Ghoubbet al-Kharab

Ghoubbet al-Kharab, the devil's cauldron, is the innermost bay of the Gulf of Tadjoura, a deep basin almost closed off by a narrow strait with black volcanic hills falling straight into water that reaches over two hundred metres. This is where the Great Rift Valley enters the sea, and the ground around it is raw lava. Local stories about the bay are dark and the name reflects them.

What you'll find

• The narrow strait - the gap almost closing the bay off from the gulf.
• The depth - water over two hundred metres deep in an enclosed basin.
• The volcanic shore - black lava hills dropping straight into the water.
• The rift - the point where the Great Rift Valley meets the sea.

When to go

November to March is the cool season. Summer heat in Djibouti is extreme, regularly over forty degrees. Wind funnels through the strait most days.

Before you go

There is no infrastructure at the bay beyond the road above it. Summer heat here is genuinely dangerous. Swimming is not advised because of currents in the strait.

Nearby

Ardoukoba is west, and Lake Assal is beyond it.

Key facts