In an age of viral travel trends, some destinations stand out not for history or natural beauty, but for pure imagination. Somewhere in the California desert, spread across just 11 acres of sand, sits a place that calls itself a country. The Republic of Slowjamastan has a flag, a currency, a national anthem, a parliament and over 31,000 citizens from around the world. It also has a Sultan.
A micronation is a self-declared independent state that is not officially recognised by the United Nations or any world government. There are many micronations in the world. Slowjamastan is one of the newest in that list.
It was founded in 2021 by Randy Williams, a radio personality from San Diego who had been travelling the world with a goal of visiting every UN-recognised country. When the pandemic brought that plan to a pause, he took a different route. He bought a piece of desert land in California and declared it an independent nation. The land sits roughly 100 miles east of San Diego, completely surrounded by the United States.
The laws of Slowjamastan are what truly make the place unique. Crocs are banned. Mumble rap is illegal. Using the reply-all function on emails is prohibited. Eating string cheese by biting into it directly is considered an offence. Speeding is only allowed if you are rushing home with tacos.
Citizenship is free and open to anyone willing to fill out a form online. A passport costs around $60. You can even apply to join the Parliament. There are no taxes.
Visiting in person requires a US visa first, since the micronation is landlocked within American territory. Once there, you will see a border sign and a small checkpoint. There are no hotels, no roads and no overnight stays allowed.
If there is an event, the Sultan himself may be present in full uniform. Otherwise, it is mostly a quirky photo stop with a very good story to tell when you get home.
