Is Massawa safe? Eritrea travel risk
Is Massawa safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Massawa scores 50/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Eritrea Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 31 Jul 2023); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country (updated 12 Oct 2026); Canada says: avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Massawa scores 50/100 (Elevated). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Eritrea (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Massawa: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: security (65/100) and crime and scams (45/100).
A score of 50 is higher than the scores of 67% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Eritrea travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Location & Spatial Data
In the Semienawi K’eyyĭḥ Baḥri territory, Massawa is established at 15.6097° N, 39.4500° E. It lies 62.5 km WSW relative to Asmara. Time zone observed: Africa/Asmara.
Semienawi K’eyyĭḥ Baḥri
15.6097° N, 39.4500° E
9 m
Africa/Asmara
39,758
Transit Links & Medical Facilities
Proximate Regional Communities (Eritrea)
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
Most earthquake events within 100 km of Massawa happened in August and December (2 of 2 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
2 major seismic events recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.6 on 1 Aug 2023 (44 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Eritrea travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Eritrea entry requirements.
Surrounding Places with Full Dossiers
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