Cameroon · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Cameroon
These are the places worth your time in Cameroon, from Douala's markets and makossa bars to Yaoundé's hills, Kribi's beaches, Foumban's royal palace and the volcanic coast at Limbe. Classics sit beside quiet corners few travellers ever see, so every kind of visitor finds something to love.
Places to Visit in Douala
Things to Do
- La Pagode (Bonanjo)
The ornate 1905 palace of the Manga Bell royal family, Douala's best known colonial era landmark. - Cathédrale Saints Pierre et Paul (Akwa)
A calm, airy cathedral right in the heart of the business district. - Pont sur le Wouri (Bonabéri)
The long bridge over the Wouri, best seen at sunset as the fishing canoes come home.
Arts and Culture
- doual'art (Bonanjo)
A pioneering contemporary art centre that has filled Douala's streets with public artworks. - Musée Maritime de Douala (Bonanjo)
A boat shaped museum telling the story of the Wouri estuary, the port and seafaring Cameroon. - La Nouvelle Liberté (Deïdo)
Joseph Francis Sumégné's giant scrap metal statue at a busy roundabout, a symbol of the city. - Institut Français du Cameroun Douala (Bonanjo)
Concerts, films and exhibitions with a strong line up of Cameroonian artists.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché Central (Akwa)
The city's sprawling main market, loud, crowded and full of fabrics, spices and everyday life. - Marché des Fleurs (Bonapriso)
A long running craft market for masks, carvings, beads and Bamoun brass work. - Marché Mboppi (Akwa)
The wholesale market where traders from across Central Africa stock up, best visited with a local friend. - Marché Sandaga (Akwa)
A bustling produce market for plantains, peppers, njangsang and other kitchen staples. - Marché de Deïdo (Deïdo)
A neighbourhood market with smoked fish, cassava sticks and friendly sellers.
Restaurants
- Youpwé fish market (Youpwé)
Choose your fish straight off the canoes and have it grilled with plantain and pepper sauce by the water.
Bars and Nightlife
- Rue de la Joie (Deïdo)
Douala's famous nightlife street, lined with bars playing makossa and bikutsi until very late. - Boulevard de la Liberté bars (Akwa)
Busy terraces and cabarets where grilled fish, cold beer and live music run late into the night. - Akwa Palace terrace bar (Akwa)
A classic place for an early evening drink watching the boulevard.
Cafés
- Pâtisserie Calafatas (Akwa)
A historic bakery and pastry shop, a Douala institution for croissants and coffee.
Stays
- Hôtel Akwa Palace (Akwa)
A classic central hotel with a pool, close to the cathedral and the main boulevards. - Pullman Douala Rabingha (Bonanjo)
A polished international hotel near the government quarter and the river. - Sawa Hotel (Bonanjo)
A long established hotel with a large pool, popular with business travellers. - Hôtel La Falaise (Bonanjo)
A boutique style hotel with a good restaurant and terrace bar. - Ibis Douala (Bonanjo)
A reliable, simple and well located option for a short stay.
Events
- Ngondo Festival (Wouri riverbank)
The Sawa peoples' great water festival, with pirogue races and a sacred dive into the Wouri. - Salon Urbain de Douala (Bonanjo)
doual'art's triennial festival of public art that turns neighbourhoods into open air galleries.
Nature and Outdoors
- Douala Edéa National Park (Mouanko)
Mangroves, lagoons and coastal forest a few hours south, with manatees and seabirds.
Places to Visit in Yaoundé
Things to Do
- Monument de la Réunification (Centre)
A striking spiral monument celebrating the 1961 reunification, with good views over the city. - Basilique Marie Reine des Apôtres (Mvolyé)
A modern basilica with bold African inspired art, beside the site of the first Catholic mission. - Cathédrale Notre Dame des Victoires (Centre)
The twin towered cathedral at the heart of downtown Yaoundé.
Arts and Culture
- Musée National du Cameroun (Centre)
The former presidential palace, now a museum of Cameroonian history, art and royal objects. - Musée d'Art Camerounais (Mont Fébé)
A remarkable collection of masks, bronzes and carvings kept by the Benedictine monastery on Mont Fébé. - Institut Français du Cameroun Yaoundé (Centre)
A lively programme of concerts, cinema and exhibitions. - Goethe Institut Kamerun (Bastos)
Talks, film nights and exhibitions often featuring young Cameroonian creatives.
