Tiny country on the West coast of Central Africa, Equatorial Guinea is definitely not one of the most common places for spending a holiday. Who would have heard about its lush rain forests, astonishing volcanic landscapes, secluded African beaches or lively small cities? This small adventurous country surely introduces you to the wild and untamed side of Africa.
Pristine nature. The main attraction of Equatorial Guinea is Pico Basile Volcano, which dominates the skyline of the capital and Bioko Island with its peak rising up to 3011 meters of altitude. The slopes of the mountain are covered by virgin rainforests, which are home to hundreds of species of fascinating animals and colorful plants. Another major natural attraction of Equatorial Guinea, Monte Alen National Park borders the shores of Rio Muni River on the mainland of the country, offering unique possibilities for observing wild African animals such as gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants and crocodiles. The park offers also some facilities for hiking in Equatorial Guinea.
Spanish style towns. Apart from the pristine nature, Equatorial Guinea's best attractions are its two biggest cities, Bata in the mainland and the capital Malabo on Bioko Island. Both of these are small Spanish style towns with 100.000 - 150.000 inhabitants. Malabo's main attractions are its Spanish Gothic style Cathedral, and the busy marketplace offering possibilities for shopping in Equatorial Guinea. Bata is a colorful city, which in addition to its accommodation and restaurants services offers you some excellent and quiet beaches.
Find unspoiled volcanic nature in Equatorial Guinea
Located on the western coastline of Central Africa, Equatorial Guinea is a small and unknown country, comprised of a piece of African mainland and two islands. Its capital city Malabo is located on Bioko Island, which is also home to most of the inhabitants of Equatorial Guinea.Pristine nature. The main attraction of Equatorial Guinea is Pico Basile Volcano, which dominates the skyline of the capital and Bioko Island with its peak rising up to 3011 meters of altitude. The slopes of the mountain are covered by virgin rainforests, which are home to hundreds of species of fascinating animals and colorful plants. Another major natural attraction of Equatorial Guinea, Monte Alen National Park borders the shores of Rio Muni River on the mainland of the country, offering unique possibilities for observing wild African animals such as gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants and crocodiles. The park offers also some facilities for hiking in Equatorial Guinea.
Spanish style towns. Apart from the pristine nature, Equatorial Guinea's best attractions are its two biggest cities, Bata in the mainland and the capital Malabo on Bioko Island. Both of these are small Spanish style towns with 100.000 - 150.000 inhabitants. Malabo's main attractions are its Spanish Gothic style Cathedral, and the busy marketplace offering possibilities for shopping in Equatorial Guinea. Bata is a colorful city, which in addition to its accommodation and restaurants services offers you some excellent and quiet beaches.
Hot, adventurous and quite expensive: Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea is a Former Spanish colony, which gained independence in 1968, and has after that suffered a violent history with inner problems and strong dictatorship. In spite of oil findings which have boosted the economical growth of the country, most of people in Equatorial Guinea continue to live in very poor conditions. Surprisingly enough, price level for all tourism services in Equatorial Guinea is quite high, mainly because the country is everything but a popular destination with well-maintained tourist services. Although Equatorial Guinea is not one of the safest countries on earth, you will probably get by with standard personal security precautions such as keeping your valuables hidden and avoiding crowded places.
Photo: Kaloyan, used under Creative Commons License (By SA 3.0)
In cities like Malabo and Bata, walking outside after dark should be avoided.
Weather. If you are prepared to meet the challenge, one thing you will have to be prepared for is hot weather. Equatorial Guinea is a tropical country with hot and humid weather throughout the year. However, the hot climate in Equatorial Guinea is cooled a bit by a rainy period, which lasts from April to October. The best time to travel to Equatorial Guinea is outside this period.
How to get there. Flights to Equatorial Guinea land mainly at Malabo airport, located on Bioko Island. Moving around in the country can be a bit challenging as there are only a few roads, most of which are in bad condition. You also need a special permit for traveling outside Malabo on Bioko island and Bata in mainland.
Tourism services. Most of the hotels in Equatorial Guinea are found in Malabo, which goes also for restaurants in Equatorial Guinea, as well as for the relatively quiet nightlife of Equatorial Guinea. For traveling around in Equatorial Guinea, there are taxis available in the cities and minibuses traveling between the two main cities in the mainland. There is also a ferry connection available between the mainland and Bioko Island. Rental cars are pretty much an unknown thing in Equatorial Guinea, as the road network is very sparse and chances of moving around by car limited.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Libreville
