I Love Playa
  • The Worlds Best Beaches
  • Africa
    • Best Beaches Angola
    • Best Beaches Benin
    • Best Beaches Botswana
    • Best Beaches Burkina Faso
    • Best Beaches Burundi
    • Best Beaches Cabo Verde
    • Best Beaches Cameroon
    • Best Beaches Central African Republic
    • Best Beaches Chad
    • Best Beaches Comoros
    • Best Beaches Democratic Republic of the Congo
    • Best Beaches Republic of the Congo
    • Best Beaches Côte d’Ivoire
    • Best Beaches Djibouti
    • Best Beaches Egypt
    • Best Beaches Equatorial Guinea
    • Best Beaches Eritrea
    • Best Beaches Eswatini
    • Best Beaches Ethiopia
    • Best Beaches Gabon
    • Best Beaches Gambia
    • Best Beaches Ghana
    • Best Beaches Guinea
    • Best Beaches Guinea-Bissau
    • Best Beaches Kenya
    • Best Beaches Lesotho
    • Best Beaches Liberia
    • Best Beaches Libya
    • Best Beaches Madagascar
    • Best Beaches Malawi
    • Best Beaches Mali
    • Best Beaches Mauritania
    • Best Beaches Mauritius
    • Best Beaches Morocco
    • Best Beaches Mozambique
    • Best Beaches Namibia
    • Best Beaches Niger
    • Best Beaches Nigeria
    • Best Beaches Rwanda
    • Best Beaches São Tomé and Príncipe
    • Best Beaches Senegal
    • Best Beaches Seychelles
    • Best Beaches Sierra Leone
    • Best Beaches Somalia
    • Best Beaches South Africa
    • Best Beaches South Sudan
    • Best Beaches Sudan
    • Best Beaches Tanzania
    • Best Beaches Togo
    • Best Beaches Tunisia
    • Best Beaches Uganda
    • Best Beaches Zambia
    • Best Beaches Zimbabwe
    • Best Beaches Algeria
  • Americas
    • Best Beaches Antigua and Barbuda
    • Best Beaches Bahamas
    • Best Beaches Barbados
    • Best Beaches Belize
    • Best Beaches Canada
    • Best Beaches Costa Rica
    • Best Beaches Cuba
    • Best Beaches Dominica
    • Best Beaches Dominican Republic
    • Best Beaches El Salvador
    • Best Beaches Grenada
    • Best Beaches Guatemala
    • Best Beaches Haiti
    • Best Beaches Honduras
    • Best Beaches Jamaica
    • Best Beaches Mexico
    • Best Beaches Nicaragua
    • Best Beaches Panama
    • Best Beaches Saint Kitts and Nevis
    • Best Beaches Saint Lucia
    • Best Beaches Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
    • Best Beaches Trinidad and Tobago
    • Best Beaches United States
    • Best Beaches Argentina
    • Best Beaches Bolivia
    • Best Beaches Brazil
    • Best Beaches Chile
    • Best Beaches Colombia
    • Best Beaches Ecuador
    • Best Beaches Guyana
    • Best Beaches Paraguay
    • Best Beaches Peru
    • Best Beaches Suriname
    • Best Beaches Uruguay
    • Best Beaches Venezuela
  • Asia
    • Best Beaches Afghanistan
    • Best Beaches Armenia
    • Best Beaches Azerbaijan
    • Best Beaches Bahrain
    • Best Beaches Bangladesh
    • Best Beaches Bhutan
    • Best Beaches Brunei
    • Best Beaches Cambodia
    • Best Beaches China
    • Best Beaches Cyprus
    • Best Beaches Georgia
    • Best Beaches India
    • Best Beaches Indonesia
    • Best Beaches Iran
    • Best Beaches Iraq
    • Best Beaches Israel
    • Best Beaches Japan
    • Best Beaches Jordan
    • Best Beaches Kazakhstan
    • Best Beaches Kuwait
    • Best Beaches Kyrgyzstan
    • Best Beaches Laos
    • Best Beaches Lebanon
    • Best Beaches Malaysia
    • Best Beaches Maldives
    • Best Beaches Mongolia
    • Best Beaches Myanmar
    • Best Beaches Nepal
    • Best Beaches North Korea
    • Best Beaches Oman
    • Best Beaches Pakistan
    • Best Beaches Palestine
    • Best Beaches Philippines
    • Best Beaches Qatar
    • Best Beaches Saudi Arabia
    • Best Beaches Singapore
    • Best Beaches South Korea
    • Best Beaches Sri Lanka
    • Best Beaches Syria
    • Best Beaches Taiwan
    • Best Beaches Tajikistan
    • Best Beaches Thailand
    • Best Beaches Timor-Leste
    • Best Beaches Turkey
    • Best Beaches Turkmenistan
    • Best Beaches United Arab Emirates
    • Best Beaches Uzbekistan
    • Best Beaches Vietnam
    • Best Beaches Yemen
  • Europe
    • Best Beaches Andorra
    • Best Beaches Armenia
    • Best Beaches Austria
    • Best Beaches Belarus
    • Best Beaches Belgium
    • Best Beaches Bosnia and Herzegovina
    • Best Beaches Bulgaria
    • Best Beaches Croatia
    • Best Beaches Cyprus
    • Best Beaches Czech Republic
    • Best Beaches Denmark
    • Best Beaches Estonia
    • Best Beaches Finland
    • Best Beaches France
    • Best Beaches Germany
    • Best Beaches Greece
    • Best Beaches Hungary
    • Best Beaches Iceland
    • Best Beaches Ireland
    • Best Beaches Italy
    • Best Beaches Kosovo
    • Best Beaches Latvia
    • Best Beaches Liechtenstein
    • Best Beaches Lithuania
    • Best Beaches Luxembourg
    • Best Beaches Malta
    • Best Beaches Moldova
    • Best Beaches Monaco
    • Best Beaches Montenegro
    • Best Beaches Netherlands
    • Best Beaches North Macedonia
    • Best Beaches Norway
    • Best Beaches Poland
    • Best Beaches Portugal
    • Best Beaches Romania
    • Best Beaches San Marino
    • Best Beaches Serbia
    • Best Beaches Slovakia
    • Best Beaches Slovenia
    • Best Beaches Spain
    • Best Beaches Sweden
    • Best Beaches Switzerland
    • Best Beaches Ukraine
    • Best Beaches United Kingdom
    • Best Beaches Vatican City
    • Best Beaches Albania
  • Oceania
    • Best Beaches Australia
    • Best Beaches Fiji
    • Best Beaches Kiribati
    • Best Beaches Marshall Islands
    • Best Beaches Micronesia
    • Best Beaches Nauru
    • Best Beaches New Zealand
    • Best Beaches Palau
    • Best Beaches Papua New Guinea
    • Best Beaches Samoa
    • Best Beaches Solomon Islands
    • Best Beaches Tonga
    • Best Beaches Tuvalu
    • Best Beaches Vanuatu
    • Best Beaches East Timor

