#104 DJIBOUTI

Little Djibouti packs a big punch! What the country lacks in size, it more than makes up for with bizarre and dramatic landscapes. From the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea to the otherworldly scenery of Lac Abbe and Lac Assal, this country is worth more than just a layover to/from Mogadishu!

Djibouti is also a hot country, but thankfully we were there in January, where winter temperatures hovered around the low 30s centigrade. We had come to Djibouti after a whirlwind tour of Hargeisa and Mogadishu, and as I'd been sick the last few days, the comfort of sitting beside the pool in a relaxed environment was a welcome respite from being on the move. A big plate of "tagliatelle au saumon et crème fraîche" was also just what I needed to kick the last bits of my cold to the curb.

Super enthusiastic feline welcome committee!

Our first big activity in Djibouti was going to be snorkeling with Whale Sharks, but apparently, this was a lousy year, and not many had been sighted. So instead, our dive company changed plans and took us to Moussa Island for coral reef snorkeling. It was a nice enough activity, and the water was warm, if not a bit murkier than expected. Still, we spent hours in the water exploring corals, angelfish, and even saw a stingray too. Then, when it was time for a break, we headed to the beach to relax and race hermit crabs in the sand. My prized champion, who I'd named Claude, was victorious in all his races that day, so that made me proud!  

Claude, the hermit crab champion of Djibouti

Lounging on the beach at Moussa Island

But our biggest adventure in Djibouti was the upcoming three-day overland trip to Lac Abbe, Lac Assal, and Tadjourah. These were beautiful places, and everybody we spoke to, including friends who had lived in Djibouti before, said we would be crazy to miss any of these sights. They also warned us of the bad road conditions, but I never imagined it would be possible to spend eight to ten hours a day driving in such a small country. Sometimes the roads were paved, other times, they'd been washed out by floods, and where there were no roads, we just plowed ahead and made our own. 

We departed for Lac Abbe at 0900, with our guide Rashid leading the way. He said the ride would take two or three hours, which seemed plausible for a small country. But, instead, we spent the whole morning driving before reaching Dikhil, roughly halfway to Lac Abbe. No matter, it was an adventure, and we kept ourselves entertained by tossing dates to the scavenging baboons that lined the road. Every day, Ethiopia sends trucks full of food and khat in exchange for access to Djibouti's deepwater port, conveniently located along one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. The baboons had quickly learned that these trucks would spill grain when they hit potholes, so there they were, sifting through clouds of dirt for bits of dried corn with their nimble little hands.

Baboons scavenging for food on the way to Dikhil

At Dikhil, we paused for lunch and ate a delicious meal of fried chicken, chips, and salade Niçoise. I'm still kicking myself for not taking a photo before devouring it, but we were starving, so you'll have to trust me on how good it was. We also wandered around an oasis garden, saw two tortoises, and ate a palm fruit that was like dry, hairy caramel. Before long, we were back on the road passing Afar villages left and right as the topography changed; grey sand gave way to chalky white slabs and eventually to dark, fluffy dirt. Finally, we were approaching the moonscape of Lac Abbe, where large limestone chimneys rise from the sand reaching heights of 50m as they spew steam from hot springs. 

Limestone chimneys rise dramatically from nothing at Lac Abbe

A window onto the limestone chimneys of Lac Abbe

Thermal waters, steam, and chimneys at Lac Abbe

We arrived at the vast central plain of Lac Abbe just before sunset, so we set out to explore the strange landscape in the purple and orange twilight. First, we passed sheepherders bringing their animals home for the evening and a group of donkeys that moved just slow enough for me to snap a picture of them in the low light. Then, a boy appeared out of nowhere carrying porcupine quills and avantgarde black mud figures of cows. I bought one that had ten white beads stuck in its forehead as eyes, knowing full well it likely wouldn't last the trip before breaking. Spoiler alert: it didn't, but at least the boy made a sale, and I got a cute story out of it. 

All the best cows have ten eyes

Donkeys wandering at sunset at Lac Abbe

After Lac Abbe, we continued to Lac Assal, a saline lake that lies 155m below sea level and boasts the world's largest salt supply. There are few signs of life: a few thorny bushes on the edges of the lake and bacteria are all that can survive here. We took off our shoes and headed out onto the water, careful not to cut our feet on the sharp salt crystals. We found a few locusts that had met their unfortunate end in the lake and were gradually being crystallized by its waters. Souvenir vendors hawked overpriced bags of lake salt and salt-crystal-covered sheep skulls. We debated whether it was practical to carry a sheep skull home; I thought it would make an eclectic addition to my kitchen spice rack.

Lac Assal

Sheep skulls soaked in the waters of Lac Assal.

Debating whether to jump in the water or not...

Salt crystal beaches of Lac Assal

Our final destination was Tadjoura, where we'd go kayaking, snorkeling, and sleep under the stars on Rassali beach. Here we found tranquil and clear waters and a plethora of marine life: brittle stars, angelfish, butterflyfish, eels, corals, pufferfish, and a sea turtle. On land, we spotted a cute brown snake curled up on the rocks just inches above lapping waves and a wayward black cat that had no business meowing at me the way it did! We spent the remainder of our last day here on the beach before heading straight to the airport to board our next flight to Ethiopia, the final country on this leg of our trip.