This small town is surprisingly busy, with one of the largest populations of any city in Ethiopia.  It is easy to navigate with a grid-like system and straight, organized streets.  This is one of the cleanest areas of Ethiopia and many enjoy the colonial architecture that remains. 

A must-see is the Dire Dawa market.  It is not half as expansive as Merkato, it has a much more calm, slow-paced feel.  Afar herders, Somali vendors, and Oromo people come together to trade here, so it is a very interesting crossroads of pastoralists and people.

 The beaches are also spectacular and rarely crowded.  There are many great beach-front hotels for extremely cheap prices.

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