This little village is located in the beautiful Red Sea Hills, Erkawit used to be a cool retreat for the British during their time in Sudan – even the Turks recognized this hideaway. There are only a few of the original buildings still there, it is the perfect place to get away from the heat for a while. The area of the hills can be reached on a partially sealed road from both ways, through Kassala and up from Port Sudan, which is only about 100 km north east. We (Mohamed El Kabany & H.Phillip Pulver) came from the picturesque Kassala and passed it first on the way to Post Sudan - but returned later on to enjoy its quietness and natural beauty!

Port Sudan is a harbour city, established by the Turks and completed by the British in 1905 as a seaport. Once a thriving export centre handling the country's raw commodities such as sesame, cotton and sorghum, it has now fallen into a bit of decay and sleep as a result of the ongoing war.

Today's city is badly in need of care and repair, although it is still possible to see beautiful lattice woodwork on the window-screens of older buildings, which provide a glimpse into the city's more prestigious past - must see, the railway station, which we were at.

It is sometimes possible to travel by boat from Port Sudan to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, but passenger traffic, like commercial activity, has dwindled to the merest trickle. As a result, passenger services from the port are no longer reliable.

For visitors interested in Red Sea diving, this is still quite a good place to use as a base, as the Cousteau Society did, when they filmed on the "bell" near the precontinental reef. Local hotels, the Hilton Port Sudan is one of the most prestigious places by far, the dive shops can make the necessary arrangements - or simply ask H.Phillip Pulver.

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