Find places in Equatorial Guinea

Must-Haves

• Catedral de Santa Isabel (Old town)
  The twin-towered Gothic cathedral that defines the Malabo skyline.
• Centro Cultural de España en Malabo (Old town)
  Concerts, films, exhibitions and a café at the heart of Malabo's arts scene.
• Instituto Cultural de Expresión Francesa (Malabo)
  A busy French cultural centre with concerts, cinema and art shows.

Off the Beaten Path

• Casa Verde (Old town)
  A rare prefabricated colonial house of painted iron and wood.

Fun for Everyone

• Cine of the Instituto Cultural de Expresión Francesa (Malabo)
  Regular film screenings and shows for all ages.

Must-Haves

• Plaza de la Independencia (Old town)
  The capital's main square, ringed by colonial buildings and palms.

Fun for Everyone

• Paseo Marítimo de Malabo (Seafront)
  A breezy seafront promenade made for sunset walks.
• Parque Nacional de Malabo (Malabo II)
  A large green city park with paths, gardens and space for children.

Off the Beaten Path

• Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial campus (Malabo)
  A glimpse of student life and the country's main university.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado de Semu (Semu)
  Malabo's big everyday market for produce, fish, fabric and household goods.
• Mercado Central de Malabo (Old town)
  A compact central market for fruit, spices and local bustle.

Must-Haves

• Martínez Hermanos (Malabo)
  A long-running supermarket chain for imported groceries and supplies.

Must-Haves

• Hilton Malabo (Malabo II)
  A large international hotel with a pool, restaurants and reliable power.
• Sofitel Malabo President Palace (Malabo)
  A central business hotel with gardens and a pool.

Great for Date Night

• Sofitel Malabo Sipopo Le Golf (Sipopo)
  A resort hotel by the sea with a golf course, pool and beach.

Fun for Everyone

• Playa de Sipopo (Sipopo)
  A sandy beach east of the city, popular at weekends.

Off the Beaten Path

• Pico Basilé (Bioko Norte)
  The island's highest peak, rising high above Malabo and often wrapped in cloud.
• Parque Nacional del Pico Basilé (Bioko Norte)
  Montane forest around the island's high peak, rich in birds and monkeys.

Must-Haves

• Independence Day celebrations (Malabo)
  Parades and festivities mark independence each 12 October.

Fun for Everyone

• Christmas and New Year in Malabo (Malabo)
  Families gather and the seafront fills with life over the holidays.

Great for Date Night

• Restaurant at the Hilton Malabo (Malabo II)
  Polished international dining inside the city's best-known hotel.
• Restaurants at Sofitel Malabo Sipopo Le Golf (Sipopo)
  Seaside dining with a resort atmosphere.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grilled fish stalls near Mercado de Semu (Semu)
  Smoky street grills serving fish, plantain and spicy sauce.
• Pepe soup stalls of Los Ángeles (Los Ángeles)
  Neighbourhood spots for the country's favourite peppery soup.

Must-Haves

• Café of the Centro Cultural de España (Old town)
  A relaxed café inside the cultural centre, perfect between events.

Fun for Everyone

• Cafés of the Paseo Marítimo (Seafront)
  Kiosks and cafés for a cold drink by the sea.

Off the Beaten Path

• Old town cafeterías (Old town)
  Small corner cafés serving coffee, tortilla and sandwiches.

Great for Date Night

• Hilton Malabo bar (Malabo II)
  A calm hotel bar for a cocktail in comfort.

Fun for Everyone

• Paseo Marítimo terraces (Seafront)
  Open-air terraces with music on weekend evenings.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Ela Nguema neighbourhood bars (Ela Nguema)
  Simple local bars with loud music and cold drinks.

Must-Haves

• Paseo Marítimo de Bata (Seafront)
  Kilometres of palm-lined promenade, the city's favourite evening stroll.
• Torre de la Libertad (Seafront)
  Bata's landmark tower with views over the city and the Atlantic.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cogo (Litoral)
  A quiet estuary town south of Bata with boats to small islands.

Must-Haves

• Catedral de Santiago Apóstol de Bata (Centre)
  The city's main cathedral, a striking modern church.
• Centro Cultural de España en Bata (Centre)
  Concerts, films, talks and exhibitions on the mainland.

Fun for Everyone

• Instituto Cultural de Expresión Francesa de Bata (Centre)
  French cultural centre with cinema, music and classes.

Off the Beaten Path

• Basílica de Mongomo (Mongomo)
  A huge basilica rising above a small inland town.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado Central de Bata (Centre)
  A bustling central market for produce, fish and fabric.

Must-Haves

• Mercado de Mondoasi (Mondoasi)
  The mainland's biggest market, crowded, colourful and full of everything.

