Massawa
Eritrea · Northern Red Sea · 5 m
Description
Massawa (Batse) is the deep water port of the Red Sea coast and the other pole of Eritrea, at sea level and searingly hot for most of the year. The old town sits on an island of coral block houses with carved wooden balconies and Ottoman, Egyptian and Italian layers on top of one another, much of it still in the state the shelling of nineteen ninety left it in. The Imperial Palace stands roofless above the water. Boats leave the harbour for the Dahlak islands, the fish market grills what came in that morning, and causeways tie the islands to the mainland.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: December – February
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Coral block old town on Massawa island
- Ruins of the Imperial Palace
- Sheikh Hanafi mosque
- Sahaba mosque
- Causeways between the islands and the mainland
- Snorkelling day trip to Green Island(Day trip)
- Gurgusum beach
- Fish market and the evening grills
- Fenkil monument of the three tanks
- Italian commercial buildings on Taulud
- Ruins of Adulis near Foro(Day trip)
- Foro Thursday market (weekly)(Day trip)
- Diving the shallow Red Sea reefs
Getting there
- Nearest airports:
- ASM
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry