When it comes to hotels in Port Sudan lets just say they are not exactly easy to find, or book. One exception to this though and indeed a great place to stay is the Arous Resort out on the Red Sea.
This is actually a lot more useful than it sounds if my experience is anything to go by, with the “no room at the inn” element meaning that I spent one night sleeping outside with no power! And if all that were not enough you can even see the real Red Sea Dive Resort from the Netflix movie!
What the Port Sudan Hotel Scene?
Port Sudan used to be a sleepy little Red Sea port best known for its salt, sun, and the occasional backpacker ferrying across to Jeddah. But fast-forward to 2025 and thanks to Sudan’s ongoing civil war, Khartoum is a no-go zone and Port Sudan has, by default rather than design, become the de facto capital of the country. That means the embassies have moved in, the UN is crawling all over the place, and half the government are now camped out here pretending the place still functions like a country. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
All of this has made Port Sudan weirdly crowded. Hotels? Forget about it. We tried every single one. Not a single bloody room. They’re all packed out with diplomats, NGOs, spooks, warlords, and IDPs. I ended up in a crumbling apartment with no electricity and a swarm of mosquitoes that seemed to be employed by the Rapid Support Forces.
Getting a hotel room in Port Sudan these days is genuinely harder than finding a nude picture of Tatiana Zapardino — and yes, I checked. So if you’re coming here, bring your fixer, bring your patience, and maybe pack a tent — because the old Port Sudan might be gone, but the chaos? That’s very much alive.
What’s it like staying at the Arous Resort
The Arous Resort rather reminded me of Falaka Island in Kuwait as it has that “I could be anywhere” feel to it. Essentially its a proper beach resort with swings in the sea, beach chairs and optional diving and snorkeling. People come here for weekends, to party at night and they even have a restaurant and “bar” playing Bob Marley. There’s also little maps to pin your country, beach huts tents and an overall beach hostel feel. What’s missing you may ask? Booze is missing! I don’t wanna sound like an old soak here, but it would just be a lot better with a cold sud to wash away the day with.
At one point I actually thought there might be booze here as there was mixed party going on until probably 3 am, but alas it was not to be. That though is also not to take anything away from the place and I have to say it was one my more surreal Sudanese experiences.
The food at the restaurant was also pretty good although I wish I had gone for the chicken instead of the mystery fish, but hey you live you learn.
Click to read about Sudanese Cuisine
And The Red Sea Dive Resort?
There’s something genuinely surreal about standing in the ruins of the actual Red Sea Dive Resort after watching the Hollywood version projected on a makeshift screen — outdoors, at night, with the Red Sea lapping just a few metres away. Yes, that Red Sea Dive Resort, made famous by the Mossad’s real-life operation in the ’80s where they smuggled Ethiopian Jews to Israel under the cover of running a fake scuba diving hotel. It’s now a derelict shell, sun-bleached and windswept, but if you’ve seen the film, it’s eerie just how much it lines up.
The real kicker though is the way the story gets told. Local guides walk you through the place like it’s a war crime scene. The vibe veers very much toward anti-Zionist, and depending on who you ask, the Mossad were either heroes, liars, or just decent hotel managers with questionable guest lists. It’s complicated, much like most things political in Sudan.
Still, there’s something oddly poetic about watching Chris Evans-as-a-Mossad-agent on the big screen while sitting in the place it all happened. If you’re into espionage, propaganda, or just weird ruins, it’s absolutely worth the trip.
The Skinny on how to stay at the Arous Resort
“The Arous Resort, also known as Arous Village, is located approximately 70 km north of Port Sudan along the Red Sea coast. Once a thriving diving and desert recreation center, it now serves as a historical site and base for diving and snorkeling excursions. Managed by Seashell Sudan, the resort offers basic accommodations, including tent options, and organizes trips to nearby attractions like Sanganeb Island”
📞 Contact Information
To inquire about accommodations or book excursions, you can reach out to Seashell Sudan:
- Phone: +249 912 345 678
- Email: info@seashellsudan.com
- Website: www.seashellsudan.com
Note: Its Sudan – so subject to change…..