Best Beaches Ethiopia

Key Take Aways About Beaches in Ethiopia

  • Ethiopia offers unique beach experiences through its lakes and rivers, despite being landlocked.
  • Lake Tana combines beach relaxation with historical charm, known for ancient monasteries and bird-watching opportunities.
  • The Awash River provides sandy stretches perfect for local picnics and authentic experiences.
  • Lake Langano is a popular swimming spot with safe waters and wildlife sightings.
  • Lake Ziway is a bird-watcher’s paradise with sandy shores ideal for day trips.
  • Lake Hawassa offers a serene blend of city and natural experiences with local life observation.

Ethiopia

The Beaches of Ethiopia: An Unlikely Adventure

With the sun beating down on your back and the sand clinging to your toes, Ethiopia might not be your first thought for a beach escape. But this landlocked country doesn’t let a little thing like geography stop its coastline-loving ambitions. Thanks to several lakes and reservoirs, Ethiopia offers unexpected beach experiences where the hustle slows and sounds of water relax.

Lake Tana: History on the Shore

Lake Tana, found in the northwestern highlands, is Ethiopia’s largest lake. It’s like that friend who has everything—culture, history, and some pretty decent beaches to boot. Home to ancient monasteries that dot its islands, Lake Tana provides a mix of beach relaxation and a dash of history. Taking a boat trip is advised, as it’s the best way to soak in the scenery while enjoying the breeze.

