Sudan Red Sea Places of Interest

Khartoum -

The Sudanese National Museum is located down by the Nile in Khartoum. There are interesting exhibits on Sudanese history and a large collection of Christian frescoes from the old kingdom of Dongola in northern Sudan. There are also antiquities and artifacts from various periods of Sudanese history including glassware, pottery and statues & figurines from the ancient kingdom of Cush. The outside garden contains 2 reconstructed temples, one with 18th century graffiti! These Egyptian temples were salvaged from the flooding of Lake Nasser. The Palace Museum is housed in an old Anglican church and mostly contains gifts given to the various presidents of Sudan. Gift givers include as Yasser Arafat, Joseph Tito and the head of the Omdurman Abattoir Consortium. On the walls are memorial plaques for all the British nationals who died in Sudan during British rule. Another highlight is the piece of moon rock and the Sudanese flag, which was sent up to space in the 1960's. Outside you can see many old British cars used by the presidents - mainly old Rolls Royce's and the odd bulletproof Mercedes.

Kassala -

The souq in Kassala is one of Sudan's best and sells a wide variety of the fruit for which the region is famous for - grapefruit, pomegranates, oranges, bananas and melons. Local handicrafts, fabrics and the silver jewelery handmade by the mysterious veiled Rashaida women are for sale here. Kassala is also a popular retreat for Sudanese honeymoon couples. In the nearby village of Khatmiya, the village well is a traditional place for newly wed couples to drink. Water from the well is said to bring good luck and a fertile married life. Just outside Kassala are the peculiar shaped 'sugar-loaf' hills known as jebels. They can be spotted on the horizon from Kassala and home to a tribe of baboons, which come down from the hills at sunset to drink at a nearby village well.


Karima -

Just 2km south of the Karima is Jebel Barkal, a 100-meter hill that was considered sacred by the Egyptians of the 18th Dynasty. From the summit, there is an outstanding view of the Nile. At the foot of the hill, lies the Temple of Amun, second only in length to the famous Temple of Karnak in Egypt. About six smaller temples once surrounded this and ruins of these temples, together with statuary and hieroglyphics, make this an interesting Cushite site. The Jebel Barkal Pyramids are located to the west of the temple and are similar in style to those at Meroe.

Sudan Red Sea Visas & Embassies

Make sure that all your Sudanese paperwork is done meticulously and that it is all legible. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months and must not contain any Israeli or South African stamps. Visas are available from various Sudanese diplomatic missions abroad.

Foreigners visiting Sudan for more than three days must take their passport to the Aliens registration office within that time frame. Most hotels can organize this for you. The office is right next to the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development Building and you will need a photocopy of your passport, two passport photographs and 4,000 Sudanese Dinars (US$ 15 approx.) with you. Permits for travel outside Khartoum are also available at this office.

Sudan Red Sea Transportation

"Are we there yet?" For travelers with limited time there are national flights and charters. Modes of transportation range from taxis to local buses. Renting a car or motorbike is perfect for those who like to stop and explore & get off the beaten track. And of course, there is the ever present taxi. Hitch hiking is not very popular and the driver will often expect a tip.

Red Sea Plane

Khartoum – Civil Airport (KRT)

Sudan Airways has a network of domestic flights covering a large area of Sudan. Various 24 hour a day limousine companies are stationed at the arrivals terminal of Khartoum Airport and outside all the major hotels in Khartoum. These taxis are luxurious, new model cars of various sizes. There are also double-cab pickups, nicknamed 'boks', which are usually prepared to travel to towns and cities outside Khartoum directly from the Airport terminal.

Red Sea Train

Sudan Rail operates a good rail network of railway lines which extend to most parts of the country, but the rolling stock is fairly old. Trains are crowded and there are even people on the roof sometimes.

Trains schedules are erratic in Sudan if they don't break down.

