The capital of Djibouti is an exotic place not yet explored by tourists in the hot east Africa. The state, not tempted by the attention of foreigners, with many attractions, will tell about locals much more than any more popular resort.
The country has no historical monuments, cannot boast of masterpieces of architecture, there are no five-star hotels here for wealthy travelers.
Attractiveness of the country for tourists
What kind of city is Djibouti, the capital of which country - few people know. After all, the territory of the state is so small that its capital is the main and almost the only city in which all the measured life of Aboriginal people is concentrated.
Tourism in Djibouti is just beginning to develop, gradually gaining popularity of more and more people. After all, it is here that you can get acquainted with the customs and traditions of residents, in the natural environment to learn about the features of culture and lifestyle of the African population.
The unknown nature spreading around the Indian Ocean, warm bays with islands, deserted beaches, exotic animals and marine inhabitants - all this is worth a look at least once in a lifetime.
Fans of wild pristine nature, real extreme tourism in natural conditions, will enjoy the rest in Djibouti.
State location
Djibouti, whose capital is of the same name, is located on the shores of the Indian Ocean, in contact with it are two bays - Aden and Bab al-Mandeb.
The state borders on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somaliland - a state that is unrecognized by world society and has separated from Somalia. These places are known a little more among tourists and are attractive among lovers of unknown Africa.
Landscape
This country is famous for its sandy and volcanic terrain. Djibouti is the capital of an amazing little world, part of the land surface of which is covered with ashes and covered with frozen lava.
The central part is represented by clay and sand plains.
The landscape here is reminiscent of the Martian, which creates the feeling that you are far from Earth on an alien, uninhabited planet. And active volcanoes releasing hot steam will add extreme, threatening to spew a powerful stream of hot lava from their bowels at any moment.
Climate
As in all of Africa, the country of Djibouti, the capital of which bears the same name, is characterized by a hot and dry climate. In January, the air temperature does not fall below 25 degrees, and in July rises above 35.
Most rivers dry up during particularly hot periods, which leads to a shortage of fresh water. Only salt lakes, one of which is Assal, the main attraction of Djibouti, always remain full of water.
Nature
Djibouti, the capital of which has the same name, cannot boast of the diversity of the plant world. In such a climate, only sparse desert vegetation is common - acacia and some crops of the cereal family.
In the mountains you can meet juniper, olive tree and ficus. It will also be interesting to look at dracaena, a naturally-growing tree of the asparagus family.
Not far from the coast, mangrove evergreen deciduous forests are preserved in some places, creating a natural border between land and the ocean, protecting the coastal zone from destructive ocean waves.
Lakes
The country with the capital Djibouti is proud of its salt lakes. The oval Assal Lake, located at the lowest point of the entire African continent (155 meters below sea level), has the highest salinity in the world.
The water in the lake is very hot, and in summer its temperature reaches 50 degrees. The coastal zone is white, it is evenly covered with a thick layer of salt.
Lake Assal is bordered by the “Pit of Demons” - Lake Lac Gube, filled with sea water.
The lake can be reached directly from the city of Djibouti-city simply by taking a taxi. Long-extinct volcanoes spread on all sides of the coast, and the land was torn with frozen lava and covered with a layer of black ash.
The majestic Ardukoba volcano is active, from its top at an altitude of 30 meters a beautiful view of the lakes opens. Climbing to an open volcanic crater is the main exciting attraction for tourists. At its foot beat transparent warm thermal springs.
Active and passive rest
After it turned out which city is the capital of Djibouti, and it is well studied on the political map of Africa, you can safely go there for a couple of weeks. In addition to exploring the sights and flora, this place will present a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities, in particular, for windsurfing.
The warm water of the ocean bay, the associated hot wind are the best suited for sailing. It is here that you can thoroughly hone your skills, learn to perfectly manage the sailing board.
Unusual and extreme activity is sandy windsurfing. Huge bastards of salt sand easily replace water. The best sandy landscapes are located in the southwest of the country.
The capital of Djibouti is famous for extreme trips along the sand dunes in jeeps. Safaris allow you to admire spectacular views of volcanic landscapes.
However, excursions and off-road racing in frozen lava are planned in advance. Therefore, it is necessary to make a reservation a few weeks before arrival in the country, otherwise there will not be a single free car, there are not many of them.
Tourists who prefer passive relaxation can go fishing in local waters. The picturesque beaches washed by bays with warm salt water will be an excellent place for swimming, sunbathing and sleepy measured pastime.
Diving
The capital of Djibouti is a find for diving enthusiasts . In the bays there are a lot of wrecks that used to be of great interest to tourists. After all, it is so exciting to plunge into the underwater world of pirates and sea adventures, where you can feel like a real explorer and seeker of lost treasures.
But in the Gulf of Aden should be careful, it is considered the most dangerous place for diving due to strong currents. No wonder so many ships were shipwrecked here at different times.
Divers will be no less interesting to get acquainted with the living inhabitants of the underwater kingdom - exotic fish, crabs and lobsters. And coral reefs near the city of Tajur will open an incredibly colorful underwater landscape with its colorful inhabitants.
Regular boats constantly transport tourists to the islands located in the Gulf of Tajur.
On the protected island of Mucha there is a diving center. Having rented equipment, here you can swim among the reefs, admire the tiger sharks.
Cultural rest
Nightlife and entertainment are highly discouraged in the country. Muslim laws categorically negatively affect the use of alcohol. Open selling of soft drinks is prohibited.
Although imported alcohol can be purchased at bars and a supermarket for foreign tourists.
After sunset, it is undesirable to remain on the street alone, there is a danger of being robbed or, even worse, beaten.
Architectural Buildings
The capital of Djibouti is a small city, the architecture of which will be no less interesting to get acquainted with. Locals who are not accustomed to the invasion of tourists are suspicious of strangers. Therefore, photography is not welcome here, they may even request a special permission.
The main city attractions are:
- Hamoudi Mosque, built in the very center of the city, is the pride and the only tall building in the country;
- a neo-Moorish-style presidential palace, around which walks are allowed;
- The city aquarium is home to many species of exotic fish, which you can see closer by scuba diving.
City features
Hamoudi Mosque is the oldest and only architectural building. This is the highest point of the city.
Souvenir products (for example, minerals from the shores of salt lakes), fresh dishes of national cuisine, colorful household items and other necessary goods are presented on the central market.
The market is famous for selling many unusual fruits and vegetables. The sidewalks and the ground under your feet are literally littered with sugar apple fruits grown in the western part of the mainland.
Small streets of the city have interesting and unusual names: Moscow, London, Paris. You can visit Athens, and after a few minutes move directly to Rome. But, unfortunately, in the names the similarity with the famous world capitals ends.
These streets are dirty, right in the middle you can see huge piles of garbage. The houses of the residents are also shabby, require major repairs, and the whole view is a rather dull sight. Although back in the days of French colonization, the city was nice, clean and well-groomed.
The capital of Djibouti is the main city - the port of this small country. In the center there are two-story and one-story houses of a more prosperous population, on the outskirts there are many slums.
Being a rather poor state, the country is still of great interest to foreign tourists. The tourism industry in recent years has begun to generate considerable income. Therefore, the authorities are actively developing measures for its development.
But nevertheless, the main highlight of the country is precisely in the fact that it is not yet known to a wide range of people. Deserted beaches, pristine nature, not tempted by the benefits of civilization, local residents - this is the main attraction of Djibouti. It is worth visiting at least in order to enjoy languid silence, tranquility and peace. This is a place where time stands still, life passes measuredly, and people seem to never be in a hurry, because they have nowhere to hurry.