Central African Republic · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Central African Republic
These are the places worth your time in the Central African Republic, from Bangui's cathedral, markets and river to the gorillas and forest elephants of Dzanga-Sangha, the Boali Falls and the Lobaye forest. Always check current government travel advice before visiting any of them, as conditions change quickly.
Places to Visit in Bangui
Arts and Culture
- Notre-Dame of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Centre)
The red brick cathedral is Bangui's best-known landmark and a lively place on Sunday mornings. - Barthélemy Boganda National Museum (Centre)
The national museum tells the founding father's story and shows masks, instruments and objects from across the country. - Arc de Triomphe Jean-Bedel Bokassa (Centre)
An unfinished triumphal arch from the Bokassa era, a strange and telling piece of the country's history. - Alliance Française de Bangui (Centre)
The French cultural centre hosts concerts, films, exhibitions and a library open to visitors. - Palais de la Renaissance (Centre)
The presidential palace is worth seeing from the road, though photography of official buildings is not allowed. - Sunday church singing (Across the city)
Church choirs across Bangui are a wonderful introduction to Central African music. - Central African musical instruments at the national museum (Centre)
Harps, drums and xylophones show the variety of the country's music. - Bangui street murals (Centre)
Painted walls and shop signs show the city's sense of humour and style. - Sango language street life (Across the city)
Hearing Sango spoken everywhere is part of what makes Bangui feel unlike anywhere else.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché Central (Centre)
The central market is the place for wax print fabric, carvings, baskets and everyday city bustle. - PK5 market (PK5)
The city's biggest trading district, best visited only with trusted locals once you have checked current conditions. - Marché Combattant (Near the airport)
A sprawling everyday market near the airport road, full of produce, cloth and household goods. - Marché de Gobongo (Gobongo)
A neighbourhood market where you see how most of Bangui shops for food each day. - Marché de Pétévo (Pétévo)
A busy local market in the south of the city, good for fruit, fish and cassava. - Butterfly wing art stalls (Marché Central)
Bangui is known for pictures made from butterfly wings, a quirky craft worth seeking out. - Wood carving sellers (Marché Central)
Carved masks, animals and bowls make light, meaningful souvenirs. - Wax print tailors (Marché Central)
Choose a fabric and have a shirt or dress made in a few days.
Nature and Outdoors
- Bangui Rapids (Ouango road)
Fishermen work the rocky rapids that once stopped river boats and gave the city its location. - Oubangui river front (Centre)
A sunset stroll by the wide river, with pirogues crossing to the Congolese bank, is a Bangui ritual. - Gbazabangui Hill (North of the centre)
The forested hill behind the city gives Bangui its green backdrop and views over the river. - Dry season sandbanks on the Oubangui (River front)
In the dry months sandbanks appear in the river and families head out for picnics. - Bimbo riverside (Bimbo)
The neighbouring town of Bimbo stretches along the river south west of Bangui. - Mango tree avenues (Centre)
Bangui's old shaded avenues are lined with huge mango trees. - Sunset over the Oubangui from Ouango (Ouango)
The eastern riverbank gives a wide, golden view at the end of the day.
Things to Do
- Place de la République (Centre)
The central square is the heart of national celebrations and a handy landmark for getting your bearings. - Stade Barthélemy Boganda (Bangui)
The national stadium comes alive for football and big national events. - Pirogue ride on the Oubangui (Port Amont)
A short ride in a dugout canoe shows the city from the water. - Ouango riverside (Ouango)
The eastern riverside district is quieter, with fishing villages and wide water views. - Learn a few words of Sango (Bangui)
Greeting people in Sango opens doors and smiles everywhere you go. - Watch the river crossing to Zongo (Port Amont)
Watch canoes and ferries cross the Oubangui to Zongo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. - Morning walk on Avenue Barthélemy Boganda (Centre)
The main avenue gives a quick, lively look at city life in daylight. - Wax print shopping with family (Marché Central)
Choosing cloth together is a favourite activity on homecoming trips.
Stays
- Ledger Plaza Bangui (Centre)
A long-established business hotel with a pool, restaurant and the security arrangements many visitors look for. - Hôtel Oubangui (River front)
A landmark riverside hotel with views over the Oubangui toward the Congolese bank. - Hôtel Ledger Plaza pool (Centre)
The pool is a welcome cool down during hot afternoons.
