Jazeera Beach

Jazeera lies on the coast a short way south of Mogadishu, a long stretch of white sand with dunes behind it and reef offshore, and it is where the capital goes at the weekend. The Indian Ocean here is warm and the water is clear when the swell is down. Fishing boats work off the shore and stalls set up on the sand on Fridays. The beach takes its name from the small island offshore, which gives it some shelter from the swell. Dunes behind the sand run for a considerable distance along this coast.

What you actually see

• The white sand - the long beach south of the capital.
• The dunes - the ridges running behind the shore.
• The Friday crowd - the capital's weekend on the sand.
• The fishing boats - the craft worked off the beach.

When to go

December to March is the cooler dry season. Fridays are the busiest day. The southwest monsoon from June brings heavy swell.

Honest expectations

Currents and undertow here are strong and drownings have happened. Facilities are stalls rather than infrastructure. Travel to and from requires local arrangement.

Nearby

Mogadishu is north, and Merca is south.