought from further afield.

The road from Hargeisa to Erigavo takes around eight hours in good conditions. Erigavo is the logical place to fuel up and stock supplies before continuing to Xiis — there is nothing available at the coast. Bring enough water, food, and fuel for your entire stay, as there are no shops or services in Xiis capable of supplying a traveller. Travelling with a local contact or fixer from Erigavo is strongly advisable — they will know the road conditions, can help with directions to sites like Salweyn, and will smooth interactions in a town that sees almost no outside visitors.

Guide

Things to Do

Xiis offers very little in the way of organised activities, and that is precisely the point. The town is a fishing settlement on the Gulf of Aden with a coastline that sees almost no visitors — rocky headlands, clear turquoise water, and beaches where your footprints will be the only ones. If you make the effort to get here, the reward is a stretch of coast that feels genuinely untouched.

Beyond the sea itself, the area around Xiis is layered with history. Archaeological sites dot the landscape — cairns, stelae, and ancient remains that connect this coast to pre-Islamic trade routes stretching across the Gulf to Yemen and Oman. The Salweyn site a few kilometres from town is the most significant of these, associated with proto-Somali civilisation and possibly with the ancient Land of Punt that Egyptian texts describe.

Be realistic about what you are getting into. There are no guides, no organised tours, and no infrastructure for visitors. To explore the coastline or visit Salweyn you will need your own transport, a willingness to ask local fishermen for directions, and enough supplies to be self-sufficient. The journey from Erigavo through the Sanaag highlands is itself one of the great drives in the Horn of Africa — dramatic mountain passes with views down to the coast far below.