Djibouti: Lake Assal (Revisited)

Lake Assal is truly a wonder of the world. It lies 510 feet/155 meters (although our measurement were less) below sea level making it the lowest place in Africa and the second lowest in the world after the Dead Sea. It’s a volcanic crater lake in a spectacular setting surrounded by towering black basalt of nearby volcanic peaks and the sparkling white salt on the shore. In fact, it boasts the largest salt deposits in the world. The water is 10x saltier than the ocean (which is only a few kilometers away) and is 35% salt. The colors of salt on the shore and the water make this look like an idyllic tropical white sandy beach!