Lagos
The favourite with fashionable Lagosians is Eleko Beach, a big 60km trip east of the city. You can rent a beach hut for the day here, and get someone to…
Must-see attractions in West Africa
São Tomé
While a bit worse for wear, this hillside map of the world, with the real world's equator running through it, does allow you to stand astride the primary…
Accra
Built by the Danes around 1659 and originally called Christiansborg Castle, Osu Castle was the seat of government until 2013, when the president and his…
Abidjan
On the northwest edge of town is the cool and shaded Parc du Banco rainforest reserve. It has pleasant walking trails, majestic trees and a lake, but you…
Senegal
On the Langue de Barbarie, Guet N'Dar is a fantastically busy fishing town worth checking out to observe local culture. Come here to watch dozens of…
São Tomé
This long and shallow gray-sand beach produces many rows of waves, hence 'Seven Waves Beach'. It's good for kids, beginner surfers, and a long beach walk,…
Liberia
In the early evenings, the soft light gives an eldritch feel to the shell of the presidential mansion of former president William Tubman, who was born in…
Brazzaville
The body of Italian-French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, who founded the settlement that became Brazzaville, was returned to Congo in 2006 and is…
Musée Ethnographique de Porto Novo
Benin
Housed in a pretty colonial building, this museum is well worth a gander. The top floor is organised thematically around birth, life and death, with…
Senegal
The Maghreb-style building of the Grand Mosque in the north was constructed in 1847 by order of the colonial administration to appease the growing Muslim…
São Tomé
This attractive small cove with aquamarine water is perhaps too well known, as it is developing a trash problem. Walk up to the lighthouse for beautiful…
Cameroon
Well worth dropping into if you're nearby in Douala, this contemporary art space hosts changing displays of work from all over Cameroon and the rest of…
Burkina Faso
Perched on the hillside, Koro's houses – built amid rock formations – are unique in the area, and there are fine panoramic views over the countryside from…
Burkina Faso
This excellent ethnological museum contains full-scale reproductions of Lobi and Gan compounds, as well as a wide range of photographs and artefacts. The…
Sierra Leone
Over at the junction of Kissy Rd – known locally as 'Up Gun' community – you can see one of the three old boundary cannons that were used to mark the…
Sierra Leone
The Old Wharf Steps, sometimes erroneously called the Portuguese Steps, lead up from Government Wharf. The stones were set in 1818. Many of the new…
Libreville
Highly decorated with carved pillars, bright murals and a big statue of St George killing the dragon, this church can hold up to 3000 people. The sculptor…
Boa Vista
The spooky village of Curral Velho was abandoned due to near-endless drought. You can wander amid the crumbling ruins of the old buildings, then head down…
Catedral de Santiago Apóstol y Nuestra Señora del Pilar
Rio Muni
Built by the Spanish in 1954, this ochre-plastered cathedral is picked out in brown and stands proud on a hill. It's a severe-looking place, but the…
Guinea
This small cooperative of artisans is one of the best places in Guinea to watch high-quality leather goods such as sandals, wallets and bags being made…
Guinea
The bustling central market is worth a poke about. Among the piles of tomatoes, rice and random bits of meat you might find bottles of cure-all…
Malabo
This deep green house was prefabricated in Belgium in the early 19th century and has recently been restored. It is a prominent landmark and is highly…
Mindelo
With its modern glass and concrete constructions, this swank new complex looks and feels more like the south of France than Cabo Verde. Dotted with palm…
Liberia
This is a fantastic spot to swim in a lagoon sheltered by rocks, and is a quieter option than other Monrovia area beaches. It lies in the shadow of the…
São Tomé
This botanical garden has scores of different species, many with medicinal uses. The personal tours here are excellent, with much local lore and history…
Bioko Island
This small yellow church is in a picturesque location on a wooded hillside overlooking the sea in the village of Basakoto, south of Malabo. A tour of…
Nigeria
The totally bizarre Revelation Tourist Palazzo has simulations of slave markets, rituals, ancestral shrines, and odd punitive practices. It's the creation…
Rio Muni
In ruins now, this mission house dates to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when there were many European missionaries, merchants and colonial…
Senegal
Climb to the top of the Castel, the southern tip of the island, for great views, and seek out the cluster of tiny arts workshops filled with pieces by…
Cape Coast
This gracious old church was set up by missionaries of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society in 1835, making it one of the oldest (and largest)…
Conakry
Jardin 2 Octobre is a large park that contains a well-maintained children's playground. For those without little people in tow it's a calm break from the…
Senegal
In the south, next to the governor's palace, you'll find the Cathedral, an 1828 building with a neoclassical facade that is one of the oldest operating…
Sierra Leone
Built in the early 1800s, this grand cathedral provides welcome respite from hectic downtown Freetown, as well as an interesting insight into the city's…
Brazzaville
Brazza's biggest market, in the neighbourhood of Bacongo, Marché Total sells everything from technological wonders and caterpillars to monkeys and…
Mindelo
Inside the old customs house, the cultural centre houses changing exhibitions of local arts and culture and has a tiny shop selling local crafts, music…
Musée des Arts et Traditions Bamoun
Cameroon
Located in the Village des Artisans, this small museum houses a private collection of art and historical artefacts.
Cape Coast
Built in 1821 on a hillside in western Cape Coast, Fort Victoria was used as an outlook post by the British, hence the stunning views out over the town.
Cameroon
Dramatically decorated with mosaics, this arts centre and workshop boldly announces itself. The centre supports the work of local contemporary artists.
Mindelo
Jutting out into the harbour is the fortresslike Torre de Belém – a Disney World version of the 15th-century tower that guards Lisbon's port.
Serekunda & Atlantic Coast Resorts
Bakau's botanic gardens were established in 1924 and offer shade, peace and good bird-spotting chances. It's a small space – just 1.5 hectares.
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