Find places in Republic of the Congo

Must-Haves

• Basilique Sainte-Anne du Congo (Poto-Poto)
  A striking green-tiled basilica from the 1940s, the most photographed building in the city.
• Mémorial Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza (Plateau, Centre-ville)
  A marble memorial and museum to the city's founder, with river views from the terrace.
• Ecole de Peinture de Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
  The famous painting school founded in 1951, where you can watch artists at work and buy direct.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur de Brazzaville (Centre-ville)
  One of the oldest churches in Central Africa, quiet and cool inside.
• Mausolée Marien Ngouabi (Centre-ville)
  A monumental tomb to a former president that shows how the country tells its own history.

Must-Haves

• Les Rapides du Congo (Djoué, Makélékélé)
  Watch the Congo River thunder over rapids on the city's southern edge, a classic sunset outing.

Fun for Everyone

• Forêt de la Patte d'Oie (Centre-ville)
  A patch of protected urban forest, shady and green in the middle of the city.
• Sunset at the Corniche (Corniche)
  The best free show in town as the sun drops behind Kinshasa.

Off the Beaten Path

• Chutes de la Loufoulakari (Pool department)
  Powerful waterfalls south of the city; check current travel advice before going.

Fun for Everyone

• Corniche de Brazzaville (Centre-ville)
  A riverside promenade with views across the water to the Kinshasa skyline.
• Stade Alphonse Massamba-Débat (Centre-ville)
  Catch a football match with passionate local fans in the national stadium.
• Pont du 15 Août 1960 (Corniche)
  The cable-stayed bridge on the Corniche, lit up at night and a favourite photo stop.

Must-Haves

• Sapeurs of Bacongo (Bacongo)
  Weekend afternoons bring out the elegantly dressed sapeurs, a living Brazzaville fashion culture.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tour Nabemba (Centre-ville)
  The tallest building in the country, a modernist landmark best admired from the Corniche.

Must-Haves

• Marché Total (Bacongo)
  The biggest market in the city, a maze of fabric, spices, smoked fish and everyday life.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché de Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
  A lively neighbourhood market for wax-print fabric, cassava and street snacks.
• Marché Plateau des 15 ans (Moungali)
  A busy local market where residents shop for fresh produce and household goods.

Fun for Everyone

• Park'n'Shop Brazzaville (Centre-ville)
  A well-stocked supermarket for snacks, water and familiar brands before a road trip.

Great for Date Night

• Wax-print tailors of Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
  Choose fabric and have an outfit made in a few days.

Great for Date Night

• Mami Wata (Corniche)
  A riverside terrace restaurant with grilled fish and sunset views over the Congo River.
• Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace restaurant (Corniche)
  Polished international dining with river views, a calm choice for a special evening.

Must-Haves

• Restaurant Hippocampe (Centre-ville)
  A long-running Vietnamese and French kitchen, a favourite with residents for years.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grilled fish maquis of Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
  Simple open-air spots serving grilled fish, plantain and chikwangue late into the evening.
• Ngandas of Bacongo (Bacongo)
  Family-run eateries serving saka-saka, moambé chicken and cold beer.

Must-Haves

• La Mandarine (Centre-ville)
  A popular bakery and café for croissants, coffee and light lunches.

Must-Haves

• Rumba bars of Avenue de la Paix (Poto-Poto)
  Live rumba and ndombolo spill out of bars along this lively avenue at weekends.

Great for Date Night

• Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace rooftop (Corniche)
  Cocktails high above the river with the lights of Kinshasa across the water.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Bars of Bacongo (Bacongo)
  Neighbourhood bars where sapeurs, music and Ngok beer meet on Saturday nights.

Must-Haves

• FESPAM, Festival Panafricain de Musique (Citywide)
  A pan-African music festival held in Brazzaville, usually every two years in July.

Fun for Everyone

• Independence Day, 15 August (Citywide)
  Parades, flags and family celebrations across the city.

Must-Haves

• Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace Hotel (Corniche)
  A large modern hotel on the river with a pool and good security.
• Pefaco Hotel Maya-Maya (Near Maya-Maya Airport)
  A comfortable business hotel close to the airport, handy for early flights.

Fun for Everyone

• Hôtel Olympic Palace (Centre-ville)
  A central hotel with a pool, popular with visiting families and business travellers.

Great for Date Night

• Mikhael's Hotel (Centre-ville)
  A stylish smaller hotel with a good restaurant in the heart of the city.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hôtel Hippocampe (Centre-ville)
  Simple, friendly rooms above one of the city's favourite restaurants.

Must-Haves

• Côte Sauvage (Seafront)
  The wild Atlantic beach where locals stroll, play football and watch the sunset.
• Gorges de Diosso (Diosso)
  A dramatic red and ochre canyon of eroded cliffs above the forest.
• Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre (Tchimpounga)
  The Jane Goodall Institute's sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees; ask about visits in advance.

Fun for Everyone

• Plage de la Côte Mondaine (Côte Mondaine)
  The city's calmer beach, lined with bars and restaurants.

