Eritrea
State of Eritrea
Eastern Africa · ERI
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Eritrea
Eritrea appeals to travelers who want an older-style Red Sea trip built around architecture, coastal atmosphere, and a route that feels deliberately low-key rather than packed with famous sights. It works best as Asmara plus Massawa and one additional historical or coastal stop, not as a long countrywide circuit.
Popular For
Things To See
- Asmara
- Massawa
- Dahlak Archipelago
- Keren
- Qohaito
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- Asmara and the Red Sea coast are the clearest anchors, so most itineraries are better kept compact.
- Travel logistics and permissions can be less straightforward than the map suggests.
- This country is a better fit for travelers who value atmosphere and architectural character over a long list of headline attractions.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Eritrea.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Eritrea Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Eritrea.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Asmara
- Population
- 3,607,000
- Area
- 117,600 km²
- Region
- Eastern Africa
Languages
- Arabic
- English
- Tigrinya
Currency
Eritrean nakfa (Nfk)
ERN
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
32.8
Price level index (US = 100)
Safety & Peace
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Asmara (15.33°N, 38.93°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
15/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 2/100
- Lived safety
- 40/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal❌
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.503
Low human development
- 5-year change
- +0.013
- 10-year change
- +0.024
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.496
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (1)
- 🏛️
Asmara: A Modernist African City
Inscribed 2017
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 0.0%
- Forest cover
- 8.6%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 16
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 22
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
23/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Luxury Infrastructure
70/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. Exercise increased caution in Eritrea due to travel restrictions, limited consular assistance, landmines, and wrongful detentions. Country Summary: The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Eritrea, as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel outside of Asmara. U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Eritrea, including dual U.S.-Eritrean nationals, have been arrested and detained without charge or on false charges. The Department has determined that the risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by the Eritrean government exists. Eritrean law enforcement officials routinely block access by U.S. government officials to U.S. citizens in detention. The U.S. Embassy therefore may not receive notification of your arrest or be allowed access to you if you are detained or arrested. There are landmines in many remote areas in Eritrea, particularly in Nakfa, AdiKeih, Arezza, the 25 mile-wide region (40 km) between the Setit and Mereb Rivers, and in areas north and west of Keren, areas near Massawa, Ghinda, Agordat, Barentu, Dekemhare, and south of Tessenae. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Eritrea. If you decide to travel to Eritrea: Use caution when walking and hiking in remote areas or off main roads. Always carry a copy of your U.S. passport and visa (if applicable). Keep original documents in a secure location. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter. Review the Country Security Report for Eritrea. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data