Dire Dawa rewards a relaxed wander rather than a checklist. Walk the planned grid of Kezira, the old French colonial half, then cross the seasonal Dechatu River to the Megala, the Somali-influenced market quarter — the contrast between the two halves is the whole experience. Beyond the city, the Porc-Epic cave and the rock art panels at Laga Oda are accessible day trips for the prehistorically inclined.