• 11.71583341.8361112 Galafi
• 11.96666743.2833333 Obock
• 11.78333342.8833334 Tadjoura

Djibouti's climate is very hot, humid and arid, especially in the summer. The summer heat is moderated, however, by a sustained breeze in the coastal city of Djibouti. From October to April, the temperature is cooler, with occasional rain. Cyclones from the Indian Ocean create heavy rains and flash flooding.

• National Tourism Office of Djibouti

Most nationals can get a visa on arrival for 15,000 DJF or 90 USD (as of November 2018), valid for one month. Transit visas are valid for 10 days and are available on arrival at the airport to nationals of the European Union, Scandinavian countries and the USA for 10,000 Fdj. If you plan to enter by land you have to arrange for visas in advance. Visas can be obtained from neighbouring countries (e.g. embassy in Addis Ababa makes visa within a day). Where no Djibouti embassy exists, they can often be obtained from the French embassy. The types of visas include: Entry (visa de séjour); Tourist (visa de tourisme); Business (visa d’affaires); and Transit (visa de transit). Those travelling on Singaporean passports can get a visa free. It is possible to make e-visa, though there are many reports of rejections and delays without any explanations.

11.54733743.1592551 Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport (JIB ^IATA). connects Djibouti with Ethiopia, Eritrea, France, Kenya, Qatar, Somalia, Somaliland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Air France and Djibouti based Daallo Airlines operates flights to Dubai–International Airport and Hargeisa. The airport is 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city. (updated Apr 2010)

There are roads from Djibouti to Assab (Eritrea) and going west into Ethiopia via Dikhil. Those using them should be aware that road conditions are generally poor and personal security might be at risk when travelling, particularly to Ethiopia. Visitors are advised to check transit regulations as political conditions in Ethiopia and Eritrea are changeable. There are no formal border posts with Eritrea. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended for the interior. There is a new highway from Djibouti to Tadjoura. Traffic drives on the right. It is advisable to carry water and petrol on any expedition off main routes. An International Driving Permit is recommended, although not legally required. A temporary licence to drive is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid UK driving licence.

Passenger train services between Ethiopia and Djibouti City were restarted in December 2016. While the line mostly serves as a vital freight link from landlocked Ethiopia to the major port of Djibouti, it also has passenger service. Reportedly passenger trains reach a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) and take 12 hours for the more than 700 km (430 mi) long journey from Addis Abeba that used to take three days by road.

Buses operate from Djibouti to most towns and villages throughout the country. Buses leave when they are full. A minibus service operates in Djibouti, stopping on demand. A fixed-fare system is used.

There are ferry services connecting Djibouti to Yemen. Djibouti City is one of the main ports of eastern Africa so it's a popular route.

You should avoid driving after dark outside the city of Djibouti. Vehicles do not always have working headlights and there may be livestock on the roads. Extra care must be taken in the occasionally chaotic traffic.

The currency of Djibouti is the Djiboutian franc, denoted by the symbol "Fdj" (ISO currency code: DJF). The Djiboutian franc is pegged to the US dollar. You can convert dollars to francs with local street money changers located in the Djiboutian market area. The street money changers are women who line the street waiting to convert foreign currencies to francs. Whilst generally honest brokers it is still advisable to have yours ready and check the exchange rate in advance. Most of them speak basic English.

Coins in Djibouti come in denominations of 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 50-, 100-, 250 (yellow ring with silver center) and 500 Djiboutian francs. Banknotes in Djibouti come in denominations of 1,000-, 2,000-, 5,000 and 10,000 Djiboutian francs. There is also a 40 Djiboutian franc banknote, but is worth more as a numismatic piece than as a circulating piece.

Khat: A leafy stimulant popular with the locals. It is flown into the country each morning from Ethiopia and arrives by truck in Djibouti's Central Market at about 13:00. It is fairly inexpensive, but quality varies greatly, so shop with caution. Khat may not be taken out of Djibouti through the airport, and is illegal to possess in many other countries.

You can purchase general merchandise and food items at the larger department stores using US dollars. The tourist traps will see you coming a mile away and charge ridiculous conversion rates and tourist prices. If you have access to Camp Lemonnier, go to the disbursement office for the best rate.