ERITREA - A HIDDEN AFRICAN PARADISE
With the amount of stress in our day to day life; the only thing which keeps us ticking is an occasional break. Who doesn't imagine themselves basking in the tropical sun, while gazing at excruciating boring screens at work? The fact is that because of various the new exotic holiday destinations and cheap competitive holidays easily available, everyone can now think about taking a much needed breather.
Eritrea is one of these new found exotic getaways which still boast of the nature’s virgin beauty.
“Africa”, the first picture it brings to our mind is of wildlife, beauty and adventure. Though the continent is not well recognized for a holiday, it is now being recognized as a mainstream tourist destination because of its splendid nature. One of the most secretive countries of Africa, Eritrea once considered as a good place for travelling is still destined to remain a hidden gem.
GEOGRAPHY
Eritrea is one of the small beautiful countries located in the horn of Africa. It is surrounded by Sudan in the west, Eithopia in the south and Djibouti in the southeast. Red Sea is located on its north and east side which provides it one of the hottest and driest places of Africa. The tourists can have an exotic holiday from dazzling mountain ranges (Africa’s Rift Valley) to the coast of Red Sea. Eritrea offers one of the most untouched coral sites in the world. The capital is Asmara located on a high fertile plateau known for its friendliness and striking beauty.
Due to history of constant tension with its neighbour Ethopia since 1998, this country was not in the list of preferred destinations for holiday in the tourism industry but now the conditions are no longer the same. In fact, one must take a tour of this country to enjoy the splendid nature.
HISTORY
Eritrea is one of the oldest civilizations consisting of hunter gatherers. As per the archaeological evidence, it also has a link with the ancient civilization of Egypt. The name Eritrea comes from the ancient Greek name Erythraia which means the “Red Land”. It has a population of about 4.6 million people and area 124,320 sq km. People speak Tigrinya, Arabic and other regional languages. English is the main official language used in government communication and formal education. Eritrea gained its independence from Ethopia and international recognition in 1993. It is one of Africa’s newest and least explored independent republics.
CLIMATE
The climate of Eritrea is hot and dry desert along Red Sea coast. It is temperate in the mountains and hot in the lowlands. However, it is cooler and wetter in the central Highlands. The maximum temperature goes to 26 degrees in Asmara. Eritrea had a large population of elephants which were used by Egypt in the war. The country is hot from May to August, cold from December to February, and rains from March to April. Eritrea has no year-round rivers. In 2006, Eritrea became the first country in the world to turn its complete coast into an environmentally confined zone.
ECONOMY
Like many other developing and under developed countries, Eritrea is mainly an agricultural country with 80% of its population involved in faming and herding. There are very few private enterprises in Eritrea. The government controls the foreign currency strictly by limiting access and availability. The govt. is working on its mining projects to improve its economy. Despite the tensions, the Canadian mining company has signed a contract with the govt. in 2007 and plans to begin mineral extraction in 2010. To enhance the economy, Eritrea has also opened a free trade zone at the port of Massawa in 2008. This has in fact improved the economic conditions of Eritrea. Agriculture and trade are the main sources of income of the Eritrean people.
PEOPLE
Eritrea consists of ethically diverse society. Tigrinya is the main ethinic group which constitutes of about 50% of the population. Tigre and Kunama are other groups represent another 40 % of the population. The rest of the population is from other Afro-Asiatic groups such as Saho, Hedareb, Afar and Bilen. These people are thought to be the oldest inhabitants of the horn of Africa. Every ethnic group speak a different native tongue but many of the minorities speak more than one language. The minorities have little influence on the life of Eritrea. The government doesn’t give them citizenship easily to these minorities. The two prominent religions in Eritrea are Christianity and Islam with approximately half of the population representing each faith. Most Muslims are Sunni. Most Christians are part of Eritrean Orthodox church called “Copts” and considerable groups of Roman Catholics and Protestants also exist.
