A handful of shipwrecks lie in the shallow waters just off the coast near Berbera, some dating back centuries and others to the 20th century. The most accessible are visible from the surface in calm conditions — the ribs of older wooden vessels, encrusted with coral and inhabited by fish, lying in two to five metres of water.
Snorkelling or freediving these wrecks is genuinely impressive and genuinely informal — there are no dive operators, no guided tours, no entrance fees. You hire a fishing boat from the beach, motor out, and slip into the water. The coral growth on the older wrecks has made them artificial reefs, and the fish life is abundant: parrotfish, grouper, and barracuda visible without effort.
Bring your own mask and fins from Hargeisa, and be prepared for a thoroughly DIY experience. The fishermen who work these waters know exactly where the wrecks are.