Find places in Liberia

Must-Haves

• Providence Island (Mesurado River mouth)
  The landing place of the 1822 settlers and the most meaningful first stop for understanding Liberia.
• Liberia National Museum (Broad Street)
  Masks, photographs and objects that tell the story of Liberia's peoples, settlers and recovery.

Fun for Everyone

• Centennial Pavilion (Ashmun Street)
  The pavilion where Liberian presidents are inaugurated, a short walk from Broad Street.

Off the Beaten Path

• Providence Baptist Church (Broad Street)
  One of the oldest churches in the country, where the 1847 independence debates took place.
• Trinity Cathedral (Broad Street)
  A historic Episcopal cathedral; Sunday services are joyful and visitors are welcome.

Must-Haves

• Ducor Hotel ruins (Snapper Hill, Mamba Point)
  The shell of West Africa's once grandest hotel, with the best view over the city and port.
• Firestone Natural Rubber Company plantation (Harbel, Margibi County)
  One of the largest rubber plantations in the world, with a long and complex history.

Fun for Everyone

• Antoinette Tubman Stadium (Capitol Bypass)
  Catch a local football match with a crowd that sings from kick off to the final whistle.
• Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex (Paynesville)
  The national stadium, where Lone Star internationals bring the whole city out.
• Monrovia history walk on Broad Street (Broad Street)
  Link the museum, pavilion and old churches on foot in the cooler morning hours.

Must-Haves

• Waterside Market (Water Street)
  The city's commercial heart, a maze of cloth, spices, hardware and fresh food.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Red Light Market (Paynesville)
  One of the biggest and loudest markets in Liberia, for food, cloth and everything else.
• Rally Time Market (Sinkor)
  A busy neighbourhood market for fruit, vegetables, fish and everyday goods.
• Duala Market (Bushrod Island)
  A huge, lively market on the north side of the city, best visited with a local friend.

Fun for Everyone

• Abi Joudi Supermarket (Sinkor)
  A well stocked supermarket for snacks, water and familiar brands before a road trip.

Fun for Everyone

• ELWA Beach (ELWA, Paynesville)
  A broad sandy beach popular for walks, beach football and sunsets.

Off the Beaten Path

• Blue Lake (Tubmanburg, Bomi County)
  A vivid blue flooded mine pit surrounded by forest, an easy day trip from the capital.

Must-Haves

• Independence Day (Nationwide, main events in Monrovia)
  Parades, speeches, flags and parties every 26 July, the biggest day in the calendar.

Fun for Everyone

• Flag Day (Nationwide)
  Schools and towns march with the Lone Star flag every 24 August.
• Thanksgiving Day (Nationwide)
  Liberia's own Thanksgiving on the first Thursday of November, with church and family feasts.
• Christmas and New Year in Monrovia (Citywide)
  Beach parties, church services and homecoming visits make December the busiest month.

Off the Beaten Path

• Decoration Day (Cemeteries nationwide)
  Families clean and decorate graves of loved ones every second Wednesday of March.

Must-Haves

• Mamba Point Hotel (Mamba Point)
  A long running hotel by the sea with a popular restaurant and a central location.
• RLJ Kendeja Resort and Villas (Kendeja, Paynesville)
  A beachfront resort east of the city with pools and quieter surroundings.

Fun for Everyone

• Royal Grand Hotel (Sinkor)
  A business hotel on Tubman Boulevard with a rooftop restaurant and good security.
• Boulevard Palace Hotel (Sinkor)
  A large modern hotel on Tubman Boulevard convenient for restaurants and offices.

Great for Date Night

• Cape Hotel (Mamba Point)
  A small hotel with sea views and a relaxed terrace in the old diplomatic quarter.

Must-Haves

• Sajj House (Sinkor)
  A busy Lebanese restaurant loved for grills, mezze and fresh juices.

Great for Date Night

• Mamba Point Hotel restaurant (Mamba Point)
  A long time favourite for a relaxed dinner, including sushi nights.

