Sudan to turn maritime marvel into tourist resort

Sanganeb Island, Sudan's first sea reserve, lies 13 nautical miles from Port-Sudan harbour on the eastern coast of the Red Sea State in eastern Sudan.

Sanganeb Island, Sudan's first sea reserve, lies 13 nautical miles from Port-Sudan harbour on the eastern coast of the Red Sea State in eastern Sudan.

Published Nov 17, 2016

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Khartoum - Sudan's Sanganeb Island in Red Sea is a global wealth that should be preserved and developed into a tourism resort, said Secretary-General of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai.

He called for briefing the world on the island and providing the necessary requirements to make use of it as a tourist destination, he told Xinhua.

Sanganeb Island, Sudan's first sea reserve, lies about 13 nautical miles from Port-Sudan harbour on the eastern coast of the Red Sea State in eastern Sudan.

According to environment studies, Sanganeb Island is home to around 124 groups of coral reefs, about 250 species of fish, like sharks, while types of whales and dolphins occasionally visit the island.

During his visit to the Island, accompanied by Sudanese officials and a media team, Rifai added that “I did not know that Sudan maintains a huge fortune like this island. I was surprised by the beauty of this island which enjoys all elements of maritime reserves.” He urged the Sudanese authorities to provide infrastructures at the island, encourage tourism to it, prevent overfishing and protect it against marine pollution.

Sanganeb Island is nicknamed “the Bride of Maritime Tourism in the Red Sea” as it is completely submerged in the water, which allows it to be a suitable place for scuba diving and attract under water photographers due to its pure blue water.

Sanganeb Island includes a huge lighthouse to alert the big ships to avoid passing through the shallow water and coral reefs zone at the reserve. The lighthouse was built in 1898.

Xinhua

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