Northern Red Sea Region
Eritrea's gateway to the Red Sea, with the old town of the port city Massawa and the waters of the Dahlak Archipelago as the main attractions.
The Northern Red Sea Region runs along Eritrea's Red Sea coast; its capital is Massawa. Massawa's old town sits on an island and preserves coral-stone buildings from the Ottoman, Egyptian and Italian periods, while the clear waters of the Dahlak Archipelago offshore are good for diving and viewing coral reefs. The winding road down from Asmara to the coast lets you feel the shift in climate from highlands to lowlands. The coast is extremely hot in summer, so winter is better for travel. You usually arrive overland via Asmara, and a permit is required to visit the archipelago.