On the Red Sea, near the border with Djibouti, Assab is the nation's largest port (though it sits idle until relations with Ethiopia normalize) and site of its only oil refinery.
It's also a center for fishing and various watersports. The town itself isn't worth a visit, but the volcanic scenery of the Dankalia region, which you pass through on the way there, is beautiful and otherworldly enough to warrant the journey. This is a rough and remote trip best done with a local driver.
300 mi/480 km southeast of Asmara.
