Djibouti

Visa requirements for Djibouti depend on which passport you hold. Check the Traveller visa tool to see whether your passport needs a visa and, if so, how long you can stay.

October–February is slightly cooler (Djibouti city averages 30°C year-round; June–September can reach 50°C in the interior). Whale shark season in the Gulf of Tadjoura is November–January — possibly the most reliable whale shark diving in the world. Lac Assal (the saltiest body of water outside Antarctica at 34% salinity, 155m below sea level — the lowest point in Africa) is accessible year-round.

• Modest dress throughout — Djibouti is a Muslim-majority country
• Light, breathable clothing — the heat is intense
• Women: loose clothing covering arms and legs

• Djibouti is strategically one of the most important countries on earth — it hosts military bases from the USA, France, China, Japan, and Italy simultaneously, all in a country smaller than Wales
• The Afar people of the interior are one of the most remarkable pastoralist cultures in the world — the Danakil Depression (which extends into Ethiopia and Eritrea) is the hottest inhabited place on earth
• Whale shark diving at the Bay of Ghoubbet (November–January) is world-class
• Qat (khat) is chewed throughout Djibouti and East Africa — a mild stimulant, consumed at afternoon social gatherings

• LGBTQ+ activity is illegal; exercise extreme caution
• Alcohol available at some hotels and restaurants — restricted in Muslim areas
• Photography of military installations, the presidential palace, and ports is strictly prohibited