Dire Dawa Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Dire-Dawa is a second largest city in Ethiopia.
Contents |
Understand
Dire-Dawa(which means “empty plain”) is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia (the other being the capital, Addis Ababa). With a latitude and longitude of 9°35′N 41°52′E, this city is the second largest in Ethiopia.
The city is an industrial centre, home to several markets and the Aba Tenna D. Yilma International airport. Dire Dawa lies in the east of the nation, on the Dechatu River, at the foot of a ring of cliffs that has been described as "somewhat like a cluster of tea-leaves in the bottom of a slop-basin. Dire Dawa was founded in 1902 after the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway reached the area. The railroad could not reach the city of Harar at its higher elevation, so Dire Dawa was built nearby.
Soon afterwards, Ras Makonnen, the governor of Harar, ordered the construction of a road from Dire Dawa to Harar, one of the first in this part of the country. This road was substantially improved in 1928 with the aid of foreign engineers and equipment, improving travel times between the two cities from two days to only a few hours.[2]
Dire Dawa was separated from the Somali Region around 1998 to become a chartered city.[3]
Get in
By plane
The city has an international air port, called Aba Tenna D. Yilma International airport is also the second largest airport in Ethiopia. Ethiopian airlines flies several times a day, as well as Air Djibouti and some other few smaller airlines of middle eastern countries. The unrecognized break-away republic of Somaliland also has an airlines that flies to Dire-Dawa.
By train
Dire-Dawa is the only Major city connected to Ethiopia's capital by train. You can get in to Dire-Dawa from Djibouty City or Addis-Ababa using train. (Reservation is STRONGLY recomended)
By car
Dire-Dawa is connected to Addis Ababa and the historical city of Harar by road. However, it is more recomended to fly or take train from Addis to get in to Dire-Dawa
By bus
There is a comperhensive bus shuttles between the capital, Addis-Ababa to Dire-Dawa. The trip takes over 12 hours, and a bit tiersome.
By boat
Get around
The blue and white minibuses are in abandunce in Dire-Dawa, as well as the small blue taxis. The best way to get around is to use the binibuses or to contract the blue taxis for the duration of your stay.(Most Dire-Dawa taxi drivers don't have a sense of time, if you tell your contracted taxi driver to pick you up or drop you of at a certain time, expect him to be late an hour or two)
See
- The french built train station can give you a 19th centuary feeling
- At night and early in the morning, the Dechatu river basin has a heart warming sunset and sunrise scene
Do
Most of the residents of the city chew the narcotic leaves known as "Chat". In the after-noon, in many places, Dire-Dawans sit in circle and consume chat, with several cups of coffee. During this time there could be a heated discussion. (Avoid political topics, especially, with the Ethiopian Somalis or somali refugees.)Other than that, you could have an interesting experience with the lightly narcotic drug "Chat". CAUTION:- "Chat" is illigal in the US and EU. DO NOT TRY TO EXPORT IT OUT OF ETHIOPIA TO EUROPE OR USA.
Learn
Work
Buy
Eat
Budget
Basic accomedations are in abundence.
Mid-range
Ras Hotel, located close to downtown in Dire-Dawa.
Splurge
Drink
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Contact
Stay safe
Generaly safe. However, you need to pay attention to your belongings. Your backpacks, camera and other shiny tourist items can attract pickpockets and con artists. (Recently, due to increasing immigration of Soamians, and a tension that may have created with locals the city is being haviley policed) CAUTION:-Avoid political discuessions, especially in regards to Somalia.
Cope
Get out
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