The tiny Djibouti in the horn of Africa offers great diving experiences as well as beaches, volcanoes, whale watching, luxury hotels, empty deserts, salt lakes and coral reefs rich in marine life. Rarely visited by tourists, Djibouti is now trying to reinvent itself as the new international travel destination along the Red Sea.
Small African country located in Eastern Africa on the coast of Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Djibouti is bordered by Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. Djibouti has a strategic location along the 20 kilometers / 12 miles wide straits dividing Africa and Arabian Peninsula, and it hosts US and French military bases. The local inhabitants are mainly Afars and Somali Issas, and there are minorities of Europeans, Arabs and Ethiopians. Most of the people live in the city of Djibouti, and the remainder live in smaller towns or leads a nomadic lifestyle.
More Djibouti destinations. The capital city Djibouti was founded by the French in 1888. It is a major port city with a busy central market, a marina and has some nice beaches along its eastern shore. There is also an annual music festival in Djibouti, featuring African music. The oldest town in Djibouti is Tadjoura, located just across the gulf from the capital. It is surrounded by green Goda Mountains with rare trees, as well as beaches and sea filled with diverse coral reefs situated close to the shore.
In inland, there is Lake Assal, a crater lake located below the sea, in the lowest point of Africa, and surrounded by a salt pan. Another lake, Lake Abbé is frequented by pink flamingos and pelicans, and surrounded by a lunar landscape where the movie Planet of the Apes was filmed, and the Ardoukoba Volcano offers nice possibilities for trekking.
Traveling to Djibouti is possible by air and by sea, as well as by road and railroad from the neighboring countries. The capital city has an international airport with regular flights to Djibouti from France, Great Britain and some African and Middle Eastern countries. There are road connections to Djibouti from all the neighboring countries, with buses and a railway to Djibouti from Ethiopia. There are also boats to Djibouti from Yemen. Visas are required from all foreign visitors except the French.
Small African country located in Eastern Africa on the coast of Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Djibouti is bordered by Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. Djibouti has a strategic location along the 20 kilometers / 12 miles wide straits dividing Africa and Arabian Peninsula, and it hosts US and French military bases. The local inhabitants are mainly Afars and Somali Issas, and there are minorities of Europeans, Arabs and Ethiopians. Most of the people live in the city of Djibouti, and the remainder live in smaller towns or leads a nomadic lifestyle.
Tourism attractions in Djibouti: diving, snorkeling, beaches, water sports and desert excursions
Tourism in Djibouti is presently very modest, but the country offers some natural attractions such as excellent diving, as well as snorkeling, whale watching and desert and trekking excursions. Water sports such as sailing, water skiing, jet skiing and windsurfing are possible, as well as fishing and biking. There are beautiful beaches in many places in Djibouti, including Doralé and Khor-Ambade, both quite close to the capital. The coral reefs of the Red Sea are often easily accessible from the beaches, which makes snorkeling in Djibouti easy. Gulf of Tadjoura and Seven Brothers Islands are great places for diving in Djibouti.More Djibouti destinations. The capital city Djibouti was founded by the French in 1888. It is a major port city with a busy central market, a marina and has some nice beaches along its eastern shore. There is also an annual music festival in Djibouti, featuring African music. The oldest town in Djibouti is Tadjoura, located just across the gulf from the capital. It is surrounded by green Goda Mountains with rare trees, as well as beaches and sea filled with diverse coral reefs situated close to the shore.
In inland, there is Lake Assal, a crater lake located below the sea, in the lowest point of Africa, and surrounded by a salt pan. Another lake, Lake Abbé is frequented by pink flamingos and pelicans, and surrounded by a lunar landscape where the movie Planet of the Apes was filmed, and the Ardoukoba Volcano offers nice possibilities for trekking.
Djibouti travel information and practical tips
Djibouti has a hot and dry desert climate, with lots of sun guaranteed. Especially the summers from June to September are extremely hot, although the heat is moderated a bit by ocean breeze in the coastal areas. The temperatures are a bit cooler from October to April, and there is even some rain. Occasional cyclones from the Indian Ocean can create heavy rains and flash floods.Traveling to Djibouti is possible by air and by sea, as well as by road and railroad from the neighboring countries. The capital city has an international airport with regular flights to Djibouti from France, Great Britain and some African and Middle Eastern countries. There are road connections to Djibouti from all the neighboring countries, with buses and a railway to Djibouti from Ethiopia. There are also boats to Djibouti from Yemen. Visas are required from all foreign visitors except the French.
Photo: DVIDSHUB , used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Local transport is available in form of many buses from the capital to all other towns in Djibouti, as well as a train service from Djibouti City to Ali Sabieh. There are also regular passenger boats from the capital to across the bay in Tadjoura and Obock. Taxis are available mainly in the city center and at the airport. Car rental in Djibouti is available, but choices are few.
Limited services. There is a small number of hotels in Djibouti, many of which are rather expensive first-class hotels aimed at businessmen as well as tourists. Accommodation choices outside the capital are very limited. Restaurants in Djibouti can be found mainly in the capital city, offering East African, Middle Eastern and some European cuisines. A couple of nightlife choices can also be found in Djibouti. English is spoken at most tourist facilities, but local people rarely speak English. Some basic knowledge of French will surely help you.
Safety. Djibouti is a relatively safe destination, but there is a threat of terrorism against foreigners, as well as some crime, as the unemployment rate in Djibouti is very high. Banditry occurs in some areas outside the capital city. Note also that Djibouti is a Muslim country and skimpy clothing is not appropriate outside beaches or hotels.
Short history of Djibouti
Djibouti has been populated since the Paleolithic times by the Afar and Somali nomadic herders. It has also been a traditional route for caravans between East Africa and Arabian Peninsula. Islam was introduced into the area in the 800s AD, and Arab traders controlled the region until the the 16th century. The Afar sultans of Obock and Tadjoura were replaced in the late 1800s by the French colonialists, who built Djibouti City. The area was soon known as French Somaliland. The Afars were favored by the French, whereas the Somali Issas opposed the colonial rule.More recent events. Separatism and demonstrations caused France to finally grant independence to Djibouti in 1977, as the last French colony in Africa to become independent. Djibouti became a one-party state until democracy was returned in 1999. Tensions between the Afars and Issas led to a civil war in the 1990s that ended in 2001. Close ties to France and the USA are maintained in Djibouti with large foreign military bases.