Off the Beaten Path

• Pointe-Indienne (North of the city)
  A quieter stretch of sand and fishing villages north of the port.

Must-Haves

• Musée Ma-Loango (Diosso)
  The former royal palace of the Loango kingdom, now a museum of its history.
• Loango slave port memorial (Loango)
  A sobering memorial at the old port where enslaved Africans were shipped across the Atlantic.

Off the Beaten Path

• Gare de Pointe-Noire (Centre-ville)
  The elegant colonial railway station at the end of the Congo-Océan line.
• Slave Route walk at Loango (Loango)
  Follow the trail of the old slave route to the shore.

Fun for Everyone

• Institut Français du Congo, Pointe-Noire (Centre-ville)
  Films, concerts and exhibitions in the coast's main cultural venue.

Must-Haves

• Grand Marché de Pointe-Noire (Centre-ville)
  The city's main market for fabric, fish, fruit and everyday bargains.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché de Tié-Tié (Tié-Tié)
  A big, busy local market in one of the city's liveliest districts.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grilled fish stalls of the Côte Sauvage (Seafront)
  Fish straight off the boats, grilled and served with chili and plantain.
• Maquis of Tié-Tié (Tié-Tié)
  Neighbourhood grills serving brochettes and maboké late into the night.

Great for Date Night

• Beach restaurants of the Côte Mondaine (Côte Mondaine)
  Sand under your feet and seafood at sunset.

Must-Haves

• Atlantic Palace restaurant (Centre-ville)
  A reliable hotel restaurant with seafood and international dishes.

Must-Haves

• Bars of the Côte Mondaine (Côte Mondaine)
  Beach bars with music and cold drinks, busy at weekends.

Must-Haves

• Hôtel Atlantic Palace (Centre-ville)
  A long-established hotel near the seafront, popular with business travellers.

Great for Date Night

• Hôtel Elais (Centre-ville)
  A classic colonial-era hotel with a pool and garden by the sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Hôtel Mbou-Mvoumvou (Centre-ville)
  A large central hotel with a pool and easy access to the market.

Fun for Everyone

• Port de pêche of Pointe-Noire (Port)
  Watch the colourful fishing pirogues land their catch in the morning.
• Football on the beach at the Côte Sauvage (Seafront)
  Join or watch the evening football games on the sand.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Coffee and beignets street stalls (Centre-ville)
  Morning beignets with sweet coffee, the classic local breakfast.

Must-Haves

• Ngaga Camp (Western Odzala)
  A rainforest camp built for tracking habituated western lowland gorillas.
• Lango Camp (Central Odzala)
  A camp overlooking the Lango bai, where elephants and buffalo come to drink.

Great for Date Night

• Mboko Camp (Mboko)
  Riverside tented camp on the savanna edge, the gateway to the park.

Must-Haves

• Gorilla tracking at Ngaga (Ngaga)
  A guided walk to sit quietly with a habituated gorilla family.
• Lango Bai (Central Odzala)
  A forest clearing where you wade through streams to watch wildlife.

Fun for Everyone

• Lekoli River boat trip (Lekoli River)
  Gliding along the river past monkeys, kingfishers and forest elephants.
• Night drives at Mboko (Mboko)
  Guided night drives to look for nocturnal wildlife on the savanna.

Off the Beaten Path

• Forest elephant walks (Mboko)
  Guided walks into the forest in search of elusive forest elephants.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mbomo village (Mbomo)
  The village at the park entrance, home to local communities and park staff.

Off the Beaten Path

• Odzala park headquarters (Mbomo)
  The African Parks base for the park, where many trips are organised.

Must-Haves

• Mbeli Bai (Southwest of Bomassa)
  A famous swampy clearing where researchers watch gorillas and elephants.
• Sangha Trinational heritage site (Tri-border area)
  A UNESCO World Heritage forest shared with Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

Fun for Everyone

• Sangha River boat journey (Sangha River)
  River travel through some of the wildest forest left in Africa.

Must-Haves

• Bomassa (Sangha River)
  The small village and park base on the Sangha River.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ouesso (Sangha department)
  The northern river town that serves as the gateway to the park.

Must-Haves

• Conkouati lagoon (Conkouati)
  A wide lagoon fringed by mangroves and forest near the Atlantic.
• HELP Congo chimpanzee islands (Conkouati-Douli)
  A long-running project returning orphaned chimpanzees to the wild.

Fun for Everyone

• Turtle nesting beaches (Atlantic coast)
  Leatherback and olive ridley turtles nest on these beaches in season.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mangroves of Conkouati (Conkouati)
  Dense mangrove channels rich in birdlife.

Must-Haves

• Lac Bleu (Lesio-Louna)
  A clear blue lake in the reserve where you can watch gorillas on river islands.
• Lesio-Louna gorilla islands (Lesio-Louna)
  Orphaned gorillas being prepared for life in the wild, seen from a boat.

Fun for Everyone

• Batéké Plateaux (Plateaux department)
  Rolling grassland hills with huge skies, a striking contrast to the forest.
• Louna River (Lesio-Louna)
  A gentle river that winds through gallery forest.