Port Sudan is a great place to enjoy fresh seafood, hibiscus tea or other kinds and a stroll along the sunny promenade. Sudan runs on tea (shai) and coffee (jabana or kahwa). Take a walk on the Corniche, a street that runs along the shoreline in downtown Port Sudan with a great view of the harbor. Along the boardwalk area there are many cafés and local craftsmen selling jewelry made from seashells and also many trinkets.
The souks are places to visit. You will find all kinds of local food, clothing and other. Shopping there is the best way to save money. You will find tasty and good quality fruits and vegetables, bread, spices, some excellent hand ground coffee packaged under the El Tayeb brand, mint, other aromatic plants, butchers with nice meats and so much more.
There is some nice architecture going on in Port Sudan, especially in the larger buildings between the local bus station and the coast. There are a couple of nice mosques. There is also a very nice Coptic Church, which will usually allow tourists in to take a look.
In Port Sudan, you can enjoy a day or some hours at Kilo Beach where you have the possibility to make a barbecue or rent a bungalow. There are some beaches outside the city as well and if you wish you can also spend some days at Sudan Red Sea Resort located fifty kilometers in the north of Port Sudan.
Things to Do
Port Sudan is most famous for its unspoiled off-shore coral reefs which make it one of the world’s most exciting diving destinations. That is why scuba diving is the main attraction in the Red Sea. Take the chance and go diving with sea turtles, manta rays, sharks and more around the Wingate Reef, one of the most unspoiled coral reefs in the world. This is where the wreck of the Umbria lies, an Italian freighter that sank off the coast of Sudan during the World War II. There are so many dive sites to discover in Sudan's Red Sea, hire a boat to go diving, take a diving course or enjoy a liveaboard trip to explore the splendor of the Red Sea.
Along the Corniche there are many cafés where you can sit by the water, enjoy the moment with your friends and chat over tea or coffee. During the day and the evening, some cafés offer shishas if you feel like it. In the evening, Sudanese people likes to play games such as dominoes and cards at the tables along the Corniche. As well you can play billiards with friends, compete with regulars who have a very good level or just enjoy your tea or coffee, meet people and listen to the musicians who play from time to time.
During hot days what better than to enjoy an excellent fresh fruit juice in a restaurant after a good meal or simply in one of the stalls that sell fruit juices on the side of the road. Speaking of meals, the local restaurants offer very good foul (or ful) dishes which can be accompanied with meat or liver according to your choice.
Enjoy fish and other seafood fresh from the Red Sea in local restaurants, or buy it direct from the local fish market. Port Sudan has a vibrant fishing industry with its lively fish market. The men are amazingly deft at gutting, scaling and skinning their catches. Here, fishermen sell the catch of the day and there are several little restaurants that serve fresh caught fish. Even if you don’t want to buy or eat anything, it’s interesting to take a look. If you walk north along the coast, you will come to a row of fancy restaurants that serve essentially the same fish for more money. To get there, simply ask for souk samak (fish market). The market is located north of the downtown area. The fancy cafes are about 1 km north of it.
Take a 30-minute bus ride to see the ruined coral houses and mosques in the abandoned town of Suakin. Once Sudan’s main trading port, Suakin was replaced by Port Sudan when its harbour became too clogged with coral.
If you have children and are visiting Port Sudan, the whole family will enjoy spending time at the city's amusement park.
