Awdal is the westernmost region of Somaliland, bordering Djibouti and Ethiopia. The main city is Borama, a university town and commercial hub close to the Ethiopian border. The ancient port of Zeila (Saylac) on the Red Sea coast is the region's most historically significant site — once a major trading post connecting the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, it has impressive ruins and an old coral-stone mosque.
The region is predominantly rural and less visited than Hargeisa, but Zeila in particular is worth the trip for travellers with time.