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.

Drink

thumb|213x213px|A bottle of Guineana in a bar in Bata

Ebebiyin is known for its many bars. Wine is available, and the locally produced beer, Guineana, is very good.

Sleep

Due to the influx of foreign workers and foreign investment in Malabo and on the continent, there is an ample choice of hotels.

Stay healthy

Food and water: There are no potable or clean water sources in Equatorial Guinea. Visitors should drink only bottled water. Take care when consuming any fruits or vegetables that may have been washed or drinks that may contain ice cubes or 'water' additives such as coffee, tea or lemonade.

Wear shoes: Beaches in Malabo and Bata are beautiful, however, due to discarded trash and unsafe sand bugs, it is a good idea to always wear shoes. This applies to walking on carpeted areas as well.

Malaria medicine: Malaria is a leading cause of death in this country. It is advised that visitors consult their doctor for malaria tablets. Plasmodium falciparum malaria is the most common strain in EG; it is resistant to the anti-malarial drug chloroquine.

According to the US embassy, the La Paz Hospitals in Bata and Malabo are the only two in the country with medical standards of a hospital in a developed country.

Respect

Local people are very hospitable and have a certain familiarity for everything related to Spain, as the country was a Spanish province until 1968. In addition, half of the country's population emigrated to Spain between 1966 and the 1990s.