Introduction
Deep in the jungle where only adventurers go. The diminutive Equatorial Guinea is a slowly developing speck of a country that has few tourist attractions aside from its shorelines and jungle interior. It attracts adventurers looking to get off the beaten-path and explore a bit of the unknown.
Destination Facts
Capital: Malabo
President: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Prime Minister: Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 28050
Population: 540000
Languages: Roman Catholic (85%), traditional African (15%)
Currency: CFA Franc BEAC (CFA)
Country Dialing Code: 240
Getting there
Rain is the main factor to consider when travelling in Equatorial Guinea. Dirt roads become extremely muddy, and you could find yourself stranded for some time. To avoid the rainy season, the best time to travel in Equatorial Guinea is between November and April.
Getting there and away
Two flights a week from Madrid, Spain, takes you to the capital, Malabo. This is the best route if travelling direct from the US to Equatorial Guinea. Regular flights to Douala in Cameroon also run, and these link up with direct flights to various European cities including London, Paris and Rome. There are also flights from several west and central African capitals. Most arrive at Rio Muni by minibus from either Cameroon or Gabon. If you're then heading to Bioko, you can either fly or catch the ferry. Arranging to put your own car on the ferry may be the thing that finally breaks you on your African jaunt - you'd be well advised to leave it in Bata and avoid the frustration. Bush taxis are also an option, although few travellers are attracted to the uncertainty of this means of travel.
Getting around
The country's national airline schedules six flights a week from Malabo to Bata. On Bioko there are good bush taxi connections around the island, while in Rio Muni about three minibuses a day run each way along the coast road between Bata and Acalayong and six a day head inland to Ebebiyin. The country has only one completely sealed road, but you'll be unlikely to use it - it links the president's tiny hometown with another tiny town in the remote east of the country.
Visa:
All visitors to Equatorial Guinea require a visa, which is usually valid for 30 days. In Africa, the easiest places to get a visa are Cameroon and Gabon, though it's not very difficult anywhere, with same-day service the norm.
Weather
There is little relief from the typically hot and sticky weather in Equatorial Guinea (you are, after all, right on the equator). Things cool down a bit between June and September, but rainfall is still abundant. Sunshine is slightly more generous in January and February, which see the least rain and humidity of the year, though the heat is still likely to push you into the shade.
Deep in the jungle where only adventurers go. The diminutive Equatorial Guinea is a slowly developing speck of a country that has few tourist attractions aside from its shorelines and jungle interior. It attracts adventurers looking to get off the beaten-path and explore a bit of the unknown.
Destination Facts
Capital: Malabo
President: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Prime Minister: Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 28050
Population: 540000
Languages: Roman Catholic (85%), traditional African (15%)
Currency: CFA Franc BEAC (CFA)
Country Dialing Code: 240
Getting there
Rain is the main factor to consider when travelling in Equatorial Guinea. Dirt roads become extremely muddy, and you could find yourself stranded for some time. To avoid the rainy season, the best time to travel in Equatorial Guinea is between November and April.
Getting there and away
Two flights a week from Madrid, Spain, takes you to the capital, Malabo. This is the best route if travelling direct from the US to Equatorial Guinea. Regular flights to Douala in Cameroon also run, and these link up with direct flights to various European cities including London, Paris and Rome. There are also flights from several west and central African capitals. Most arrive at Rio Muni by minibus from either Cameroon or Gabon. If you're then heading to Bioko, you can either fly or catch the ferry. Arranging to put your own car on the ferry may be the thing that finally breaks you on your African jaunt - you'd be well advised to leave it in Bata and avoid the frustration. Bush taxis are also an option, although few travellers are attracted to the uncertainty of this means of travel.
Getting around
The country's national airline schedules six flights a week from Malabo to Bata. On Bioko there are good bush taxi connections around the island, while in Rio Muni about three minibuses a day run each way along the coast road between Bata and Acalayong and six a day head inland to Ebebiyin. The country has only one completely sealed road, but you'll be unlikely to use it - it links the president's tiny hometown with another tiny town in the remote east of the country.
Visa:
All visitors to Equatorial Guinea require a visa, which is usually valid for 30 days. In Africa, the easiest places to get a visa are Cameroon and Gabon, though it's not very difficult anywhere, with same-day service the norm.
Weather
There is little relief from the typically hot and sticky weather in Equatorial Guinea (you are, after all, right on the equator). Things cool down a bit between June and September, but rainfall is still abundant. Sunshine is slightly more generous in January and February, which see the least rain and humidity of the year, though the heat is still likely to push you into the shade.
0 comments:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !