Find places in Guinea

Must-Haves

• Grande Mosquee Faycal (Camayenne)
  One of the largest mosques in West Africa, a striking landmark beside the botanical garden.
• Musee National de Guinee (Sandervalia, Kaloum)
  Masks, carvings and instruments from every region of Guinea in a small, thoughtful museum.
• Cathedrale Sainte Marie de Conakry (Kaloum)
  The city's grand Catholic cathedral, a fine example of colonial era architecture.
• Centre Culturel Franco Guineen (Kaloum)
  Concerts, films, exhibitions and dance shows, a hub of the city's creative scene.

Fun for Everyone

• Palais du Peuple (Kaloum)
  The national assembly building and the venue for big concerts and state events.

Fun for Everyone

• Jardin Botanique de Camayenne (Camayenne)
  A shady colonial era garden with huge old trees, a calm escape from the traffic.
• Plage de Rogbane (Taouyah)
  A popular city beach where families gather at weekends to swim and eat grilled fish.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Corniche de Kaloum (Kaloum)
  Walk the seafront road at sunset with views over the islands and fishing pirogues.

Must-Haves

• Marche Madina (Madina)
  The biggest market in the city, a vast maze of fabric, spices, electronics and everyday life.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marche Niger (Kaloum)
  A busy neighbourhood market for fresh fish, fruit and indigo and bazin cloth.
• Marche Taouyah (Taouyah)
  A friendly local market for fruit, fabric and snacks away from the downtown crush.

Off the Beaten Path

• Artisan stalls of Kaloum (Kaloum)
  Djembe drums, masks, woodcarvings and indigo cloth from across the country.

Must-Haves

• Noom Hotel Conakry (Kaloum)
  A modern international hotel on the point of the peninsula with sea views and a pool.
• Palm Camayenne (Camayenne)
  A long standing hotel on the corniche, close to the botanical garden and the mosque.
• Hotel Kaloum (Kaloum)
  A central classic in the old downtown, handy for ministries, banks and the port.

Great for Date Night

• Sheraton Grand Conakry (Ratoma)
  A tall seafront business hotel with ocean views, restaurants and a pool.

Fun for Everyone

• Onomo Hotel Conakry (Kaloum)
  A bright, good value modern hotel with a relaxed bar and Atlantic views.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grilled fish stalls at Rogbane (Taouyah)
  Freshly grilled fish with chilli, onions and attieke right on the sand.
• Riz gras at a Madina canteen (Madina)
  Join workers for rice with sauce feuille or peanut sauce at a market canteen.

Must-Haves

• Restaurant at Noom Hotel (Kaloum)
  A safe, reliable choice for international dishes with a sea view.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Cafe Touba stands (Citywide)
  Spiced, peppery Touba coffee sold from street stands every morning.

Fun for Everyone

• Bakeries of Kaloum (Kaloum)
  French style bread, croissants and pastries for an easy breakfast.

Must-Haves

• Independence Day celebrations (Citywide)
  Parades and parties mark the second of October, the day Guinea said no to France in 1958.

Fun for Everyone

• Tabaski and Ramadan festivities (Citywide)
  Feasts, new clothes and family visits fill the city for the big Muslim holidays.

Fun for Everyone

• Boat to the Iles de Los from Boulbinet (Boulbinet)
  Hop on a pirogue or shuttle for a day of beaches just off the city.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kaloum peninsula walk (Kaloum)
  Old colonial buildings, the cathedral, markets and the port on one morning stroll.

Must-Haves

• Ile de Roume (Iles de Los)
  Soft sand, clear water and legends of pirates, the most popular island day trip.

Fun for Everyone

• Plage de Room (Ile de Roume)
  A sheltered beach for swimming, grilled fish lunches and lazy afternoons.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ile Kassa (Iles de Los)
  The closest island to the city, with fishing villages and quiet coves.
• Ile Tamara and Fotoba (Iles de Los)
  The largest island, with a lighthouse, old ruins and a village feel.

Fun for Everyone

• Island hopping by pirogue (Iles de Los)
  Spend a day moving between Kassa, Roume and Tamara by local boat.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Beach grills on Roume (Ile de Roume)
  Fish straight from the boat, grilled over coals with a cold drink.

Fun for Everyone

• Weekend island crowds (Iles de Los)
  On Sundays Conakry heads to the islands with music, picnics and swimming.

Must-Haves

• Voile de la Mariee waterfall (Kindia)
  The Bridal Veil falls, a slender ribbon of water dropping into a cool green pool.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mont Gangan (Kindia)
  A distinctive peak above the town with legends and wide views from its slopes.
• Chutes de Soumba (Dubreka)
  A popular waterfall picnic spot between Conakry and Kindia.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marche central de Kindia (Kindia centre)
  Famous across Guinea for its mountains of pineapples, mangoes and bananas.