Fun for Everyone

• Royal Grand Hotel rooftop restaurant (Sinkor)
  International dishes with a view over the city and a calm atmosphere.
• Golden Beach (Mamba Point)
  A beachfront bar and restaurant for grilled fish, drinks and sunsets.
• Bella Casa restaurant (Sinkor)
  A garden setting for pizza, pasta and Liberian dishes.

Fun for Everyone

• Mamba Point Hotel terrace (Mamba Point)
  Coffee and breakfast with the ocean in view.

Must-Haves

• Golden Beach bar (Mamba Point)
  Feet in the sand, music playing and the sun going down over the Atlantic.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Club Beer at a neighbourhood bar (Citywide)
  The local lager, best enjoyed in a corner bar with football on the TV.

Must-Haves

• Robertsport point breaks (Cape Mount)
  Long left hand waves that are among the best in West Africa.
• Lake Piso (Robertsport)
  A vast, calm lagoon for canoe trips, birdlife and fiery sunsets.

Fun for Everyone

• Robertsport main beach (Robertsport)
  A long golden beach for walks, beach football and watching the surf.

Off the Beaten Path

• Gola Forest National Park (Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu counties)
  A wild rainforest park on the Sierra Leone border for serious nature lovers.

Must-Haves

• Surf lessons with local surfers (Robertsport)
  Learn from young Liberians who built the town's surf scene.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fanti Town fishing beach (Robertsport)
  Watch the big painted canoes come in and the catch being sold.

Must-Haves

• Kwepunha Retreat (Robertsport)
  A surf lodge known for supporting local surfers and running lessons.

Great for Date Night

• Nana's Lodge (Robertsport)
  Beachfront tented cabins and rooms with surf on the doorstep.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset dinner at Nana's Lodge (Robertsport)
  Grilled fish and cold drinks as the sun sinks into the Atlantic.

Must-Haves

• Buchanan beaches (Buchanan)
  Long, wide and mostly empty sand with fishing canoes and palms.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Buchanan central market (Buchanan)
  Fresh fish, fruit, palm oil and Bassa country cloth.

Off the Beaten Path

• Buchanan port and ore railway (Buchanan)
  See where the railway from the Nimba mountains meets the sea.

Must-Haves

• Cape Palmas Lighthouse (Cape Palmas)
  The historic lighthouse at the tip of the cape with huge ocean views.
• President Tubman's mansion ruins (Harper)
  The vast shell of the home of Liberia's longest serving president.

Off the Beaten Path

• Old settler houses of Harper (Harper town)
  Grand old homes from the Maryland colony, some restored and many fading.

Fun for Everyone

• William V. S. Tubman University (Harper)
  A growing university campus that shows the town's revival.

Fun for Everyone

• Harper beaches (Harper)
  Golden, near empty beaches with fishermen launching canoes through the surf.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lake Shepherd (Near Harper)
  A quiet coastal lake for birds and a peaceful walk.

Must-Haves

• Kpatawee Waterfall (Bong County)
  A beautiful forest waterfall and swimming spot, best after the rains.

Off the Beaten Path

• East Nimba Nature Reserve (Nimba County)
  Forested mountain slopes on the Guinea border, rich in rare wildlife.

Fun for Everyone

• Cuttington University (Suakoko, Bong County)
  One of Africa's oldest private universities, with a green, historic campus.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Gbarnga market (Gbarnga)
  A big central market where Kpelle traders sell produce from across Bong County.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sanniquellie (Nimba County)
  A historic county capital where West African leaders met in 1959.

Fun for Everyone

• Ganta (Nimba County)
  A busy border trading town and gateway to Nimba's hills.

Must-Haves

• Sapo rainforest trails (Sinoe County)
  Walk deep into one of West Africa's last great forests with rangers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sinoe River (Sapo National Park)
  The river that frames the park, with forest growing right to the water.

Fun for Everyone

• Birdwatching in Sapo (Sapo National Park)
  Hornbills, turacos and many forest species in a single morning.

Off the Beaten Path

• Greenville (Sinoe County)
  The quiet coastal capital of Sinoe and a stop on the way to the park.
• Zwedru (Grand Gedeh County)
  The main town of the southeast interior, a base for forest journeys.