Equatorial Guinea

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Quick Facts

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Local name

Guinea Ecuatorial

Capital

Malabo

Government

Republic

Nationality

Equatoguinean

Population

486,000

Languages

Spanish, French, Portuguese

Religions

Christianity (Catholic)

Currency

Central African CFA franc (XAF)

Calling Code

+240

Time Zone

WAT (UTC+1)

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Introduction

Equatorial Guinea is a squarish country on the Atlantic coast, situated between Cameroon and Gabon. It's got that bustling African tropics feel, has some stylish Spanish architectural influences and is pretty much overlooked by the tourist community. The mainland constitutes most of the land area, but the island of Bioko boasts some delightful attractions. The island's volcanic landscape makes for a beautiful backdrop, as well as excellent hiking opportunities. The biggest town, Malabo, affords an energetic nightlife - there's just something about the combination of tropical weather, African culture and Spanish flavours that makes for a great night. The mainland (known also as Rio Muni) has less stunning features, but has all the good beaches, as well as a large wildlife population.

Brief History

Geography

Regions/Provinces

Equatorial Guinea consists of 7 provinces.

• Annobón Province
• Bioko Norte Province
• Bioko Sur Province
• Centro Sur Province
• Kié-Ntem Province
• Litoral Province
• Wele-Nzas Province

Cities

• Malabo, the capital

* Acalayong

• Bata
• Ebebiyín
• Evinayong
• Luba
• Mbini
• Mongomo

Sights and Activities

Monte Alen National Park

Monte Alen is definitely nature's highlight in Equatorial Guinea and actually one of the most beautiful and quiet parks anywhere in the region. If it is only one place you can visit, make sure it is this treasure. The protected area covers around 1400 square kilometres of virgin lush rainforests and there is a lot of wildlife to discover here, including the West African lowland gorilla, as well as mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants, crocodiles and many other species of African wildlife. Well-maintained and accessible trails guide you through the rainforests and if you want to go deeper into the park, it is best to go with a guide and camping equipment as any other option, like lodges, are totally absent here, which only adds to the quiet atmosphere. Also bring enough water and food, and dry clothes to be self-sufficient for a day or so. The park can be reached by shared taxi from Bata. For more details, check the Ecofac website, which has several other national parks in the region to be visited.

Bioko

Bioko is a beautiful island, where the capital Malabo is located. It has black sand beaches and three volcanoes: the Pico de Santa Isabel, the Pico de Moka and in the south of the island the Gran Caldera. In the capital you will find many colonial buildings and if you are just a bit interested in architecture, be sure to visit the Gothic style cathedral and the court of justice building.

Luba

Less than 50 kilometres from Malabo is the second biggest city of Bioko: Luba. From here well maintained special trails for hiking lead into the surrounding area and from here you can visit one of the most beautiful beaches on the island or take a look in one of the surrounding fishing villages.

Ureca

At several of the beaches at Ureca turtles come ashore to lay their eggs during the dry season. And since 1996 this spectacular happening is well guarded by local villager who now work as patrol guards at the beaches during this nesting season. This was necessary as turtles as well as their eggs were sold as consumption goods on the local markets. There are a few guesthouses to stay nearby and apart from seeing the turtles or enjoying the beaches yourself, you can go hiking in the nearby jungle.

Evinayong

Located on the mainland, about 180 kilometres south of Bata, this city offers the chance to visit a unique place where few visitors go. The surrounding area is just perfect for nature enthusiasts and the climate is less hot. Camping close to one of the many waterfalls is just a breathtaking experience without another tourist in sight.

