Gabon

Get in

thumb|375px|A map showing the visa requirements of Gabon, with countries in green having visa-free access. Countries in blue need an eVisa or Visa on arrival. Countries in yellow need an eVisa thumb|Gabon visa extension and exit stamp

Get around

The easiest way to get around outside of cities is by bus (typically 6- or 9-seater cars, but sometimes minibuses). There are many and they are very cheap (e.g., FCFA 7000 to go from Libreville to Lamberene). Within cities, taxis are plentiful and are very cheap. No fare should be more than FCFA 5000 for one person. Fares depend on distance (and whether the driver will be able to find more fares at your destination). A 2- or 3-minute drive will cost FCFA 100, and FCFA 2000 is plenty to go from Owendo train station to the centre of Libreville. Taxi prices typically double after 21:00.

See

thumb|View of Libreville Gabon's capital and main city, Libreville, has several interesting churches, including Cathédrale Sainte Marie, Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, and Church of St. Michael Nkembo. The National Museum of Gabon and National Museum of Arts and Traditions have intriguing collections of sculptures and other art.

The Ogooué is Gabon's longest river. Flowing 1,200 km through the interior of tropical forest, the river holds a variety of ecosystems, including the critically-endangered slender-snouted crocodile.

Do

Chez Beti - a small seaside safari camp near the village of Nyonie owned and operated by a French ex-pat. Clean, air-conditioned cottages and all-inclusive family style meals accompany the evening Landcruiser and sunrise walking safaris. Wildlife sightings can include elephants, buffalo, monkeys, parrots, hornbills and other local fauna. The camp is located just a few km south of the equator, along a pristine stretch of beach. Prices are very reasonable and include roundtrip transportation from the marina in Libreville; consisting of an hour long boat transit to a small landing in the mangroves, followed by a 45 minute 4x4 trip along jungle roads to the camp. Contact information: tel. 07 57 14 23 or 06 03 36 36, e-mail: [email protected]

Eat

The Balbool restaurant serves delicious western food with very cheap prices. Ask for the big Balbool soup.

Drink

thumb|A bottle of Regab beer The cheapest local beer is Regab, it costs FCFA 500-2000 and comes in a 650 mL bottle.

There are fantastic fruit juices available: "D'jino" Pampelmousse (grapefruit), Ananas (pineapple), Citron (Lemon) in 300 mL bottles at FCFA 400 and in a 1.5 L bottle at FCFA 900 if bought in a shop.

Sleep

There is just one main international hotelier in operation in the country - Radisson in the form of Radisson Blu and Park Inn Radisson in Libreville. Apart from this, there are budget and economy hotels in the various municipalities of Gabon.

Long-term lease on apartments is also an option.

Stay safe

Gabon is a somewhat safe country compared to its neighbors, but don't let that fool you as pickpockets and other types of crimes targeting tourists are still common and you should practice common sense. Libreville and Port-Gentil are generally safer than the other areas of Gabon.

Gabon has been politically unstable since the coup, and it's advised to avoid any gathering as it may turn violent. Police may also confiscate your passport and interrogate you on why you came to Gabon.

Stay healthy

Malaria is common, so visitors should take malaria pills and a mosquito net when travelling in Gabon.

HIV/AIDS is a common disease in Gabon with 8% (1 in 12) of adults infected.

Don't drink the tap water.

Respect

The people are generally very friendly, respectful and helpful to visitors.