Sudan’s abandoned Red Sea port of Suakin draws dark tourism with coral ruins, lost trade riches, and haunting legends from a once-glorious past.Ivory, gold, and spices once flowed through this coastal hub, turning it into a center of immense wealth. Now, that prosperity has faded, and coral reefs quietly reclaim what remains.
On the Red Sea shore of northeastern Sudan, roughly 36 miles south of Port Sudan, lies the ghost town of Suakin. Once a thriving port city and a gateway to Mecca for African pilgrims, it is now a haunting relic of its glorious past—crumbled coral buildings rising from the dust and silence.Suakin’s roots stretch back to the 12th century, and its influence grew substantially after the fall of its rival port, Aidhab, in the 15th century.
With its strategic location on the Red Sea, it became a vital trading point between Africa and Arabia. At its height, Suakin was a major commercial powerhouse, filled with intricately carved coral stone buildings—palaces, mosques, administrative offices, and merchant houses. The shimmering white architecture earned it the nickname “Venice of Africa.
”The wealth that poured in from trading ivory, spices, and gold made Suakin one of the most prosperous towns in the region. But this golden era didn’t last. As the ivory trade waned, Suakin’s fortunes plummeted.
Its decline rippled through other industries—shipbuilding, agriculture, and commerce.Control of the town shifted over time. The Ottomans took it over in .