Tigrinya is the dominant ethnical group of Eritrea. The Eritrean architecture reflects British and Italian colonial influence through out the country. The merging of Italian and Tigrinya culture can be best seen in the capital city Asmara. There are a number of café, restaurants and food joints serving a variety of Italian cuisines. However, these are not seen in the villages. The villages serve the authentic traditional food. Italian and American films are very common and appear in cinemas quite often. There are no private radio or TV stations. All TV and news agencies are state owned. Football and bicycle racing are the popular sports in Eritrea. Many Eritrean athletes have been increasing success in the international arena in recent years.
BEST TIME TO VISIT FESTIVALS
Eritrea culture reflects the diverse customs, traditions, beliefs and fashion of the Eritrean people. Their festivals reflect the history and culture of the society. It is advisable for tourists to visit this country during one of the festivals to have an unforgettable vacation.
There are numerous festivals in Eritrea which are celebrated with lot of pomp and show during the summer season. Many festivals are associated with harvesting and cultivation seasons of the country. These festivals characterize colorful celebrations, local customs and a variety of cultural activities which reflect the society and culture of Eritrea. They are celebrated in urban and rural areas of the country and have long rooted customs and traditions. Tehambele is an important festival celebrated by the villagers of the country. This festival is celebrated by dancing which makes it more attractive for the tourists to enjoy the traditional dance performances. The tourists are also given a warm welcome to participate and enjoy in these festivals. The most important festival celebrated once every year is called Expo. The festival is celebrated for seven days and nights in the last week of July and early August. It is the most jubilant festival where all families unite and celebrate it together with joy. Creativity is highly encouraged in this festival. Expo is also the national festival of the country. Some of the festivals are also related to the liberation movement of the country like Bologna festival in the month of August.
Attractions
• There are many travel attractions in Eritrea like museums, beaches and palaces.
• The main beaches which are an ideal location for sunbathing and swimming are Assab beaches and Gurgusum beach.
• Also the Dahlak Archipelago national park offers abundant opportunities for snorkelling and scuba diving.
• Asmara national museum is a famous museum where the freedom struggle and history has been well portrayed. There is a magnificent Cathedral in Asmara, the massive Al Khulafa Al Rashiudin mosque along with the national museum.
• Governor’s palace is another major attraction in the country.
• There are splendid nature reserves like Gash-Setit wildlife reserve, Nakfa wildlife reserve and Yob wildlife reserve.
• There are beautiful islands like Baste Island or Sheikh Island which is a favourite picnic spot for many tourists.
• Emberemi is an important pilgrimage site famous for the mausoleums of Sheikh el Amin and Muhammad Ibn Ali.
• The bustling market of Keren is another spectacular spot for the tourists.
TRAVEL FORMALITIES
In order to enter Eritrea, all visitors require visa prior to entering the country. Due to low economic conditions, the country is prone to many serious diseases such as malaria, meningitis, typhoid and hepatitis A. It is therefore advisable to take vaccine and health insurance prior to arrival in Eritrea. It is important to know that all foreign nationals require a permit to go out of Asmara and visit other places because of terrorism. It is easy to commute in Eritrea by internal flights, railway lines, cars, buses and taxi.
STAY
Visitors who visit this small yet adventure full country can make their stay comfortable in one of the several good hotels especially in Asmara, Massawa and Assab. There are also hotels and guest houses in smaller towns which are much cheaper than those in the main centres.
The currency of Eritrea is known as Nakfa (US $1= Nfa 15) which is preferable to use than credit cards. However, all major hotels accept travellers cheques, credit cards and the dollars can be easily exchanged with a good rate with the bank.
FOOD
One must try the Eritrean food and delicacies. Massawa is renowned for its seafood especially prawn and lobster. National delicacies include kitcha (thin bread from wheat), injera (a spongy pancake), tsebhi and alicha birsen while national drinks comprise bun (coffee), shahi (plain tea), swa (beer from local grain) and fruit juices.
CONCLUSION
Eritrea is a hidden gem which has still not been explored by the travel and tourism department. Thus people who like nature and adventure should organise a trip to this picturesque country. One can always take vital precautions before going to this country.
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