Find places in Côte d’Ivoire

Must-Haves

• Cathédrale Saint-Paul (Plateau)
  A soaring modern cathedral with a dramatic tilted tower and lagoon views, consecrated by Pope John Paul II.
• Musée des Civilisations de Côte d’Ivoire (Plateau)
  The national museum, with masks, statues, textiles and regalia from across the country’s many cultures.
• Fondation Donwahi (Cocody)
  A contemporary art foundation in a villa garden, showing Ivorian and international artists in thoughtful exhibitions.

Great for Date Night

• Galerie Cécile Fakhoury (Cocody)
  A leading contemporary African art gallery with bright, airy rooms and regular openings.

Fun for Everyone

• La Rotonde des Arts Contemporains (Plateau)
  A free contemporary art space in the business district, perfect for a cool break between errands.

Must-Haves

• Parc National du Banco (Adjamé)
  A patch of primary rainforest inside the city, with walking trails and the famous open-air laundry of the fanicos at its edge.

Off the Beaten Path

• Île Boulay (Ébrié Lagoon)
  A large lagoon island reached by boat, with villages, mangroves and quiet beaches.

Great for Date Night

• Baie des Milliardaires (Ébrié Lagoon)
  A cluster of lagoon islands near the city where boat trips stop for swims and grilled fish.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché de Treichville (Treichville)
  A big, busy covered market for wax print fabrics, tailors, spices and everyday Abidjan life.

Off the Beaten Path

• Marché d’Adjamé (Adjamé)
  One of West Africa’s largest and most chaotic markets, best visited with a local friend and a firm grip on your bag.

Fun for Everyone

• Marché artisanal de Cocody (Cocody)
  A compact craft market for masks, carvings, bronze, beads and Korhogo cloth, with room to bargain.
• Cap Sud (Marcory)
  A mall with a supermarket, cafés and shops, easy for essentials and SIM cards.
• PlaYce Marcory (Marcory)
  A modern mall with a cinema, supermarket and food spots, handy on a rainy day.

Must-Haves

• Rue Princesse (Yopougon)
  The legendary nightlife strip of Yopougon, where coupé-décalé and zouglou blast from packed maquis late into the night.
• Parker Place (Zone 4)
  A long-running live music bar famous for reggae nights and a friendly, mixed crowd.

Great for Date Night

• Bushman Café rooftop bar (Riviera)
  Sunset cocktails surrounded by African art, with views across Abidjan.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Allocodrome de Cocody (Cocody)
  An open-air food court of grills where women fry alloco and grill fish and chicken in the evening.
• Garba stalls of Adjamé (Adjamé)
  Taste garba, attiéké with fried tuna and chilli, the true street breakfast and lunch of Abidjan.

Great for Date Night

• Rue Paul Langevin restaurants (Zone 4)
  The heart of Zone 4 dining, lined with Lebanese, French, Ivorian and Asian restaurants and terrace bars.

Fun for Everyone

• Zoo National d’Abidjan (Cocody)
  The city’s long-standing zoo, a simple and popular family outing near the Banco forest.
• Plage de Port-Bouët (Port-Bouët)
  The city beach near the airport, lively at weekends, though the currents mean wading only.

Must-Haves

• Lagoon ride on the SOTRA bateau-bus (Plateau)
  Cross the Ébrié Lagoon on a public water bus for skyline views at local fares.

Off the Beaten Path

• Abidjan Plateau skyline walk and La Pyramide (Plateau)
  Walk the business district for its bold 1970s architecture, including the pyramid-shaped tower.
• Bingerville Botanical Garden (Bingerville)
  Shaded colonial-era gardens in the former capital, a short drive east of Abidjan.

Must-Haves

• Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire (Cocody)
  The landmark modernist hotel on the lagoon, with pools, gardens and an iconic tower.
• Pullman Abidjan (Plateau)
  A central business hotel in the Plateau with a rooftop pool and an easy base for the city.