Nature and Outdoors
- Mont Fébé (Mont Fébé)
The hill above the city, with the best panorama of Yaoundé's seven hills. - Mvog Betsi Zoo (Mvog Betsi)
A small zoo with gorillas, chimps and other rescued Cameroonian animals, popular with families. - Mefou Park (Mefou)
A primate sanctuary run by Ape Action Africa where rescued gorillas and chimps live in forest enclosures. - Lac Municipal (Centre)
A city lake with a walking path, best for a short stroll near the government district. - Ebogo Ecotourism Site (Mbalmayo)
Glide by pirogue along the Nyong River through forest rich in birds and butterflies.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché Mokolo (Mokolo)
Yaoundé's biggest and busiest market, a full immersion in everyday Cameroonian life. - Marché Central (Centre)
A multi level central market for fabrics, food and household goods. - Centre Artisanal de Yaoundé (Centre)
Stalls of masks, baskets, beads and woven cloth, the easiest place to shop for crafts. - Marché Mfoundi (Mfoundi)
A food market famous for fresh produce, spices and bush mangoes.
Events
- Ecrans Noirs Film Festival (Centre)
Central Africa's leading film festival, with screenings across the city. - National Day parade (Boulevard du 20 Mai)
The big 20 May celebration with marching bands, dancers and crowds in their best outfits.
Stays
- Hilton Yaoundé (Centre)
A central high rise hotel with pool and city views, convenient for ministries and museums. - Hôtel Mont Fébé (Mont Fébé)
A hillside hotel with a large garden and views over the city. - Djeuga Palace (Centre)
A well known central hotel with restaurants and a pool. - Hôtel La Falaise Yaoundé (Nlongkak)
A comfortable hotel with a good restaurant in a calm part of town.
Bars and Nightlife
- Bastos bars and terraces (Bastos)
The diplomatic quarter's relaxed bars and lounges, a gentle first night out.
Restaurants
- Bastos restaurants (Bastos)
The best area for a quieter dinner, with Cameroonian, French and Lebanese menus.
Places to Visit in Kribi
Nature and Outdoors
- Chutes de la Lobé (Lobé)
One of the few waterfalls in the world that plunge directly into the sea. - Plage de Grand Batanga (Grand Batanga)
A long golden beach south of town lined with palms and small guesthouses. - Plage de Mpalla (Mpalla)
A calm, family friendly beach a short ride from the centre. - Londji fishing village (Londji)
A quiet bay north of Kribi where fishing canoes land the morning catch. - Campo Ma'an National Park (Campo)
Rainforest and coast in one park, home to forest elephants, gorillas and rare birds. - Ebodjé sea turtle project (Ebodjé)
A village conservation project where you can learn about nesting sea turtles. - Rocher du Loup (Lolabé)
A dramatic rock formation by the sea on the road south to Campo. - Sunset at Lobé beach (Lobé)
The softest light of the day over the falls and the sea.
Things to Do
- Pirogue trip up the Lobé River (Lobé)
Paddle upriver from the falls through mangrove and forest with a local boatman.
Restaurants
- Kribi fish market (Port de pêche)
Pick your fish or prawns from the boats and have them grilled on the spot. - Seafood terraces of the Kribi seafront (Seafront)
Sunset tables serving gambas, grilled sole and cold drinks. - Grilled fish at Lobé Falls (Lobé)
Eat grilled fish under the trees with the falls roaring beside you.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché de Kribi (Centre)
The town market for fruit, smoked fish and colourful pagne cloth.
Stays
- Hôtel Ilomba (Plage)
A beachfront hotel with bungalows a short walk from the sea.
Events
- Easter and summer weekends (Kribi beaches)
Kribi fills with music, beach games and family picnics on holiday weekends.
Places to Visit in Foumban
Arts and Culture
- Palais Royal de Foumban (Centre)
The Bamoun sultans' palace and its new museum, home to centuries of royal treasures. - Musée des Arts et Traditions Bamoun (Centre)
A private family museum of masks, pipes and everyday objects. - Sultan Njoya script exhibit (Palais Royal)
See the writing system King Njoya invented, one of Africa's few indigenous scripts.
Shopping and Markets
- Village des Artisans (Rue des Artisans)
A street of workshops where you can watch brass casting, carving and embroidery. - Marché de Foumban (Centre)
A busy market where Bamoun, Bamileke and Fulani traders meet. - Bamoun beadwork stalls (Rue des Artisans)
Beaded stools, masks and calabashes, made just steps away.
Things to Do
- Grande Mosquée de Foumban (Centre)
The striking mosque beside the palace, at the heart of Bamoun life. - Royal palace guided tour (Centre)
Palace guides explain the Bamoun dynasty and Sultan Njoya's own script. - Brass casting workshops (Rue des Artisans)
Watch lost wax casting by families who have done it for generations.
Events
- Nguon Festival (Palais Royal)
A grand cultural festival where the Bamoun people judge their king, with parades and dances.
Nature and Outdoors
- Mont Mbapit (Mbapit)
A volcanic cone with a crater lake and wide views over the Noun plain.
Restaurants
- Food stalls of Foumban market (Centre)
Simple plates of rice, beans, grilled meat and spicy sauces.
Places to Visit in Dschang
Arts and Culture
- Musée des Civilisations (Dschang)
A modern museum by the lake explaining Cameroon's four great cultural areas.