Restaurants
- Grilled fish stalls at Port Amont (Port Amont)
Freshly grilled capitaine and tilapia by the river is classic Bangui food. - Brochette grills on Avenue des Martyrs (Avenue des Martyrs)
Evening grills sell spicy skewers and plantain to a sociable crowd. - Ngounja and gozo at a local maquis (Centre)
Cassava leaves in peanut sauce with gozo is the dish to try first in the capital. - Makara sellers (Across the city)
These small fried doughnuts are the city's favourite breakfast and snack. - Ledger Plaza restaurant (Centre)
A reliable choice for a calm dinner with French and international dishes. - Hôtel Oubangui terrace (River front)
Dinner looking over the river is one of the nicest evenings Bangui offers. - Lebanese bakeries (Centre)
Bangui's Lebanese families run bakeries and shops with bread, pastries and grilled meat. - Fresh fruit stalls (Across the city)
Mangoes, pineapples and bananas from the countryside are sweet and inexpensive. - Koko leaves with smoked fish (Local maquis)
A forest dish from the south that many families in Bangui cook at home.
Cafés
- Morning coffee stalls (Centre)
Street sellers serve sweet coffee and bread to commuters before work. - Lobaye coffee in the markets (Marché Central)
Look for locally grown coffee from the Lobaye forest to take home.
Bars and Nightlife
- Live music bars (Lakouanga)
Weekend bands play Central African and Congolese rumba in the riverside quarters. - Riverside drinks at sunset (River front)
A cold drink by the Oubangui as the sun sets is the easiest pleasure in town. - Neighbourhood buvettes (Across the city)
Small open-air bars serve local beer and music, best visited with friends who know the area. - Football nights in local bars (Across the city)
Big matches draw loud, friendly crowds to bars with a television. - Palm wine in the outer quarters (Outer Bangui)
Fresh palm wine, called mbako, is sold by local tappers, best tasted with friends who know the sellers.
Events
- Independence Day (Place de la République)
Each year on 13 August the city marks independence with parades and celebrations. - Republic Day (Place de la République)
On 1 December the country celebrates the founding of the Republic with official ceremonies. - Boganda Day (Bangui)
On 29 March the country remembers Barthélemy Boganda with commemorations across the capital. - Christmas Mass at Notre-Dame (Centre)
Midnight Mass at the cathedral is full of singing and a joyful start to the holiday.
Places to Visit in Bayanga
Nature and Outdoors
- Dzanga Bai (Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve)
Watch forest elephants gather in this mineral clearing from a raised platform. - Forest walk for medicinal plants (Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve)
BaAka guides show the plants used for food, medicine and building. - Birdwatching around Sangha Lodge (Sangha river)
Forest species, kingfishers and hornbills make this a quiet birding hotspot. - Dzanga-Ndoki National Park (South of Bayanga)
Strictly protected rainforest at the heart of the Sangha Trinational World Heritage Site. - Agile mangabey habituation walk (Bai Hokou)
Follow a habituated troop of agile mangabeys through the forest. - Bongo and buffalo at Dzanga Bai (Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve)
Patience at the bai can reward you with rare forest antelope and buffalo. - Sangha river beaches (Bayanga)
In the dry season sandbanks appear along the river for walks and swims with care.
Things to Do
- Gorilla tracking at Bai Hokou (Dzanga-Ndoki National Park)
Track a habituated western lowland gorilla group with expert BaAka trackers. - Gorilla tracking at Mongambe (Dzanga-Ndoki National Park)
A second gorilla camp, reached by river and forest, with its own habituated group. - Sunset pirogue on the Sangha river (Bayanga)
Glide past forest banks as the light fades over the water. - Dzanga-Sangha tourism office (Bayanga)
The place to arrange permits, guides and activities in the reserve.
Stays
- Sangha Lodge (Sangha river)
A small, much-loved lodge on the Sangha river, a base for gorillas, Dzanga Bai and birding. - Doli Lodge (Bayanga)
The reserve's lodge in Bayanga, overlooking the Sangha river.
Arts and Culture
- BaAka net hunt (Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve)
Join BaAka families as they set nets in the forest, a living tradition of the forest people. - BaAka polyphonic singing (Bayanga area)
The layered singing of the BaAka is recognised by UNESCO and unforgettable to hear. - Primate Habituation Programme (Bai Hokou)
Learn how years of patient work let visitors meet gorillas safely. - BaAka crafts (Bayanga)
Baskets and simple forest crafts make meaningful souvenirs when bought directly.
Shopping and Markets
- Bayanga market (Bayanga)
The village market sells forest produce, fish and cloth to local families.
Restaurants
- Fish from the Sangha river (Bayanga)
Fresh river fish grilled or in sauce is the local everyday meal.
Places to Visit in Boali
Nature and Outdoors
- Boali Falls (Mbali river)
A wide waterfall dropping into a forested gorge, at its best late in the rainy season. - Viewpoint path to the base of the falls (Boali Falls)
A slippery but rewarding walk down for spray, rainbows and the full height of the falls. - Lac de Boali (Mbali river)
The reservoir above the falls makes a peaceful stop for views over the water. - Mbali river walk (Boali)
Walk the river above the falls through gallery forest and farmland.
