The pre-railway settlement, east of the river — a dense quarter of low whitewashed houses, narrow lanes, and the city's biggest open market. Megala (the name means "the great town" in Amharic) is where most Dire Dawans actually live: Somali, Oromo, Harari, Amhara, all mixed, with Somali culture and chat trading particularly visible.
The Kafira market, in the middle of Megala, runs every day but explodes on Saturdays — fruits, charcoal, household goods, contraband from Djibouti, second-hand clothes, and the green leaves of chat that drive much of the local economy. It is hot, crowded, and unromanticised. Bring small change and stay alert; petty theft is occasional but not pervasive.