Scattered around the lake are beaches that offer some respite from the tour buses and monastery-hopping. Refreshing waters and a laid-back vibe make for a perfect afternoon getaway. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try some bird-watching as the lake is a haven for many species.

Awash River: A Little Known Retreat

The Awash River may not have the fame of the Nile, but it’s not short on charm. The river’s banks offer small sandy stretches where you can relax and soak up some sun. Communal gatherings and picnics are common here, providing an authentic slice of local life. You won’t find luxury beach resorts, but who needs that when you have the real thing?

Lake Langano: The Go-To Spot

A favorite among locals and tourists alike, Lake Langano is the Ethiopian beach everyone seems to be talking about. Safe to swim thanks to its naturally low bilharzia risk, it’s one of the few places where splashing in the water won’t risk adding a few days of fever to your vacation.

The scenery around the lake is a storyline of its own, featuring acacia trees and rolling hills. Lakeside lodges offer a touch of comfort, and a weekend here will make you forget the hustle of city life. If you’re lucky, you might share the scene with baboons, warthogs, and hippos grazing nearby. Talk about co-existence.

Lake Ziway: A Bird-Watcher’s Haven

Lake Ziway, an hour’s drive from Addis Ababa, offers sandy shores perfect for a day trip. It’s known for its island monasteries, much like its cousin, Lake Tana. But the real draw? The birds. Pelicans, herons, and cormorants flock here, turning the lake into an avian paradise. A pair of binoculars might just become your best beach accessory.

Lake Hawassa: More Than Just Water

Lake Hawassa is a charming option for those seeking water without the tourist trappings. The city of Hawassa, sitting comfortably on the eastern shore, provides both a city and beach vibe. Walking along the lake’s edge, you’ll spot fishermen casting nets and locals enjoying shaded spots. You might even stumble upon a market selling fresh catches of the day.

The beaches here are more understated, yet they invite you to sit and contemplate the goings-on around you. It’s not unusual to find young university students reading under trees or couples having quiet conversations.

Conclusion

While Ethiopia isn’t boasting a coastline, it sure has its fair share of beaches in lakes and rivers, offering a mix of relaxation, history, and wildlife. They may not be the sandy stretches of some coastal destinations, but they have that unique charm that tells you you’ve stumbled onto something special. If you’re ever in Ethiopia, these lakes and river spots are just waiting for you to dip a toe in.

  • Best Beaches Angola
  • Best Beaches Benin
  • Best Beaches Botswana
  • Best Beaches Burkina Faso
  • Best Beaches Burundi
  • Best Beaches Cabo Verde
  • Best Beaches Cameroon
  • Best Beaches Central African Republic
  • Best Beaches Chad
  • Best Beaches Comoros
  • Best Beaches Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Best Beaches Republic of the Congo
  • Best Beaches Côte d’Ivoire
  • Best Beaches Djibouti
  • Best Beaches Egypt
  • Best Beaches Equatorial Guinea
  • Best Beaches Eritrea
  • Best Beaches Eswatini
  • Best Beaches Ethiopia
  • Best Beaches Gabon
  • Best Beaches Gambia
  • Best Beaches Ghana
  • Best Beaches Guinea
  • Best Beaches Guinea-Bissau
  • Best Beaches Kenya
  • Best Beaches Lesotho
  • Best Beaches Liberia
  • Best Beaches Libya
  • Best Beaches Madagascar
  • Best Beaches Malawi
  • Best Beaches Mali
  • Best Beaches Mauritania
  • Best Beaches Mauritius
  • Best Beaches Morocco
  • Best Beaches Mozambique
  • Best Beaches Namibia
  • Best Beaches Niger
  • Best Beaches Nigeria
  • Best Beaches Rwanda
  • Best Beaches São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Best Beaches Senegal
  • Best Beaches Seychelles
  • Best Beaches Sierra Leone
  • Best Beaches Somalia
  • Best Beaches South Africa
  • Best Beaches South Sudan
  • Best Beaches Sudan
  • Best Beaches Tanzania
  • Best Beaches Togo
  • Best Beaches Tunisia
  • Best Beaches Uganda
  • Best Beaches Zambia
  • Best Beaches Zimbabwe
  • Best Beaches Algeria

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