Massawa on the Red Sea, EritreaPhoto: Clay Gilliland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Eritrea
Eritrea, made simple: Asmara's cafés, the Red Sea and the highlands, without the worry
Eritrea is one of the least visited countries in Africa and one of the most rewarding: a calm highland capital full of 1930s modernist buildings and espresso bars, a hair-raising mountain road down to the coral port of Massawa, market towns, ancient ruins and empty Red Sea islands. It also has unusual rules on visas, travel permits and money, so this guide explains them before you go.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyVisa from an embassy, cash, health and the best season, answered
- LandingAsmara's airport, the first hour and your travel permits explained
- Your days in EritreaAsmara, Massawa, Keren, the islands and the southern ruins, planned with care
- Home againDeparture tips so the last day is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain the cash-only reality and what costs more, so your budget holds.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Eritrea should feel like a rare discovery, not a gamble. We answer the tricky questions about visas, permits, cash and connectivity before they start, so you arrive ready to find your Bliss.
Coming home to Asmara, Keren or Mendefera from the US, the UK, Germany, Sweden or beyond? This guide was written with you in mind too.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your placesAsmara, Massawa, Keren, the Dahlak islands and the southern highlands: start with the destinations that fit you.
- Sort the essentialsA visa arranged before you fly, enough cash, health advice and travel permits, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for cafés, markets, cinemas, beaches, monasteries and stays.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to shape your days, with time built in for permits and slow roads.
Everything your Eritrea trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Asmara, Massawa, Keren, the Dahlak islands and the southern highlands, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred cafés, cinemas, markets, beaches, monasteries and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Asmara and stays across the country.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Eritrea trip
From a modernist capital down to the Red Sea
Most trips start in Asmara, a UNESCO World Heritage city at over two thousand metres, where Art Deco cinemas, a petrol station shaped like an aeroplane and pavement cafés make the evening passeggiata a joy. From there the road drops through hairpin bends and cactus slopes to Massawa, a coral stone port on the Red Sea and the jumping off point for the Dahlak islands. Keren's markets and the ruins of Qohaito in the south complete a rounded first visit.
- Asmara's modernist architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- The mountain road and old railway from Asmara to the coast
- Massawa's old town and the Dahlak islands
- Keren's Monday market and the baobab shrine of Mariam Dearit
Start with the destinations
See how the capital, the coast and the highlands fit together.
Eritrea destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Outside Asmara you need a travel permit for each destination, money is cash only and internet is scarce, so a little planning goes a long way. Our free planner helps you build a realistic route with time for permits, the cooler seasons and slow mountain roads.
- The right season for the highlands and the coast
- Realistic travel times between towns
- Where to base yourself
Where to go in Eritrea
From the capital's cafés to a coral port, a market town, desert islands and ancient highland ruins.
Central highlands
Asmara
A calm, high altitude capital of palm lined avenues, modernist buildings and espresso bars.
Read the guidePhoto: Martin Schibbye, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Northern Red Sea
Massawa
An old Red Sea port of coral stone arcades, mosques, beaches and fish fresh from the oven.
Read the guidePhoto: Reinhard Dietrich, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Anseba
Keren
A green market town ringed by mountains, famous for its Monday market and baobab chapel.
Read the guidePhoto: Mheidegger, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Northern Red Sea
Dahlak Islands
Low desert islands with clear water, reefs, seabirds and almost no other visitors.
Read the guidePhoto: Amod Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Southern Region (Debub)
Southern Highlands
High plateaus, deep gorges and the ruins of some of Africa's oldest towns.
Read the guidePhoto: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Eritrea worth visiting?
Yes, if you enjoy places few travellers reach. Asmara is one of the most unusual and beautiful capitals in Africa, the coast and islands are almost empty, and the people are famously courteous. Expect paperwork, cash only travel and very limited internet.
Do I need a visa for Eritrea?
Almost all visitors need a visa arranged before travel, usually through an Eritrean embassy or consulate. There is no widely used e-visa. Rules vary by passport and change, so contact your nearest Eritrean embassy and read your government's travel advice before you book.
Do I need permits to travel around Eritrea?
Foreign visitors generally need a travel permit to leave Asmara, issued by the tourism authorities in the capital, listing each place you plan to visit. Allow a day or so for it and carry copies at checkpoints.
What currency is used in Eritrea?
The nakfa. Foreign bank cards do not work, so bring all the money you need in clean US dollars or euros and change it at official exchange offices or banks.
When is the best time to go?
For Asmara and the highlands, October to March is dry, sunny and mild. The coast and islands are most comfortable from about November to March, while summer on the Red Sea is extremely hot.
Is Eritrea safe for tourists?
Crime against visitors is low and Asmara feels calm, but border areas carry official warnings and the rules on permits and photography are strict. Read your government's current travel advice before you go.
Ready to find your Bliss in Eritrea?
Use the free trip planner to turn ideas into a route that fits your dates and budget.