A short drive north of Kismayo, Gobweyn is the point where the Jubba River — one of the two permanent rivers of Somalia — meets the Indian Ocean. The visual contrast is dramatic: the reddish silt-laden water of the river pushing against the deep turquoise of the sea, the two colours refusing to mix for some distance offshore. It is one of the more striking natural phenomena in the region.
The Jubba valley north of here was historically one of the most productive agricultural areas in the Horn of Africa, famous for its bananas. The mouth gives access to the river delta, which is ecologically rich but largely inaccessible. When conditions allow, this is a worthwhile stop for anyone passing between Kismayo and the interior.