Best Things to do in Djibouti City: A Complete Guide

Things to do in Djibouti City might not be the first thing on your radar when you land, but the capital has a grit and charm all its own. While most people use the city as a quick base before heading to the salt lakes, we spent a few days wandering the streets, eating incredible Yemeni-inspired food, and navigating some very unexpected weather.

Our first day in Djibouti, we were lucky and unlucky at the same time. It rained so hard the night before, which is incredibly unusual since it typically only rains a few times a year. We were supposed to head out on a whale shark trip, but the weather was far too bad to be on the water. So, we had more time than we anticipated in the city. You can check out my Instagram stories for more pics on the vibe and flood.

Overall, we spent about two full days in Djibouti City to see everything at a chill pace: a half-day at the beginning, a full day when our whale shark excursion was canceled, and an afternoon and night before heading to the airport. If you’re on a tighter schedule, a single full day would also be enough to see the main highlights.

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Getting Around the City

We walked around most of the city on foot, which is the best way to see the architecture and local life. For longer distances, we took taxis; prices were usually between 500 to 1,000 DJF ($3–$6 USD).

Where to Stay

Ras Dika is the best hotel in Djibouti City. Book it and make your life easy, since the rest of the trip is an adventure.

My stay at Ras Dika: The best hotel in Djibouti City

Where to Eat

The food in Djibouti is a delicious mix of traditional Afar dishes and Yemeni flavors. The most common dish is Moukbassa: an open-flame grilled, split fish with spices. While “Moukbassa” actually refers to the banana and bread dip served on the side, everyone uses the name for the whole meal.

Moukbassa Chez Youssouf

Chez Youssouf was the first place we tried Moukbassa, and the vibe was so local and the food was amazinnnnggg. We paid 6,000 DJF for a medium fish, tomato sauce, bread, and water. Everyone was so kind. two people even offered us a taste of their yogurt dish when they saw us looking at it! I suggest mentioning what size fish you want when you order because the fish we received was large and we couldn’t finish it! Ask for medium or small fish.

Al Basha

I loved the Moukbassa at Al Basha. They served the flatbread whole with three dipping sauces (green chili, red chili, and the banana mixture). The waiter told us, “No, I am the menu,” (lol) and helped us choose. The vibe seems a little weird since it’s artificially bright inside but it worked. Dinner was 3,550 DJF and ended with a free (very sweet) tea.

Villa Camille

Villa Camille looks like the main expat hangout and it’s adorable. It has an eclectic mix of indoor/outdoor seating and a local cat.

The food was sooooo good and welcome after several days of bread and fish on our trip. I got the quiche and it was perfect.

They also the best coffee in the city and delish dessert.

Be sure to checkout the shop in the back. and also a selection of local books, I bought a collection of short stories in French (that will test my comprehension).

Al Rahma Restaurant Seafood

We didn’t eat here but it was suggested to us by Ras Dika.

Egg Wrap Stall

If you turn left when exiting the Ras Dika hotel in the evening, look for the stall preparing chapati egg wraps. It’s simple, cheap, and fun.

Beach Club

For a beer with a view, head to the Beach Club run by Ethiopians. It was 2,200 DJF for two drinks and had cool artwork on the walls.

Cafes & Coffee

Sunshine Coffee

Head to Sunshine Coffee for a traditional coffee (250 DJF). We had a great interaction with the owner, though I personally preferred the tea since the local coffee is often mixed with spices that aren’t my favorite. Wilhelm liked it, though!

Kafe

Kafe is a cute spot for juices and meals. The location looks like it moved from when we were here in December. We had a funny miscommunication where we ordered an omelet and toast, and they brought out two of each! It was way too much food and we said no we wanted one of each only! A funny memory and a nice place to sit down with a book.

Bunna

Bunna is a popular Ethiopian coffee chain has branches here if you want a familiar brew.

Souvenir Shopping

When looking for things to do in Djibouti City, shopping for local crafts is a must.

