Heissa Island

Heissa Island is a rocky Nubian island in the Nile south of the city of Aswan. It lies in the stretch of water enclosed between the old Aswan Dam and the High Dam, close to Agilkia Island, to which the temple of Philae was moved. It is surrounded by the granite boulders that characterise the river in the area of the First Cataract.

The island is inhabited by Nubians who have kept their language, customs and style of building. Like other communities in the area, they were affected by the dam projects of the twentieth century, which altered water levels and the shape of the land. No road reaches the island, and all movement to and from it is by boat, which has kept daily life there quiet and apart from the bustle of the city.

Visitors see brightly painted Nubian houses with domes, open courtyards and decorated walls, walk through the lanes of the villages and eat Nubian food in family homes, some of which take overnight guests. Heissa is one of the places near Aswan that still reflects the everyday life of the Nubian community, and part of its residents' income comes from visitors.