Restaurants
- Grilled fish and chicken at the falls (Boali Falls)
Eat local food in the shade after walking the falls.
Things to Do
- Boali hydroelectric dams (Boali)
See from a respectful distance the dams that light Bangui, with no photography allowed. - Family picnic at the falls (Boali Falls)
The falls have long been Bangui's favourite weekend outing for families.
Shopping and Markets
- Boali roadside stalls (Boali)
Buy fruit, smoked fish and cassava from sellers along the main road. - Boali market (Boali)
A small market where you see everyday life in the town.
Places to Visit in Mbaïki
Shopping and Markets
- Mbaïki market (Mbaïki)
Forest produce like mushrooms, caterpillars, honey and koko leaves fill the stalls.
Nature and Outdoors
- Lobaye rainforest walks (Lobaye prefecture)
A guided walk shows tall trees, butterflies and forest birds within a day of Bangui. - Lobaye river (Lobaye prefecture)
The river that gives the region its name winds through the forest to the Oubangui.
Arts and Culture
- Bobangui (Near Mbaïki)
The home village of Barthélemy Boganda, the country's founding father. - Aka community visit (Around Mbaïki)
With a trusted contact and fair payment, a respectful visit shows forest skills and song.
Things to Do
- Coffee plantations (Around Mbaïki)
The Lobaye has grown coffee for generations, and you will see bushes and drying yards along the roads. - Roadside fruit stops (Bangui to Mbaïki road)
Pineapples, bananas and mangoes straight from the farms make the journey sweeter.
Restaurants
- Koko with peanut paste (Mbaïki)
A forest dish best eaten close to where the leaves are gathered.
Places to Visit in Bouar
Arts and Culture
- Tazunu megaliths (Around Bouar)
Ancient standing stones in the west, among the most intriguing archaeological sites in Central Africa.
Places to Visit in Kembé
Nature and Outdoors
- Kembé Falls (Kotto river)
A broad set of falls on the Kotto river in the south east, rarely reachable today.
Places to Visit in Manovo
Nature and Outdoors
- Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Bamingui-Bangoran)
A UNESCO savannah park famous for past wildlife, now out of reach because of insecurity.
Places to Visit in Chinko
Nature and Outdoors
- Chinko Conservation Area (Haut-Mbomou and Mbomou)
A vast wilderness managed by African Parks, closed to normal tourism but a beacon for conservation.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Ali Babolo Mosque (PK5, Bangui)
One of the most important mosques of Bangui's Muslim community, a symbol of the city's mixed heritage. - Azimut Hotel (Centre, Bangui)
A central hotel used by business and aid travellers, close to offices and restaurants. - Hôtel du Centre (Centre, Bangui)
A simpler central option, convenient for the markets and government offices. - Hôtel Relais Saint-Jacques (Bangui, Bangui)
A smaller hotel known among regular visitors for a calmer atmosphere. - Alliance Française café (Centre, Bangui)
A relaxed spot for a drink between films, talks and exhibitions. - Fête de la Musique (Alliance Française de Bangui, Bangui)
Concerts around 21 June bring local bands and singers to the stage. - Bangui University campus (Bangui, Bangui)
The university area shows a younger, busy side of the capital. - Botanical gardens of the University (Bangui, Bangui)
Shady green space and big trees offer a quiet break from city noise. - MINUSCA headquarters area (Bangui, Bangui)
Seeing the scale of the UN mission helps you understand the country's recent story. - Musée Boganda craft courtyard (Centre, Bangui)
Craft sellers often gather around the museum with carvings and baskets. - Night forest sounds walk (Sangha Lodge, Bayanga)
Listen to frogs, insects and night birds on a guided evening outing. - Hôtel des Chutes de Boali (Boali Falls, Boali)
A simple hotel and restaurant area overlooking the falls. - Mongoumba (Lobaye prefecture, Mbaïki)
A river town on the Oubangui at the edge of Aka forest country. - Mbaïki Catholic mission (Mbaïki, Mbaïki)
An old mission at the heart of the town's community life. - Yadé massif (Around Bouar, Bouar)
High grassland plateau in the far west, cooler than the rest of the country. - Berbérati cathedral (Berbérati, Berbérati)
The cathedral of the country's third city in the coffee and diamond west. - Mbomou river at Bangassou (Bangassou, Bangassou)
A broad river view on the southern border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. - Guesthouses in Sica (Sica, Bangui)
Smaller guesthouses suit longer stays near friends and family.