Fun for Everyone

• Fruit stalls on the Conakry road (Kindia)
  Stop for the sweetest pineapples in the country on the drive inland.

Off the Beaten Path

• Grande Mosquee de Kindia (Kindia centre)
  The town's main mosque, the focus of Friday prayer and festival days.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Roadside grills of Kindia (Kindia centre)
  Brochettes and grilled chicken for travellers heading into the highlands.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Morning tea stands (Kindia centre)
  Sweet green tea and fresh bread before the road to Mamou.

Fun for Everyone

• Drive to Mamou (Mamou)
  The crossroads town where the road climbs into the Fouta Djallon.

Must-Haves

• Pine forests of Dalaba (Dalaba)
  Cool air, pine trees and misty mornings at one of the highest towns in the country.
• Doucky (Near Pita)
  Canyons, rock arches and village life on guided hikes in the Fouta Djallon.

Off the Beaten Path

• Jardin Chevalier (Dalaba)
  An old botanical garden planted by a French botanist, now quiet and overgrown.
• Chutes de Ditinn (Ditinn)
  One of the tallest waterfalls in West Africa, plunging off a sandstone cliff.

Fun for Everyone

• Chutes de Kambadaga (Near Pita)
  A thundering set of falls at its most dramatic after the rains.

Must-Haves

• Case de Belle Vue (Dalaba)
  The hilltop house where African leaders met in the colonial era, with sweeping views.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dalaba market (Dalaba centre)
  Fresh vegetables, fonio and local honey from the highland farms.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fonio and sauce arachide (Dalaba centre)
  Try the highland grain with peanut sauce in a simple local eatery.

Fun for Everyone

• Hike the plateau villages (Dalaba)
  Easy walks through farmland, hamlets and viewpoints with a local guide.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fresh highland milk (Dalaba)
  Fulani herders sell fresh and soured milk, a Fouta Djallon staple.

Off the Beaten Path

• Weekly loumo market day (Dalaba region)
  Weekly village markets bring herders, traders and music together.

Must-Haves

• Grande Mosquee de Labe (Labe centre)
  The great mosque of the old Fulani heartland, a symbol of the town's learning.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fouta Djallon Koranic schools (Labe)
  Labe's long tradition of Islamic scholarship is still part of daily life.

Must-Haves

• Marche central de Labe (Labe centre)
  A huge regional market for cloth, livestock, spices and leather goods.

Off the Beaten Path

• Leather workers of Labe (Labe centre)
  Hand made sandals, bags and amulet pouches crafted in small workshops.

Must-Haves

• La Dame de Mali (Mali Yemberem)
  A cliff shaped like a woman's face near the highest point of the Fouta Djallon.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mali Ville plateau (Mali)
  Remote high country of cliffs, cool air and views toward Senegal.

Fun for Everyone

• Chutes de Saala (Near Labe)
  Cascading falls over stepped rocks, a favourite picnic spot.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Labe market eateries (Labe centre)
  Hearty bowls of rice with leaf sauce and grilled meat at market tables.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Lait caille stalls (Labe centre)
  Sweet curdled milk with millet, a classic Fulani snack.

Fun for Everyone

• Tabaski in Labe (Labe)
  The Fouta celebrates the feast with prayers, new outfits and shared meals.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Evening tea circles (Labe centre)
  Labe evenings revolve around glasses of attaya tea and long conversations.

Must-Haves

• Grand marche de Nzerekore (Nzerekore centre)
  One of the busiest markets in the forest region, full of palm oil, kola and cloth.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kola nut traders (Nzerekore centre)
  Kola nuts are a sign of respect and hospitality, sold by the basket.

Must-Haves

• Cathedrale de Nzerekore (Nzerekore centre)
  A large Catholic cathedral at the heart of the forest region's capital.

Fun for Everyone

• Grande Mosquee de Nzerekore (Nzerekore centre)
  The town's main mosque, reflecting its mixed Muslim and Christian community.
• Forest masks and dance (Nzerekore region)
  Guerze, Toma and Kissi traditions of masked dance at village festivals.

Must-Haves

• Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Lola)
  A UNESCO World Heritage mountain of unique wildlife, visited only with permission.
• Bossou chimpanzees (Bossou)
  Famous wild chimpanzees that use stone tools, studied for decades.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ziama Forest Reserve (Macenta)
  Dense rainforest with forest elephants and rich birdlife near Seredou.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Riz au sauce graine (Nzerekore centre)
  Palm nut sauce with rice, the forest region's comfort food.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Coffee of the forest region (Nzerekore region)
  Local coffee grown in the hills around Macenta and Nzerekore.

Off the Beaten Path

• Forest initiation season (Forest Guinea)
  Sacred forest ceremonies that visitors should respect from a distance.

Off the Beaten Path

• Day trip to Lola (Lola)
  The small town at the foot of Mount Nimba and gateway to Bossou.