Artisanat Djibouti

I bought a Djibouti patch for my backpack here and tried on traditional camel shoes.

Ali Baba Treasures / Yayah Souvenirs / Bab AL-Yemen Jewelry

These shops are next to each other and the shopkeepers are great. I bought the best black sesame honey of my life at Yayah and some lapis jewelry at Ali Baba. You can negotiate here, and they take credit cards!

Chez Mask Est Africa

Chez Mask is for curios and bargaining. We bought a beaded flag bracelet that now sits on our coffee maker at home.

Local Team Gear

Check out the shops along this street for a Djiboutian soccer jersey.

Sightseeing and Landmarks

Mosquée Al-Hamoudi

This is the oldest mosque in the country. You aren’t allowed to take photos from the street. A police officer actually made me delete mine! For the best view, head to the rooftop of Ras Dika Hotel.

Turkish Mosque

When we visited, a massive rainstorm had created a literal moat around it, so we couldn’t get close, but it’s beautiful from a distance.

People’s Palace

Take a walk here to see the cool statue and monument.

Kempinski

We walked to the Kempinski just to see it as it’s apparently the nicest hotel in town (and the only one with hot water consistently). We heard rumors that expats have memberships to the Kempinski gym just to use their showers haha.

We visited during Christmastime

Our goals was to get coffee, but the lady at the counter seemed so annoyed with life that we feared making her mad. Instead we just used their free Wi-Fi instead and chilled outside.

The best ATM in the city was located at the hotel as well; as we were able to take our large amounts of cash needed for pay for our activities and such.

Khat Sellers

As you walk around the city, you’ll notice piles of green leaves stacked high on wooden boards. This is khat. It’s a stimulant, kind of like caffeine, that gives you a buzz, and people do it everywhere. It’s so central to life here that our guide would even plan stops during our trip just to find a fresh batch.

I Love Djibouti

Walk by the post office for the “I Love Djibouti” sign.

And, down the road check out the “Djibouti” sign in the rou nd about.

Architecture

Check out the old architecture near Central Cafe and explore around here.

Walking around

Pass the churches like Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd and St Constantine and Helen Greek orthodox temple.

Bawadi Mall

If you have time, check out the Bawadi Mall. We didn’t have time but this is the main shopping mall in the country.

Pro Tip: Grocery Shopping for Camping

If you are heading out on a tour like we did, do some grocery shopping in the city first. I regret not doing this. Camp breakfasts are usually just fried bread with jam or Nutella, no protein. I recommend hitting Nougaprix Supermarket for granola bars, canned tuna, or beans. They even have Starbucks cold brew, which I can’t even find in Kigali, so you you’ll likely find a bit of everything.

Day Trips from Djibouti City

If you’ve run out of things to do in Djibouti City, there are several great day trips to consider. You’ll likely end up doing most, if not all, of these with a tour company because public transport simply isn’t available to these sites. I suggest reaching out to a travel company or organizing your transport through your accommodation. Keep in mind that you will usually need to pay for a guide, a driver, and gas and nothing is “cheap.”

Whale Shark Excursion

Head to Lake Ghoubet (about two hours away) to search for whale sharks. You can book this via Massiago Travel or Dolphin Excursions.

With Massiago Travel, you can organize your Whale Shark Excursion as part of your overall tour and this likely works best. I recommend WhatsApping Dolphin Excursions (+253 77367946) a week in advance, as they need a minimum number of people to run the boat and can keep you updated on their schedule.

Please note that seeing the whale sharks is actually a lot harder than the internet leads you to believe. It is probably a 40% chance you’ll see them; we didn’t see them at all during our trip.

Lake Assal & Ardoukoba Volcano

About 3 hours away. Lake Assal is a giant salt lake (like the Dead Sea), and the volcanic landscape around Ardoukoba feels like another planet.

Moucha Island

Moucha Island is about a 20 minute boat ride off the coast of Djibouti City. We attempted to visit but the hotel area, MouchaBliss, was closed. I contacted them on WhatsApp and never got a response but you can try for yourself.