You can swim, snorkel and dive at Red Sea beaches and coral reefs not far from Djibouti city, and take a walking tour of the capital. Take a 4WD expedition out to the lakes and explore the black lava fields or climb an extinct volcano or several peaks that rise to 1300m (4264ft). You can camp on deserted beaches, and you can even windsurf on wheels at the eastern end of Petit Bara, a great salty plain.

Friday is a holiday for offices and government institutions. Djibouti also observes New Year's Day (1 January), Labour Day (1 May), Independence Day (27 June), Christmas Day (25 December) and various Islamic holidays whose dates are variable.