Visit Djibouti
Drop from the volcanic plateaus towards Lake Assal, where salt flats and intensely saline water sit below sea level, then return to Djibouti City and the traffic of one of the world's strategic shipping regions. Offshore reefs and seasonal whale-shark encounters add another landscape entirely. Heat controls the day, distances extend beyond casual public transport and the Djibouti-Eritrea border is covered by FCDO advice against all travel. Excursions to Lake Assal, Lake Abbé or marine sites work best with established operators who understand vehicles, water supplies and current local conditions. Travel in the cooler months, check the live FCDO map and arrange desert or marine outings through reputable providers. Carry more water than a city itinerary suggests, protect yourself from sun and never approach advised-against border areas. Add this to your list and experience a small country shaped by rift geology and the sea.