Equatorial Guinea

Understand

For visitors, Equatorial Guinea is infamous for its high prices and hard-to-get visas for most. This is nominally a police state, akin to Turkmenistan and North Korea (minus the minders and organized persecution of its inhabitants). As a result, tourist infrastructure is sparse and it is not a high priority for the government. You are likely to face harassment by police forces curious of what you are doing in the country as a "tourist". Since the oil companies operating here are mostly American, Americans may receive marginally better treatment compared to other nationalities (e.g. visa-free entry, less suspicion by police).

Since the discovery of oil, Equatorial Guinea has—at least on paper—one of the highest per-capita incomes on the planet. Despite this, income and day-to-day life for many Equatorial Guineans has improved little, due to the endemic corruption siphoning off oil revenue into the hands of a small wealthy elite. However, there has been progress, and new infrastructure and modernization projects are under construction or even finished, especially on Bioko and around Malabo. A new city called Ciudad de la Paz (City of Peace) has been built deep in the jungles of the mainland, officially becoming the capital in 2026. In spite of the impressive-looking new infrastructure, few Equatorial Guineans have access to it, and while the government throws billions of dollars at new construction, less than half the country's population (of fewer than 700,000) have access to…

Get in

thumb|375px|A map showing the visa requirements of Equatorial Guinea, with countries in dark green having visa-free access

Obtaining a visa for Equatorial Guinea has historically been notoriously expensive and difficult. Tourism is not a priority of the government, and visitors without obvious business or family reasons are viewed with grave suspicion.

See

thumb|Children enjoying nature

There are lots of beaches. Take the precautions listed in the 'Stay Safe' category.

Eat

There are several good places to eat, particularly in Malabo. The coffee shop at Hotel Sofitel (across from the Cathedral along the north coast) offers French cuisine. Hotel Bahia's main restaurant is also a favorite destination for locals and expats. For pizza and pasta, the Pizza Place is the best place in the city. For Asian cuisine, Restaurante Bantu offers Chinese cuisine. For Moroccan and European food, try La Luna. Try Equatorial Guinean cuisine such as smoked beef with a black pepper. There is also a roast duck with cheese and onion leaf.