complete travel guide to djibouti

By Mansi | 04-Jul-2024 | (0) (0)

Introduction

A place that is somewhat yet to be discovered by tourists, Djibouti is not a known place on the global stage, but it is a hidden gem for travelling. Situated in the horn of Africa, in the blue skies of Djibouti, one can enjoy its nature, culture, and the country's history and traditional cuisine. If you are planning to visit this small country in East Africa, this article will provide you with a complete travel guide for your excursion in this country.

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Best places to visit and see in Djibouti

Djibouti City

When in the country, visiting Djibouti City is a must. Founded in 1888, the city is thriving towards becoming an urban centre. Being the 2nd richest city in the horn of Africa, with its restaurants and bars in this place, you will find traditional Somali and Afar culture.

Lake Assal

At 508 feet/155 meters below sea level, which is the lowest point in Africa, the lake is situated in the west of the capital. This place is a magnificent piece of natural beauty. Lake Assal has turquoise water, and with the salt collected along the shore, you can see the camel harvesting the salt, which has been done for hundreds of years.

Goda Mountains

To have a glimpse of the country's traditional culture visiting Goda Mountains and witnessing Afar villages will offer you that. Located in the northwest, this place offers aid to landscapes of the rest of the country. As a tourist in the place, you can also visit Day Forest National Park is an excellent choice for birding and wildlife enthusiasts.

Ghoubet Al-Kharab

One of the most intriguing places in the country, Ghoubet Al-Kharab, or ‘devil’ island’, is considered the most dangerous place in Djibouti. What makes this place fascinating is the saying behind it which explains that anyone who tries to swim in this place after sunset or at night drowns due to the water being too deep. If this is true or not, we still recommend you to spend a day and not try it.

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American military base

To think that a military base in such a small country and that too of having the only American military base in all of Africa is what makes one of the highlights of Djibouti. But there's an important reason behind it, which is the country's geographical location, which works as a gateway to the Middle East and Asia. Besides the Americans, Djibouti also has bases in France, Japan, Germany and China lately. Associating this place as the "Land of military bases" would not be wrong.

Red Sea

Djibouti also has the Red Sea, which offers you outdoor activities like snorkelling, diving with whales and sharks, or swimming with dolphins at Mocha Island. This gem of a place also provides the most decadent combinations of finest seafood and fish with the water activities.

When to visit Djibouti?

Since Djibouti offers hot temperatures for most of the year, it is best if you visit this place during the winter months, December - February, to avoid unbearable heat and sunshine. If you want to try out the country's famous swim with whale sharks here, consider visiting from October to February.

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Is Djibouti safe?

It is one of the safer places to visit in the Horn of Africa. But it is always recommended to keep a safeguard while travelling to a new place. The crime in the country is relatively low in comparison to its neighbours, but that being said, you should take precautions to avoid pick-pocketing, not travel alone to any isolated places, especially after dark, and avoid coastal areas.
Being declared a "mine safe" country, here at Djibouti, the mines have been marked and not removed, so as a traveller, you should stay on paved roads and beforehand with authorities before using unpaved roads or any off the beaten track. These mines are more to be found in Tadjoura and Obock in the northern district, with Ali Sabieh in the southern district.
Outside Djibouti City, it is not recommended to drive at night as it can be dangerous. The roads in Djibouti are not of high standards, with most poorly maintained. Driving can be a tedious task here. Another safety piece of advice for you is not to travel to the border with Eritrea due to toxic relations between Djibouti and Eritrea, which led to disputes in the past. Also, refrain from travelling to the border with Somaliland as the security forces are low in these areas.

Where to get a Djibouti visa?

Before your arrival to this country in the horn of Africa, you are going to be required to carry an authorised Djibouti visa to enter its premises. If you are looking to apply for a visa, get the same by visiting Djiboutivisaonline, completing the essential steps like selecting your citizenship country with your country of residence, selecting the visa type and completing the visa application process by providing the required documents and payment.