Bata

Bata is the capital of the mainland region of Rio Muni and is actually larger than Malabo itself. Bata is worth a visit because of its colonial charm and despite being a bustling city it is a safe and clean place to go. There is a good infrastructure for travellers with bars, hotels and restaurants and a lot to do or see in town or nearby islands and beaches north and south of Bata. And the good thing is, like in most parts of the country that you will enjoy everything just by yourself as mass tourism is something unheard of.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Located along the equator, Equatorial (what's in a name) Guinea has a climate typical for this region. Both the mainland and the islands have high temperatures, high humidity, heavy rainfall, and much cloud around the year. Annual rainfall is around 2000 mm. December to February is the dry period with only a few days with some showers. During most of the rest of the year, rainfall is high, with some peaks in May/June and September/October. Temperatures are around 30 degrees Celsius year round during the day, and around 20 degrees at night with extremely little variation. The records are 17 degrees at night and 33 at daytime.

Getting There

By Plane

Malabo Airport or Saint Isabel Airport (SSG) is the international airport. CEIBA International has its base here and flies to and from Annobon, Bata, Brazzaville, Cotonou, Douala, Libreville and Sao Tomé. It's on the list of airlines banned from European territory.
Guinee Ecuatorial Airlines flies to Bata on the mainland as well.
Air France flies to and from Paris, while Iberia and Spanair fly to Madrid. Lufthansa started a Frankfurt-Malabo flight on the 1st of April 2008. Nairobi, Addis Abeba, London, Cotonou and Casablanca have flights as well with their respective national airlines mainly. Finally, Lomé is served by Benin Air which flies to Cotonou as well.

By Car

Usually, borders described below can be crossed with your own car as well, except the one where you have to use the pirogue. Have your papers and insurance in orders, and arrange Gabonese as well Equatorial Guinea visas before arrival. Also expect some hassling and paying bribes as is usual in this corner of the world.

By Bus

Crossing to Gabon can be done from Cogo/Acalayong to Cocobeach by pirogue. Also overland via Mongomo or Ebebiyin to Oyem and Bitam.
To and from Cameroon, travellers can always cross at Ebebeyin. However, the border at Rio Campo (two to three hours from Bata) isn’t always open, so check before you head there. The rules change all the time so you need to be careful and check things before you intend to cross borders.

By Boat

There are regular passenger ferries between the port city of Douala in Cameroon and both Malabo at Bioko Island as well as Bata at the mainland part of Equatorial Guinea, also called Rio Muni.

Getting Around

By Plane

Ecuato Guineana flies between Malabo and Bata about 6 times a week and Ceiba Intercontinental GE does the same, albeit slightly less frequent.

By Car

Few roads in the country are paved, but some are under construction. Most gravel roads are in a relatively good shape though, except after heavy rains, when they can become impassable. Cars can be hired in the main cities and the international airport, but rates are high. Traffic drives on the right and you need you national driver's licence.

By Bus

There are about 3 daily minibuses travelling between Bata and Mbini and Acalayong along the coastal road at the mainland part (Rio Muni) of Equatorial Guinea. On Bioko Island, bush taxis connect Malabo with the island’s two other main towns, Luba and Riaba. On the mainland, bush taxis run from Bata to Mongomo and Ebebiyin.

By Boat

There is a ferry between Malabo and Bata. The trip takes about 12 hours and there are four classes of travel.

Red Tape

Check the latest information about getting a visa on the Guinea-Equatorial website. Only US citizens do not need a visa.

Money

See also Money matters

Equatorial Guinea uses the CFA Franc as a currency. The CFA Franc is divided into 100 centimes. Coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500 francs while banknotes come in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 francs
The exchange range is fixed at aproximately 656 CFA Francs for one Euro.

In Equatorial Guinea the Central African CFA Franc (XAF) is used which has the same vallue as the West African CFA Franc (XOF), but it's not possible to use both currencies in the same country.

Fourteen countries in Africa use this currency, eight in West Africa and six in Central Africa. The West African CFA Franc can only be used in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, while the Central African CFA Franc can only be used in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Work

Study

Language

See also Spanish phrasebook, Portuguese phrasebook

Spanish, French and Portuguese are the official languages of Equatorial Guinea. The former is the most widely spoken, particularly around Malabo.

Fang, Bube and Annobonese are three regional languages officially recognized by the constitution.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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