Tadjoura's two main draws are diving and hiking. The Gulf of Tadjoura offers some of Djibouti's best reef diving and, between November and February, access to whale sharks in the open gulf. Behind the town, the Goda Mountains and Day Forest National Park provide a complete contrast — the only significant highland forest in the country, rising sharply from the coastal desert.
The old town itself repays a slow walk: the whitewashed buildings, old mosques, and quiet streets reflect a history as a trading post and Afar sultanate seat that predates the French by centuries. The weekly market is worth timing your visit around.