Nature and Outdoors
- Lac de Dschang (Dschang)
A pretty town lake for a walk in the cool highland air. - Chutes de la Métché (Bafou)
A forest waterfall with a dramatic story from the independence struggle.
Places to Visit in Bandjoun
Arts and Culture
- Chefferie de Bandjoun (Bandjoun)
A great Bamileke chiefdom with a towering thatched hut and a fine museum.
Places to Visit in Bafoussam
Nature and Outdoors
- Lac Baleng (Baleng)
A quiet crater lake near Bafoussam with local legends attached.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché A de Bafoussam (Centre)
The West region's busy main market for produce and cloth.
Places to Visit in Melong
Nature and Outdoors
- Chutes d'Ekom Nkam (Ekom)
Spectacular waterfalls in deep forest, where scenes of the film Greystoke were shot.
Places to Visit in Limbe
Nature and Outdoors
- Limbe Botanic Garden (Centre)
A green garden founded in 1892 by the sea, with a river, old trees and picnic spots. - Limbe Wildlife Centre (Centre)
A rescue centre for gorillas, chimps and drills, a favourite with children. - Mile 6 Beach (Mile 6)
Black volcanic sand under the slopes of Mount Cameroon. - Debundscha Point (Idenau)
A wild headland on one of the wettest places on Earth. - 1999 lava flow (Bakingili)
Walk on the hardened lava that cut the coastal road during the last big eruption.
Restaurants
- Down Beach fish market (Down Beach)
Buy the morning catch and have it grilled in the beachside smoke houses.
Stays
- Seme Beach Hotel (Mile 11)
A beach hotel with a natural spring pool right by the sea. - Atlantic Beach Hotel (Down Beach)
An older seafront hotel close to the centre.
Arts and Culture
- Bimbia slave trade site (Bimbia)
The ruins of a historic slave trading post, a powerful site of memory.
Bars and Nightlife
- Down Beach bars (Down Beach)
Casual beer and grilled fish spots facing the water.
Shopping and Markets
- Limbe Central Market (Centre)
A lively market for fruit, cloth and fresh fish.
Places to Visit in Buea
Nature and Outdoors
- Mount Cameroon (Buea)
West Africa's highest peak, climbed from Buea with licensed guides.
Events
- Race of Hope (Buea)
The annual race up and down Mount Cameroon, cheered on by huge crowds.
Arts and Culture
- German Governor's Palace (Buea)
The old colonial seat from Buea's days as German capital.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Le Biniou (Bonapriso, Douala)
A relaxed restaurant in leafy Bonapriso for a slower evening meal. - Chez Wou (Akwa, Douala)
A long standing Chinese restaurant popular with local families. - Soya stalls of Bonamoussadi (Bonamoussadi, Douala)
Evening grills selling spicy soya beef skewers to a lively local crowd. - Espace Bolo (Bonanjo, Douala)
A small independent space for contemporary art and talks. - Bonapriso grill houses (Bonapriso, Douala)
A cluster of family friendly grills serving braised fish, chicken and plantain. - Musée de la Blackitude (Centre, Yaoundé)
A small museum of traditional objects and Cameroonian heritage. - Merina Hotel (Centre, Yaoundé)
A simpler central hotel within walking distance of downtown sights. - Calafatas Yaoundé (Centre, Yaoundé)
A branch of the classic bakery, good for pastries and a coffee downtown. - Poisson braisé at Mvog Ada (Mvog Ada, Yaoundé)
Evening grills where braised fish and miondo are served under string lights. - Carrefour Mvog Mbi nightlife (Mvog Mbi, Yaoundé)
A popular neighbourhood hub of bars and bikutsi music. - Nkol Nyada view (Nkol Nyada, Yaoundé)
A quiet hilltop above town for walks and sunset views. - Les Gîtes de Kribi (Grand Batanga, Kribi)
Beach houses and rooms right on the sand for a slower stay. - Auberge du Phare (Centre, Kribi)
A simple guesthouse close to town and the beach. - Beach bars of Ngoyè (Ngoyè, Kribi)
Laid back weekend beach bars where Douala and Yaoundé come to relax. - Bagyeli community visit with Lobé guides (Lobé, Kribi)
Respectful, guided visits that explain Bagyeli forest knowledge; only go with a community approved guide. - Kribi lighthouse (Centre, Kribi)
An old German era lighthouse and a good viewpoint over the bay. - Port of Kribi viewpoint (Mboro, Kribi)
See the huge new deep water port that is reshaping the coast. - Hôtel Beauséjour Mirador (Centre, Foumban)
A simple, central option for a night near the palace. - Centre Climatique de Dschang (Dschang, Dschang)
Old colonial hill station bungalows in a cool green garden. - Sunset seafood at Mile 6 (Mile 6, Limbe)
Grilled fish facing the sea and the black sand.