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Culture, Djibouti

John Fittin
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Scarcely 100 years old, the capital is home to two-thirds of the nation's population. Central Djibouti is laid out on a grid and is compact enough to explore in an afternoon. It sits on the western shore of an isthmus in the Gulf of Tadjoura, overlooking a small marina where dhows, fishing skiffs and pleasure boats are moored. The Central Market (Le Marche Central) just south of the centre of town, is worth seeing, in particular for its fresh sprigs of qat, a mild stimulant flown in daily from Ethiopia.

If you don't want to get wet but still want to see the Red Sea's undersea goodies, then visit the Aquarium Tropical de Djibouti, open daily from 4 to 6.30 pm, except during Ramadan. You can walk past the presidential palace and along the causeway to L'Escale for a closer look at the boats. The best beaches near the city are Dorale and the less accessible Khor-Ambado. You can take a boat and camp safely on Maskali and Moucha, two islands in the nearby Gulf of Tadjoura.

The bars and hotels in the Quartier Africain are the cheapest, but also the roughest; they usually double as brothels. You must pay per bed, and single rooms are not available. Other hotels are scattered around town, none more than one km (0.6mi) outside of the centre. Just as all the hotels aren't what they seem, some of the bars and restaurants aren't either. If most of the patrons seem to be exchanging sultry pouts over drinks, you've probably hit a pick up joint - even if it's labelled 'Restaurant'. Other than that, the souk (market) area is the best place to go when you're hungry for food. Spicy, oven-baked or barbecued fish is a local specialty you shouldn't miss. More info on: www.africatravelling.net