Peter Watson, a Lonely Planet Trailblazer and the voice behind Atlas & Boots, has just come back from an expedition to Djibouti.
What happened? I devoted 10 days to uncovering Djibouti, a compact nation on the Horn of Africa that shares borders with Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. The country is packed with strange terrain and might be the most unfamiliar place I've ever visited. Before Lonely Planet named Djibouti a Best in Travel pick for 2018, I likely couldn't have located it on a map!
In a few words… Even though it's tiny—ranking as Africa's 8th smallest country—Djibouti presents a puzzling mix of fuming limestone vents, vast arid plains, fossilized woodlands, and remarkable salt lakes, all crammed into an area one-sixth the size of England. Add fantastic underwater exploration, a haven for wildlife, and the opportunity to paddle alongside whale sharks, and you've got an exceptionally thrilling, off-the-beaten-path destination.
Slipping through the water beside the planet's biggest fish is an awe-inspiring wildlife moment © Peter Watson
Most memorable moment? During our whale shark trip, I mistakenly believed I'd entered the water too soon because the shark darted away, apparently startled. Surprisingly, it soon turned and swam straight at me. Its huge body glided so close that I feared its tail might strike me—it was a heart-pounding experience, comparable to exploring the wildlife in the Galápagos.
Strangest experience? A trip to Lac Assal, a salt lake situated 155 meters below sea level—Africa's lowest point and the globe's third lowest. It's breathtakingly lovely but dangerously misleading. It resembles a perfect beach with clear blue water and soft white sand, but the 'sand' is really brittle salt crusts, and the water is ten times saltier than the ocean. I tried swimming, which mostly meant floating in the dense water until the stinging salt became unbearable!
Decent eats? You don't visit Djibouti for its cuisine, but that doesn't mean there aren't good dishes. French influence is clear; fresh croissants and baguettes are everywhere. The Yemen-style baked fish is a must, and there's even superb Indian food. Singh's restaurant in the capital (also named Djibouti) serves the finest paneer masala in the Gulf!
A limestone chimney rising from Lac Abbe’s unearthly terrain © Peter Watson
Essential activity? An overnight excursion to Lac Abbé gives a fantastic overview of Djibouti's striking scenery and traditions. We paused at the Grand Bara desert and a distant Afar settlement along the lake's edge.
Lac Abbé itself is a barren landscape unlike almost anywhere else, with a seemingly apocalyptic scene marked by limestone chimneys that periodically release steam. In the late afternoon, we admired a deep red sunset before turning in for the night in a traditional Afar hut built from wooden poles and animal hides. At dawn, we got up for the sunrise and watched the whole scene unfold in reverse.
You'd be foolish to skip… the chance to swim with whale sharks. Wildlife moments are often brief, and I expected the same here, but I spent several deep minutes at a time with these magnificent creatures on multiple occasions during the day. Whale sharks are completely mesmerizing in both their appearance and actions, and it was an honor to be in their environment.
Fresh from the road: Djibouti
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Peter Watson's trip to Djibouti was supported by Rushing Water Adventures and Sheraton Djibouti. Lonely Planet writers never accept freebies in return for favorable coverage.
Craving more off-screen adventures? Find out what Traveller Communications Analyst Ellie Simpson did on her honeymoon in Madagascar.
