The quintessential Nubian town: sleepy, good-natured, a place you can catch your breath in. Sit in a tea house and watch the world go by, or take the ferry south from the village of Tabaj to Sai Island and follow your inner Indiana Jones.
Sai Island
With a temple from Egypt's Middle Kingdom, an Ottoman fort and a medieval church among the many ruins, Sai Island is something of a synopsis of ancient Sudanese history. The fort is actually built on the foundations of a 1500 BC Egyptian town, and the ground around the ruins is littered with millions of bits of broken pottery. Little but three upright granite columns and a few walls remain of the medieval church, but physically it's probably the most striking site on the island.
Pro-tip: Most island sites are close to the river and the most enjoyable way to get between them is to hire a boat for a couple of hours.