Djibouti
is located in eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Somalia and Eritrea. It sits on the western shore of an isthmus in the Gulf of Tadjoura, overlooking a small marina where fishing skiffs and pleasure boats are moored. This strategic location at the mouth of the Red Sea makes Djibouti an important port for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. It makes an interesting and exotic yachting destination, and the city is laid out on a grid, making it very easy to explore in an afternoon. Djibouti is a blend of colonial French and modern Arabic, and visitors are treated with traditional African hospitality. The Central Market just south of town is worth seeing, and is the best place to go if you’re hungry. Spicy, oven-baked or barbecued fish is a local specialty that you shouldn’t miss. The Aquarium Tropical de Djibouti is one of the town’s main attractions, open daily from 4 to 6:30pm, except during Ramadan. The best beaches are near the city of Dorale, and you can boat to the islands of Maskalii and Moucha in the Gulf of Tadjoura. Swimming, diving and snorkeling are excellent in the Red Sea coral reefs not far from the city of Djibouti. The climate here is mostly hot and humid, with the best time to visit being November to mid-April when it is less hot. Rainfall is less than five inches per year and vegetation is sparse or non-existent.
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