Great for Date Night

• Mövenpick Hotel Abidjan (Plateau)
  A polished modern hotel with lagoon views and a pool, close to the cathedral and museums.

Fun for Everyone

• Azalaï Hôtel Abidjan (Marcory)
  A comfortable hotel near Zone 4, handy for the airport and the best restaurant streets.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bushman Café (Riviera)
  An art-filled boutique hotel and rooftop bar packed with African sculpture and contemporary pieces.

Must-Haves

• Paul (Zone 4)
  A French bakery café for croissants, coffee and a calm air-conditioned breakfast.

Must-Haves

• FEMUA, Festival des Musiques Urbaines d’Anoumabo (Marcory, Anoumabo)
  A huge urban music festival founded by Magic System, usually held in spring.
• MASA, Marché des Arts du Spectacle d’Abidjan (Treichville)
  A biennial performing arts market and festival bringing dance, theatre and music from across Africa.

Must-Haves

• Quartier France (Quartier France)
  The UNESCO-listed colonial quarter of the first capital, with faded mansions, arcades and sea breezes.
• Musée National du Costume (Quartier France)
  Traditional dress, jewellery and village models in the old governor’s palace.

Off the Beaten Path

• Centre Céramique de Grand-Bassam (Quartier France)
  A pottery workshop where you can watch local ceramicists at work and buy their pieces.

Fun for Everyone

• Cathédrale Sacré-Cœur de Grand-Bassam (Quartier France)
  An early colonial church, part of the heritage walk through the old town.

Fun for Everyone

• Grand-Bassam craft market (Main road)
  Roadside stalls of masks, wooden carvings, beads and paintings, best with patient bargaining.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grand-Bassam central market (Impérial)
  An everyday market for fruit, fish and fabric away from the tourist stalls.

Must-Haves

• Heritage walk of the old town (Quartier France)
  Wander past the old customs house, post office and Maison Varlet with a local guide.

Fun for Everyone

• Grand-Bassam beach (Quartier France)
  A long Atlantic beach with maquis under palms, for watching the waves rather than swimming far.

Must-Haves

• Fête de l’Abissa (Quartier N’zima)
  The N’zima people’s great annual festival of renewal, with drums, dance and forgiveness, usually around late October or November.

Fun for Everyone

• Hôtel Étoile du Sud (Quartier France)
  A long-standing beachfront hotel with a pool, popular for weekends out of Abidjan.

Great for Date Night

• La Taverne Bassamoise (Quartier France)
  A relaxed hotel and restaurant by the sea with bungalows and a laid-back weekend mood.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Beach maquis of Grand-Bassam (Quartier France)
  Grilled fish, attiéké and cold drinks with your feet in the sand.

Off the Beaten Path

• Comoé river mouth (Quartier France)
  Where the Comoé River meets the ocean, a quiet spot for photos and fishing boats.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset drinks on the Bassam seafront (Quartier France)
  End a day trip with a cold drink as the sun sets over the Atlantic.

Must-Haves

• Assinie-Mafia beach (Assinie-Mafia)
  A thin strip of sand between lagoon and ocean, with palm-shaded beaches and calm lagoon swimming.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lagune Aby (Adiaké)
  A vast lagoon near the Ghana border, dotted with fishing villages and islands.
• Assouindé (Assouindé)
  A quieter beach strip west of Assinie, good for long walks.

Fun for Everyone

• Sandbanks of the Assinie lagoon (Assinie-Mafia)
  Shallow sandbanks where families swim in calm, warm water.

Fun for Everyone

• Lagoon boat trips to the islands (Assinie-Mafia)
  Hop between lagoon islands and sandbanks by boat for swimming and lunch.

Must-Haves

• Water sports on the Assinie lagoon (Assinie-Mafia)
  Jet skis, kayaks and paddleboards on the sheltered lagoon side.

Great for Date Night

• Coucoué Lodge (Assinie-Mafia)
  A chic lodge of thatched bungalows between lagoon and ocean, made for slow weekends.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Village maquis of Assinie (Assinie village)
  Grilled fish, attiéké and kedjenou served at plastic tables by the lagoon.

