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Djibouti

Divesites
4
Wildlife
42
© iStock-Vadim Nefedov

Explore Djibouti

Djibouti only recently began growing as a scuba diving destination, meaning many sites remain untouched.

Diving in Djibouti is quite unique, as many of the sites are suited for more experienced divers. Whilst there are plenty of opportunities for beginner divers too, the country’s geographical location at the Horn of Africa and the opening between the Red Sea and where Indian Ocean currents are stronger means that many dive sites are better for advanced divers. These specific currents are good news for those who love seeing big stuff, like dolphins, manta rays, sharks and the elusive whale shark, as these creatures travel along them.

There are plenty of dive centers, dive resorts that visit dive sites daily, but the most advised option is to take a liveaboard trip around Djibouti’s exceptional dive spots. Some sites are too far for land based dive operators to go to, whereas liveaboards are not limited by distance. Many of the best sites are more remote, which is another reason to opt for a liveaboard.

As for dive courses, Djibouti is a great place to obtain an advanced certification due to its challenging conditions.

Power Plug Type
C, E
Payment Method
VISA, MC
Tipping
5–10% / Service Staff / Tipping appreciated but not mandatory; amount may vary based on service quality
Currency
DJF
Dial Code
+253
Electricity
220V 50Hz
Time
UTC+3 (EAT)

Dive Sites

Mares, Janez Kranjc

La Passe (★4.2)

The pass separates the Gulf of Tadjourah and the Ghoubbet al-Kharab cove. It is a channel with a strong current and very variable visibility. The depth is between 5m and 55m. The anchorage area is quite far from the dive site and is exposed to the wind.
Mares

La Faille (★4.1)

The site is located in Ghoubbet al-Kharab, a Djiboutian cove separated from the Gulf of Tadjourah by a channel with strong currents. The anchorage area is protected, visibility is excellent and currents are variable.
Mares

Ras Eiro (★3.9)

Ras Eiro is a cape that points east of Arta beach in the Gulf of Tadjourah. Visibility varies, the water is sometimes full of plankton, which reduces visibility. With a depth of 7m to 45m, the currents are weak and the anchorage area is sheltered.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Le Canyon (★4.4)

Sailing at 45mins from Djibouti towards and close to Musha Island. The area is sheltered, weak current. Visibility 10 to 15m depending on weather conditions.

Top Wildlife Sightings Djibouti

The highlight of diving in Djibouti is the gentle giant of the sea - the whale shark. From November to February, these spotted pelagics come to the Gulf of Tadjourah to feed on plankton that live close to Ghoubet Al Kharab. The bay here is a confined space for baby whale sharks that stay for over four months in their early developmental stage, and offers a unique opportunity to see these adorable juveniles.

Furthermore, divers can often spot dolphins that cruise alongside diving boats, playfully jumping out of the water. Other creatures include grey and nurse sharks, tiger and blue sharks, manta rays and occasionally pilot whales.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
42 Sightings
J
4
F
1
M
4
A
6
M
2
J
1
J
5
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
2
D
15
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
15 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
2
O
2
N
3
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

iStock-Global_Pics

Barracuda
12 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto

Wrasse
7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
3
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

iStock/Juliosanjuan

Eagle Ray
5 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
1
D
1
iStock/Extreme Photographer

Whale Shark
5 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
3
iStock/Divepic

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
1
iStock-crisod

Reef Manta Ray
3 Sightings
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0
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0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
1
Shutterstock-Ed Jenkins

Hawksbill Turtle
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl

Octopus
3 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0
Show More

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 28

Udo Kefrig

Clownfish
39 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
2
A
6
M
0
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
3
O
1
N
3
D
17

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 12

iStock/cinoby

Lionfish
38 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
2
A
4
M
2
J
0
J
5
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
4
D
17

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
37 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
2
A
6
M
1
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
17

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
36 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
2
A
6
M
1
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
18

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
36 Sightings
J
4
F
2
M
2
A
6
M
1
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
2
O
1
N
2
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
32 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
2
A
3
M
1
J
2
J
4
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
2
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix

Sweetlips and Grunts
29 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
6
M
4
J
1
J
1
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
2
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
29 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
2
A
6
M
2
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
1
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
28 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
1
A
6
M
1
J
2
J
2
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
1
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk

Goatfish
25 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
5
M
1
J
1
J
4
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
24 Sightings
J
3
F
1
M
1
A
5
M
1
J
1
J
5
A
1
S
1
O
0
N
1
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
19 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
5
M
1
J
2
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
16 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
7
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
1
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Soldierfish
14 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
0
A
5
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
13 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
2
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.

Scorpionfish
12 Sightings
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0
F
2
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer

Stingrays
10 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
4
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
7 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shutterstock-Shane Gross

Shrimp
7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 20

iStock-stephankerkhofs

Porcupinefish
6 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
2
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

k

Cornetfish
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
5
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel

Boxfish
5 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Squirrelfish
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
AdobeStock_cherylvb

Garibaldi Damselfish
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

iStock-bearacreative

Emperor
4 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 55

k

Lobster
4 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3000

SSI-Peter-Schinck

Nudibranch
4 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Alamy-Nature Photographers Ltd

Skate Fish
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 120

SSI-Peter-Schinck

Cuttlefish
3 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 7000

iStock-Michael Zeigler

Crab
3 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Spiny Lobster
3 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
1