Country 6/196: Mali
Destination: Bamako
Ok, so Mali is one of the countries that is marked as very dangerous, so naturally, for safety reasons, we decided to stay for just one night. We did all of the explorings in one afternoon. We visited the local market, the city center, some of the main landmarks, and took a taxi to the nearby hill, which offers the best view of the city.
We loved the lively streets, especially its colors, shapes, and sounds. We also found some beautiful architecture and definitely a lot of love. However, we also found a lot of pain and loss. Our tour guide, for example, lost four brothers in the recent uprisings. The stories are heartbreaking. 🙁
Naturally, welcoming tourists is the last thing on people’s minds. It seemed like we were the only tourists there, so people were staring at us and not in a way that would make us feel welcomed. We’re sure that the country has a lot to offer, but maybe it’s just not quite ready to welcome tourists yet.
In some countries, including Mali, it’s risky to take photos with a camera, therefore we were only able to use our mobile phones.
Have you ever been to Mali? What was your impression of the country?
Where to stay
Even though Mali is not a popular tourist destination, mostly due to the ongoing political tensions, there are a few decent hotels to be found in the capital of Mali.
Are you planning a trip to Bamako? Here you can get a room with a 10% discount!
Budget
The average daily cost for visitors is around CFA16,010 (29 USD/25 EUR). Local transportation is cheap and food is affordable as well (the average daily cost for meals is around 8 USD/7 EUR). The average accommodation price for a couple is 26 USD/22 EUR a night.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Mali weather-wise is the dry season from October to January. The season between January and May is extremely windy and from June to September it’s the rainy season, which may cause roadblocks and higher rates of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Currently, visiting Mali is not a good idea, as it is considered a dangerous destination.
Environmental issues
Increasing desertification is one of the biggest environmental problems in Mali. Prolonged droughts are causing water scarcity and represent a threat to both humans and wildlife. Mali’s wildlife is also threatened by poaching and the destruction of the environment. Additional environmental issues are severe deforestation, soil erosion, and loss of pasture land.
196xLOVE
Found lots of LOVE in Mali. 😉 ♥
Honeymoon rating of the visited destinations: N/A
* Note: This is NOT a general rating of the country, it is merely our personal opinion of the mentioned site(s) as honeymoon destinations, based on the level of tourism development, the number and quality of romantic and adventurous activities and sites it offers, and safety. We strongly believe that every country is beautiful in its own way, they may simply be more or less honeymoon oriented/friendly.
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