Port Sudan
Introduction
Port Sudan is a major port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, and it serves as the capital of Red Sea State. As Sudan's main seaport, it handles the great majority of the country's international trade, which gives the city a working, maritime character rather than a resort one.
Getting there
Port Sudan New International Airport is the main gateway, with domestic flights from Khartoum and international services from Dubai, Jeddah and Cairo. If you're arriving overland, a tarred road now links Port Sudan to Khartoum via Atbara, passing through striking scenery and the pyramids of Meroë along the way. Avoid the older route via Kasala: it adds roughly 400 km and is reported to be dangerous because of tribal conflict and bandits.
- By plane: Port Sudan New International Airport, with domestic flights from Khartoum and international flights from Dubai, Jeddah and Cairo.
- By road: the tarred road to Khartoum via Atbara, which passes the pyramids of Meroë. Do not take the old road via Kasala.
- By train: Port Sudan has a rail link with Khartoum, with a railway station in the city.
- By boat: an international ferry runs from Jeddah.
Getting around
Getting around Port Sudan means choosing between rickshaws, taxis, buses and shared taxis. Rickshaws are prevalent and are often described as the best option, since they take you exactly to your destination. Local buses are older vehicles running fixed routes within the city; they are inexpensive but can be crowded. A more common form of public transport is the shared taxi, known locally as an Amjad: older vehicles that run set routes, picking up and dropping off multiple passengers along the way, with fixed fares per route. There are no formal route maps, so ask locals which routes go where. Services generally run during daylight and frequency varies. Pay cash directly to the driver or conductor, and confirm the fare before boarding a shared taxi. Public transport is not accessible for travellers with mobility challenges, and there are no tour buses, hop-on-hop-off services, cable cars or funiculars.
Licensed private taxis operate without meters, so negotiate the fare before the journey; payment is in cash, and fares have been described as highly inflated. There are no major international ride-hailing apps, and local alternatives are not widespread or reliable. If you take a taxi, avoid unidentifiable vehicles late at night and carry identification documents. Vehicle rentals may be available from local agencies, with a valid national driving licence, an International Driving Permit and your passport cited as requirements, but self-driving is strongly discouraged because of security risks, poor road conditions and fuel availability issues. Traffic drives on the right, seatbelt enforcement is often lax, and roads range from paved surfaces to unpaved rough tracks with potholes common, especially outside the metropolitan area. The city centre has some walkable areas, but walking is severely restricted by security concerns and military presence, and there is no dedicated bicycle infrastructure. Port Sudan has no metro or tram network; rail is a long-distance link to Khartoum rather than an urban transit system. From Port Sudan New International Airport, plan on the same rickshaws, taxis and buses that serve the rest of the city, agreeing on a taxi fare before you set off and expecting to pay in cash.
Where to stay
Where you stay in Port Sudan depends largely on whether you want to be in the city itself or out on the coast. The Coral Hotel, which previously operated as a Hilton, is the established option in town, with rooms bookable by phone. If you would rather be by the water, the Sudan Red Sea Resort sits directly on the rocky coast in a remote spot roughly 30 km north of the city, along the main new road to Egypt; the turning off the road is well signposted. Accommodation there is basic and rustic, in huts with a shared toilet block, offered either bed and breakfast or full board, and priced per person.Food & drink
In Port Sudan you can eat well at both ends of the price range. The hotel formerly known as the Hilton, now the Coral Hotel, has a cafeteria that feels like an American diner, serving international dishes and good coffee, plus a restaurant with set menus if you want something more formal. For something cheaper, head to the strip of restaurants around the Food Dream and Ice Cream Dream, where you can get milkshakes, slushies and ice cream. The neighbouring restaurant does a good range of chicken and meat doner kebabs as well as chicken and chips, and on the same strip you can find a delicious pizza.What to see and do
For an easy introduction to the city, head to the large boardwalk area overlooking the port. It sits close to ice cream shops and cafes, and the open spaces are made for lingering: sit and relax, enjoy a shisha, or take a hot drink from one of the tea ladies nearby. Two landmarks are worth seeking out in town: the Great Mosque of Port Sudan and the Virgin Mary Church of Port Sudan, a historic colonial church. The real draw, though, lies offshore. Several good dive sites sit within reach of Port Sudan, including Sha'ab Rumi, less than an hour from the coast, and Sanganeb, around two hours out. Live-aboard boats operate out of the port and can be contacted directly through their websites, while land-based diving is limited to a single international operator based at a resort north of the city. Sanganeb Marine National Park is the name to know for the area's underwater scenery. Time your trip with care: November and December can be very windy, and while that season brings hammerhead sharks, the sea is rough.When to go
Port Sudan has a hot desert climate, so timing your visit matters a great deal. Summers are extremely hot, with daytime temperatures that can easily exceed the threshold that makes being outdoors punishing, and rain is essentially absent during this stretch — the heat is dry rather than humid. If you travel then, plan to move in the early morning or after dark and rest through the middle of the day. The run-up to summer is dry and steadily heats toward those extremes, and because there is no wet season to bring relief, water supply depends on the wadis and salt pans.
- Rainy window (late autumn to early winter): Over 90% of the year's rain falls in these months, with November by far the wettest and capable of very heavy downpours. Rainfall is still sparse overall, so most days stay dry, but this is the only period when wet weather is a real possibility.
- Winter: Moderately hot rather than extreme, making it the most comfortable stretch for daytime activity.
- Summer: Extremely hot and dry, with daytime activity punishing and rain essentially absent.
- Run-up to summer: Dry and steadily heating toward the extreme summer, with rain very unlikely.
Three days in Port Sudan
Day one: Arrive at Port Sudan New International Airport and take a licensed vehicle or rickshaw into the city. Settle into accommodation such as the Coral Hotel, Hilton or Sudan Red Sea Resort, then spend the afternoon getting your bearings along the waterfront of the Red Sea. In the evening, eat at Amjad and take in the sea air.
Day two: Explore Port Sudan itself, using rickshaws or local services to move between neighbourhoods. Pay attention to traffic and carry your International Driving Permit if you plan to drive. The city is the capital of Red Sea State, and its character comes from the water and the port.
Day three: If time allows, consider a longer excursion. From Port Sudan New International Airport you can fly to Khartoum, Dubai, Jeddah or Cairo, or travel overland towards Atbara, Mero or Kasala. Avoid rushing the return leg, and allow time to get back to the airport.