Wadi Halfa to Khartoum: This line branches at Atbara, for trains to Port Sudan (on the Red Sea).
Departs late afternoon on Thursdays and Sundays

Karima to Khartoum
Departs Wednesdays and Sundays
36-hour ride

Khartoum to Kosti
4 1/2 hours

Khartoum to Nyala via Sennar & Babanusa
Departs on Mondays

Khartoum to Kassala
7- 9 hours

Sudan Red Sea Health & Hospitals

Current vaccination certificates against yellow fever, typhoid and cholera must be produced by foreigners upon entry. Prophylactics against malaria are advised, so make sure you get a specific anti-malaria medication from your physician before you arrive in Sudan. It is recommended to consult with your physician 2 months before leaving. Also, your Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio and Hepatitis A and B should all be up to date before leaving. An international health insurance policy is highly recommended. Most insurance policies do not cover divers, so check if you need additional insurance for this.

When traveling to the Red Sea with its desert environment, the three major hazards are dehydration, sunburn and an upset stomach. Drink plenty of mineral water and isotonic drinks (like coke and sprite), use high-factor sunscreens, and wear a hat and sunglasses. A change in diet often results in upset stomachs. Never drink tap water, and check the seal on bottled water. Prefer cooked food or peeled fresh fruit/vegetables, and use mineral water to brush your teeth, and to wash fruit/vegetables. Eat in restaurants that are busy, and where both the establishment and the staff look clean.

Public toilets are better avoided. Use the toilet facilities of mid to top-range hotels, and of western-style or tourist restaurants. Toilet paper, if available, should be disposed off in the bins provided, as local toilet systems can only take so much of it. If you travel to the desert, don't throw toilet paper away or bury it, take a plastic bag with you and dispose of it later.

Red Sea Local Time & Weather

Time: GMT plus 3 hours

Sudan Red Sea FAQs

Still have questions? Maybe these frequently asked questions will answer your question.

What do I need to bring? Most things that you might need are readily available, although some things maybe more expensive than at home, like film material, sunglasses, sunscreen, certain toiletries.

What should I wear? For shore holidays beachwear, shorts and T-shirts are acceptable, but inland, especially women, should wear more conservative clothing

Do I need to bring a jacket? A sweater or jacket is advisable as nights can be quite chilly and cold winds blow along the Red Sea in the winter months of November to March.

When is the best time to go diving? Diving in the Red Sea is great year round. However, water temperatures decrease considerably between November and March. Water temperatures reach a high of 24 and a low of 20.

Sudan Red Sea Currencies & Banks

Euros to Egyptian Pounds? Shekels to Dollars? A great way to keep track of how much things really cost, just plug in your numbers and our currency converter will do the math for you with all the latest rates.

ATMs are becoming a common sight and most accept the Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus, and Plus system. This is a good way to avoid carrying a lot of cash and ensures that you get the latest exchange rate. However, check with your bank before leaving home as some PIN numbers are not compatible due to foreign keypads and some banks charge a small fortune to withdraw money overseas. Cash advances can be taken out on Visa and MasterCard at most major banks, be sure to have your passport ready for this. Most banks will also cash travelers cheques, although you can often get a better rate at money changing booths. Again, don't forget your passport for cashing travelers cheques.

Sudan uses the Sudanese Dinar

Sudan Red Sea Culture & Traditions

The most popular sport in Sudan is football. There are many sporting clubs in Sudan that encourage all sporting activities, though football enjoys the unbound enthusiasm and support of fans and media.

The majority of the Sudanese are Muslims. Friday is the Holy Day in the Islamic religion and Muslims are called to prayer five times a day, every day from the minarets of mosques. There are many mosques in Sudan that have been built by religious men and different Muslim factions such as the Sunni and Sufi sects. Besides being a place of worship, mosques play an important social and educational role for the Sudanese.

The Sudanese ethnic and racial diversity is characterized by the prevalence of the African and Arab races. The result is the colourful and diverse cultural Sudanese heritage that is manifested in the various forms of Sudanese dancing.

Dancing is an original heritage that is deeply rooted in Sudanese history. It plays a vital role in Sudanese culture because it is considered an important form of expression. Dancing symbolizes the tribes' links to their beliefs and social behaviour as well as to the environment and the land. Dancing can be a directly related to the tribes' daily life in all aspects including farming, hunting, rain, heroes and chivalry.



