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TravelTips24 : Africa : East Africa : Ethiopia : Dire-Dawa

Dire-Dawa

Dire-Dawa is a charted town in Ethiopia.

Culture and History

Dire-Dawa (which means “the place that Dir conquered or hit with his spear”) 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 placed in the occupied somali territory curently under dispute.

The city is an industrial center, 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.

Travel to Dire-Dawa & Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Dire-Dawa

  • Dire-Dawa has an international airport. Few international flights (mostly from small airlines in Arab countries including Air Djibouti and Somaliland) Fly to Dire-Dawa's Aba Tenna D. Yilma International airport. Ethiopian Airlines also has several flights a day.

Tours & Getting around Dire-Dawa

  • The blue minibuses provide a very efficient service.
  • Small taxis also, could be contracted for a day, a week or several days.
  • There is no reliable bus service that serves the city.

CAUTION: Most Dire-Dawa taxi drivers seem not to have a sense of time. If you tell your contracted taxi driver to pick you up or drop you off at a certain time, expect him to be late an hour or two.

Dire-Dawa attractions and sightseeing

  • 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.

Dire-Dawa city tours

Most of the residents of the city chew the traditional stimulant leaves known as "chat". In the afternoon, in many places, Dire-Dawans sit in circles and consume chat with several cups of coffee. During this time there could be a heated discussion. (Avoid political topics, especially, with the Somalis or Somali aboo (aka oromo people)). Other than that, you could have an interesting experience observing Dire-Dawans.

Dire-Dawa souvenirs & shopping

Dire-Dawa Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Dire-Dawa nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

Dire-Dawa cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

Basic accommodations are in abundance.

Mid Range

Ras Hotel is located close to the main train station in downtown.

Stay safe

Generally safe. However, you need to pay attention to your belongings. Your backpacks, camera, and other shiny tourist items can attract pickpockets and con artists. Also staying lice free proved some what difficult due to the high numbers of ethnic Ethiopian people who live in this multi-ethnic town.

Get out

This page was last edited at 21:29, on 29 July 2008 by Wikitravel user RBACHMAN. Based on work by David and Ian Kirk and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.

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