Travel Guide Suakin سواكن

Suakin (pronounced in local "Sawakin") was installed on a small island in the middle of a sea coast "Eritrea". The city was probably founded by Egyptian traders or settlers at the time, or even before. Suakin's name is associated with its mythical neighbors Bérénice, Aydhab (southern Egypt, near the current Halaïb for the second) or Adulis (Eritrea, near the current). The port is about half way to Suez and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which opens on the Gulf of Aden.In the Middle Ages, the Islamisation of the coast, which operates from Arabia and the Egyptian coasts but also Eritrean to Suakin, paradoxically marginalizing the port into the trade routes system to the Muslim world. Trade with India or Southern Africa directly from Arabia or Egypt. The African caravan routes favour Egypt to win the Mediterranean or the Middle East. Suakin (which could be derived from an Arabic word meaning "those who live") thus prospered in the late days thanks to the development of the practice of pilgrimage to Mecca (the Grand Hajj and the Little Omra) and to the development of the slave trade. The city has always been a gateway from Africa to Arabia and even India. Indeed, it was the port of Sudan until the English decided otherwise with the foundation of Port Sudan. Since then, the perfidious Albion has also erected a bridge which, ironically, has allowed the city to expand faster on the continent. Administrative, financial and commercial services leave one after the other Suakin for Port Sudan. The region's telegraph centre is moved to the new city in 1923. A railway link now links Kassala, of which Suakin was the port outlet in Port Sudan. The island has become little practical and deprived of commercial activity and is gradually deserted and the village of Suakin is quietly stagnating. The restoration of this exceptional historic heritage has been considered many times. Unfortunately, however, Sudan has many other priorities.Today, Suakin is first the traditional port of the. The site maintains an exceptional character and it would be a shame not to go there if you go to the region. The city is also the local bus station which serves several points of the coast and mountains.