Things to Do in Red Sea Hills

Red Sea Hills, Sudan - Complete Travel Guide

Red Sea Hills is where the desert drops straight into the Red Sea, sandstone cliffs glowing amber at sunset while catching the salt breeze. Grilled fish drifts from the harbor at dusk, metal workshops clang in the old souq, and coral sand crunches underfoot on the town's scrappy beaches. This working port sees painted dhows unload baskets of snapper and squid, the call to prayer competing with generators humming through narrow alleyways. The pace crawls slow enough for shopkeepers to greet strangers, yet the morning fish auction wraps by 7 AM. Most travelers pass through on diving trips, but lingerers discover a town built on contradictions: dusty yet washed by turquoise water, conservative yet quietly accepting of foreign quirks, poor but proud.

Top Things to Do in Red Sea Hills

Dhow sunset sail

The worn wooden deck creaks beneath your feet as the captain hoists a patched sail, steering away from the rust-stained docks. Salt spray stings your lips while the sun melts into the water, turning the sandstone hills purple and gold.

Booking Tip: Walk to the far end of the harbor around 4 PM and negotiate directly with captains - the last boats leave at 5 sharp when the wind picks up

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Friday fish market

The market erupts at dawn with shouting auctioneers and the slap of wet fish on concrete tables. Ice-cold water splashes your ankles as porters rush past carrying yellowfin tuna still twitching, while smoke from charcoal grills drifts between stalls.

Booking Tip: No booking needed, but arrive by 6 AM when the serious buyers come - the tuna goes fast and the best deals happen in the first hour

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Coral coast snorkeling

Sliding off the rocky shore near Police Beach, you'll see brain coral formations in shades of mustard and rust, while electric-blue parrotfish nibble between your flippers. The water stays bathtub-warm even in winter.

Booking Tip: Bring cash for the gear rental guy who sets up near the white mosque at dawn - he's there until 11 AM or when his coffee runs out

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Old souq spice route

Wandering past sacks of frankincense and pyramids of dried limes, you'll catch whiffs of cardamom and hear the metallic rhythm of spice grinders. The alleyways stay cool even at noon, filled with shadows and the sweet-bitter smell of brewing hibiscus.

Booking Tip: Start at the north gate around 9 AM when vendors are fresh and chatty - they'll offer tastings of saffron and rose petals before the crowds arrive

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Desert wadi trek

The trail from town leads through wadis where acacia trees twist against sandstone walls, their roots clutching improbably at bare rock. You'll hear gravel crunch under boots and maybe spot a desert fox's tracks in the fine dust.

Booking Tip: Hire Ahmed from Desert Fox Tours near the post office - he brings water and knows which wadis still have pools after the rains

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Getting There

Port Sudan Airport handles daily flights from Khartoum on Badr Airlines and Tarco Aviation, followed by a two-hour shared taxi ride along the coastal highway. The road passes through flat desert where heat mirages shimmer, then suddenly reveals the sea glittering like broken glass. Budget travelers take the 12-hour coach from Khartoum's El-Morgan station - it departs at dawn, stops for prayers and tea, and rolls into Red Sea Hills just as the evening call to prayer echoes across the water.

Getting Around

Within town, shared taxis painted pea-green cruise the main drag for pocket change, while motorcycle taxis weave through the souq alleys. Walking works fine for the harbor area, though the midday heat makes even short distances feel epic. For beaches north of town, negotiate with the blue pickup trucks near the bus station - they'll wait for you and aren't shy about asking for the foreigner rate.

Where to Stay

Harbor Road guesthouses - basic rooms above coffee shops where you fall asleep to waves lapping pilings

Nubian Quarter homestays - family compounds with rooftop sleeping platforms and morning bread baked in clay ovens

Police Beach bungalows - tin-roof cabins steps from swimming, popular with divers and slightly pricier

Old Town courtyard houses - crumbling coral-stone buildings converted to backpacker dorms

Fishermen's Beach camps - string up a hammock between palm trees, shower with bucket water

Souq-side hotels - concrete blocks with sea views, air-con that works half the time, cheapest beds in town

Food & Dining

The harborfront serves charcoal-grilled snapper served on metal trays with lime and chili sauce - Ali's shack near the lighthouse does it best and stays open until the fish runs out. In the souq, women sell bowls of fava bean stew with cumin and lemon from morning until the call to prayer, ladling it onto flatbread that's baked fresh in the adjacent clay oven. The Nubian Quarter hides family kitchens where they'll make you bowls of dried okra and lamb if you ask politely, served with sweet tea that tastes of cardamom and wood smoke. After dark, young guys fry squid rings in oil drums near the bus station, serving them in newspaper cones with salt and vinegar.

When to Visit

October through April brings bearable temperatures and steady winds that keep the humidity down - you'll still need sunscreen but won't melt. May to September is brutal heat-wise but brings the clearest water for diving, plus it's when the town feels most alive as locals escape to the beaches after sunset. Ramadan means shorter eating hours but also incredible evening spreads when families break fast together.

Insider Tips

Friday prayers shut down everything for two hours - use this time to nap or read on your guesthouse roof

The best snorkeling isn't at the main beaches but at the small cove past the fish market, where locals swim fully clothed

Bring a headlamp - power cuts happen nightly and the harbor gets pitch black when the generators die