The turquoise water
Very clear.
Fishercd — Public domain · Benlilkon93 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fishercd — Public domain · Fishercd — Public domain · gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K — CC BY 2.0
Lake Assal is a saline crater lake in central-western Djibouti, at the western end of the Gulf of Tadjoura, some 120 km west of the capital. It lies 155 metres below sea level, making it the lowest point on land in Africa and the third lowest on Earth after the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. No water flows out of the lake, and fierce evaporation has made it ten times saltier than the sea, one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. Salt has been mined at its south-east end since 2002. It is a protected area, and the country hopes to have it listed as World Heritage together with the Ardoukoba volcano. You see turquoise water of striking clarity ringed by a wide band of brilliant white salt, then black volcanic rock and bare brown mountains. On the shore lie rounded salt pearls and white crystals. The heat is intense and the sky clear on most days. It is about 53 km from Tadjoura in a straight line. The heat can be dangerous in summer, so visit in winter in the morning and carry plenty of water, a hat and sunglasses. The salt is sharp, so wear shoes.
Very clear.
Brilliant white.
Black.
West end of the Gulf of Tadjoura, central-western Djibouti
The water is very salty so you float, but protect your eyes and cuts.
In winter, November to February, in the morning.