The Kambala is a well-known dance performed by the tribes dwelling in the Nuba Mountains. This dance originated from the Meeri tribe. The Kambala is performed in the feasts and ceremonies related to the local traditions and rituals of rain during the harvest of sorghum. The dancers wear horns of huge bulls on their heads as a sign of power. Various bells and anklets are worn during the dance to provide louder sounds.

Drums are the most common rhythmic instruments in Sudan because of their variations & usefulness. Many tribes, especially in Western Sudan, use a large drum called the Nihas both for celebrations and to make public announcements. Other common instruments include the Taar', which is widely used throughout the northern tribes as an accompaniment in dancing and singing. The tribes of the south and west parts of Sudan use another type of drum called a Nuggaara for their dancing and singing.

Sudan Red Sea Climate & Environment

Sudan is the largest country in Africa, taking up 2,505,813 square kilometers of northeast and central Africa. The country includes virtually every geographical feature, from the harsh deserts of the north to the rain forests rising on its southern borders. The Nile is the link that runs through Sudan, and influences the lives of Sudan's people, even though many of them farm and herd far from the Nile or its two main branches, the Blue Nile and the White Nile.

Northern Sudan has two distinctive parts - the desert and the Nile Valley. East of the Nile lies the Nubian Desert and to the west, the Libyan Desert. Both deserts are stony with sand dunes draped over the landscape. The Nile Valley flows through the desert, but the strip of habitable land is no more than two kilometers wide and productivity depends on the annual flood.

The central clay plains provide the backbone of Sudan's economy because productive settlements cluster around available water. Furthermore, in the heartland of the central clay plains lies the jazirah where the great Gezira Scheme was developed. The Gezira Scheme project grows cotton for export and produces more than half of Sudan's revenue and export earnings.

Northeast of the central clay plains lies eastern Sudan, which is divided between desert and semi desert. The semi desert area has a rolling landscape that provides good grazing for cattle, sheep, and goats. Just east of here is an irregular geological formation known as the Qash Delta. Originally a depression, it has been filled with sand and silt by the flash floods of the Qash River, creating a delta above the surrounding plain. Extending 100 kilometers, the area watered by the Qash is a rich grassland with bountiful cultivation. Trees and bushes provide grazing for the camels from the north and the rich moist soil provides an abundance of food crops and cotton.

The Red Sea Hills are drier and cooler than the surrounding land. They stretch northward into Egypt where they make up a jumbled mass of hills. Below the hills sprawls the dry and barren coastal plain of the Red Sea where the sea is thick with coral reefs.

Every country has its own delicate eco-system. So be responsible while you are appreciating the beauty. If you are in the desert, the rule is Pack it in, Pack it out. If you are in a protected park, stick to the trail. Wandering away can cause unforeseen damage to the delicate plant and animal life. Be conscious of things like water consumption, proper waste disposal, and turning off air-conditioning units when away from your room. Water is a precious commodity in the desert regions.

In the Red Sea, do not feed the fish, do not collect or remove any material either living or dead, and do not touch the coral reef with any part of your body including your fins! Thanks to a growing number of dedicated environmental agencies, there is a greater knowledge of Reef Protection awareness.

Red Sea Sudan

Sudan is the biggest country in Africa and one of the birth places of very ancient civilization. It is regarded as one of the richest African countries in wildlife, birds and natural scenery. Its mainly rural population is extremely welcoming to foreigners. Scuba divers can spend their time underwater exploring the reef riddled Red Sea coast line.

Red Sea Port Sudan

Port Sudan is a very typical Sudanese fishing village with a lot of character. The big world feeling is still to be found here, with sailors from different countries of the world. Dive sites are not crowded, the reefs are undamaged and visibility is normally crystal clear but varies during the year. In 1990, the Government announced the Sanganieb National Marine Reserve (North of Port Sudan) as a first Sudanese sea reserve at the Red Sea area


Red Sea Suakin

Suakin is a city built on a small island at the end of a deep inlet. It was once the most important harbor on the African side of the Red Sea. Suakin was even used by Pharaoh Rameses III. In its prime, it exported ivory, gum, henna, coffee, gold, ostrich feathers, cotton, sesame oil and cattle. There is more than enough to keep the average diver occupied while offering the serious diver wrecks, drop-offs and amazing caves.