Fun for Everyone

• Martínez Hermanos Bata (Centre)
  A dependable supermarket for supplies before trips inland.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fabric sellers of Mondoasi (Mondoasi)
  Bright wax prints sold by the length, ready for a tailor.

Fun for Everyone

• Playa de Utonde (Utonde)
  A popular weekend beach north of the city with simple beach bars.
• Playa de Bata (Seafront)
  The city beach alongside the promenade.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mbini and the Wele river bridge (Mbini)
  A long bridge over the wide river mouth on the coast road south.
• Isla de Corisco (Gulf of Guinea)
  A remote island with white beaches, reached by boat or small plane.
• Río Campo (Kie Ntem)
  A border river region with mangroves and turtle beaches near Cameroon.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Panafrica (Centre)
  A long-established hotel in central Bata.

Great for Date Night

• Restaurant at the Torre de la Libertad (Seafront)
  Dinner with a view at the top of the city's landmark tower.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Seafront grills of the Paseo Marítimo (Seafront)
  Grilled fish and chicken served under the palms.
• Nnam ngon sellers at Mercado Central (Centre)
  Try the classic Fang dish of squash seed and fish steamed in leaves.

Fun for Everyone

• Utonde beach restaurants (Utonde)
  Simple beach shacks serving grilled fish and plantain.

Must-Haves

• Cafés of the Paseo Marítimo de Bata (Seafront)
  Seafront cafés for coffee and people watching.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Panaderías of central Bata (Centre)
  Bakeries selling warm bread and Spanish-style pastries.

Fun for Everyone

• Paseo Marítimo de Bata terraces (Seafront)
  Lively bars and music along the promenade on weekend nights.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Neighbourhood bars of Bata (Bata)
  Local bars for cold beer and Central African music.

Must-Haves

• Independence Day in Bata (Seafront)
  Parades and parties on the seafront each 12 October.

Fun for Everyone

• Football at Estadio de Bata (Bata)
  Catch a league or national team match in the stadium that hosted the Africa Cup of Nations.

Must-Haves

• Arena Blanca (Luba)
  Bioko's famous pale sand beach, a weekend favourite in the dry season.

Fun for Everyone

• Luba waterfront (Luba)
  A quiet bay with fishing boats and forested hills behind.
• Bioko cocoa plantations (Bioko Sur)
  Old plantation country with colonial farmhouses and forest.

Off the Beaten Path

• Riaba (Bioko Sur)
  An east coast town with a colonial church and slow pace.

Must-Haves

• Iglesia de Luba (Luba)
  The town's colonial church above the bay.

Must-Haves

• Ureca turtle beaches (Ureca)
  Remote black sand beaches where sea turtles nest from roughly November to February.
• Reserva Científica de la Gran Caldera de Luba (Bioko Sur)
  A rainforest caldera reserve, home to rare primates and nesting turtles.

Off the Beaten Path

• Moca (Moca)
  A cool highland village in Bubi country, surrounded by farms and forest.
• Lago Biao (Moca)
  A forested crater lake reached on foot from the highlands.
• Lago Loreto (Moca)
  A quieter crater lake hidden in the hills.

Off the Beaten Path

• Turtle nesting season with Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (Ureca)
  Conservation work on the southern beaches during the nesting months.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fish grills of Luba (Luba)
  Fresh fish from the bay, grilled simply by the water.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Guesthouses of Luba (Luba)
  Simple rooms for those staying the night in the south.

Must-Haves

• Parque Nacional de Monte Alén (Centro Sur)
  Vast rainforest with rivers, waterfalls and rich wildlife.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lago Atoc (Monte Alén)
  A forest lake that has long been a starting point for park walks.

Fun for Everyone

• Río Wele (Monte Alén)
  The great river of the mainland, cutting through the park.

Must-Haves

• Guided walks with community guides (Monte Alén)
  Local guides who know the trails, birds and plants.

Off the Beaten Path

• Niefang (Centro Sur)
  A riverside town on the road into the forest.
• Evinayong (Centro Sur)
  A hill town on the road inland, gateway to the south of the park.

Must-Haves

• Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción de Mongomo (Mongomo)
  One of Africa's largest churches, set in a quiet inland town.

Off the Beaten Path

• Universidad Afroamericana de África Central (Ciudad de la Paz)
  A modern university campus in the new planned city.

Fun for Everyone

• Estadio de Mongomo (Mongomo)
  A modern stadium that has hosted continental football.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ebebiyín (Kie Ntem)
  A border town where Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Gabon meet.
• Ciudad de la Paz (Wele Nzas)
  The planned new city in the forest, built as the future capital.
• Añisok (Wele Nzas)
  A quiet inland town surrounded by forest and farms.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado de Mongomo (Mongomo)
  A small inland market close to the Gabon border.