Great for Date Night

• Beach bars of Assinie-Mafia (Assinie-Mafia)
  Weekend beach parties and sunset drinks where Abidjan comes to unwind.

Fun for Everyone

• Assinie weekend high season (Assinie-Mafia)
  From December to Easter, the resorts come alive with parties and live music on weekends.

Must-Haves

• Basilique Notre-Dame de la Paix (Riviera)
  One of the largest churches in the world, with a vast dome and stained glass you have to see to believe.

Fun for Everyone

• Grande Mosquée de Yamoussoukro (Centre)
  A large modern mosque with a tall minaret, a striking partner to the Basilica.
• Basilica gardens and dome visit (Riviera)
  Climb to viewpoints inside the Basilica on a guided visit and walk its huge gardens.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny pour la Recherche de la Paix (Riviera)
  A grand marble complex built for peace talks, impressive for its scale and setting.

Must-Haves

• Lac aux Caïmans (Presidential Palace)
  The sacred crocodile lake beside the presidential palace, a strange and memorable sight.

Off the Beaten Path

• INP-HB campus (Nord)
  The modernist campus of the national polytechnic, with bold architecture to admire from outside.
• Boulevards and lakes drive (Centre)
  Drive the oversized avenues and artificial lakes of a capital built from a village.

Must-Haves

• Hôtel Président (Centre)
  The grand 1970s hotel of the capital, with a tower restaurant, golf course and big pool.

Fun for Everyone

• Hôtel des Parlementaires (Centre)
  A large hotel built for parliamentarians, a comfortable base near the main sights.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grand marché de Yamoussoukro (Centre)
  A busy town market for fabrics, fruit and Baoulé crafts.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Maquis of Yamoussoukro (Habitat)
  Simple maquis for foutou, sauce graine and grilled meats, popular with students.

Must-Haves

• La Dent de Man (Outskirts)
  The tooth-shaped peak that dominates the town, a classic half-day hike with sweeping views.
• La Cascade de Man (Outskirts)
  A pretty waterfall in a forest of bamboo, a short trip from town and lovely after rain.

Fun for Everyone

• Forêt sacrée des singes de Gbêpleu (Gbêpleu)
  A sacred forest where villagers protect the monkeys, which come close for bananas.
• Man hills viewpoint (Outskirts)
  A short climb above town for a panorama of green hills and the Dent de Man.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mont Tonkoui (Outskirts)
  One of the country’s highest peaks, with misty forest roads and wide views on clear days.

Off the Beaten Path

• Pont de lianes de Lieupleu (Danané area)
  A swaying bridge woven from forest vines, part of a tradition of the Yacouba people.

Must-Haves

• Dan mask dances (Villages around Man)
  The Dan and Yacouba mask traditions, including stilt dancers, seen at village festivals.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grand marché de Man (Centre)
  The lively market of the west, good for masks, fabrics and mountain produce.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Maquis of Man (Centre)
  Mountain cooking such as sauce feuille and rice with fresh greens.

Must-Haves

• Plage de Monogaga (Monogaga)
  A long, wild beach west of Sassandra, with forest behind and few people.
• Grand-Béréby (Grand-Béréby)
  A string of gorgeous coves, including the Baie des Sirènes, south of San-Pédro.

Off the Beaten Path

• Parc National de Taï (Taï)
  A UNESCO-listed rainforest famous for its chimpanzees, reached on a long trip inland with a guide.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché de San-Pédro (Bardot)
  A bustling port town market full of seafood, cocoa traders and daily life.

Fun for Everyone

• San-Pédro city beach (Balmer)
  The town beach, popular on weekends with families and football games.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sassandra (Sassandra)
  A sleepy old trading town at a river mouth with crumbling colonial buildings and fishing pirogues.
• Port de San-Pédro (Port)
  One of the world’s great cocoa ports, fascinating to see from the waterfront.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fish grills by the port (Port)
  Fresh catch grilled by the harbour, simple and delicious.