Guinea-Bissau
Table of Contents: Regions / Cities / Other destinations / Culture and History / Travel to Guinea-Bissau, visa requirements Flights to Guinea-Bissau, airtickets By train By car Buses to Guinea-Bissau By boat / Get around / Talk / Shopping, Guinea-Bissau souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Guinea-Bissau nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Learn / Work / Stay safe / Stay healthy / Respect / Contact More from West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo More from Africa: Central Africa, East Africa, North Africa, Saharan Africa, Seychelles, Southern Africa, West Africa |
Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony bordered by Senegal to the north and Guinea to the south and east. Guinea-Bissau's post-independence history has been chequered. A civil war in 1998, followed by the imposition of a military junta in 1999 has been replaced with a multi-party democracy. The economy remains fragile, however hopes are high.
Regions
Guinea-Bissau is divided into 8 regions (regiões) and 1 autonomous sector (sector autónomo), and are subdivided into 37 sectors.
The regions include:
- Bafata
- Biombo
- Bissau (autonomous sector)
- Bolama (Islands)
- Cacheu
- Gabu
- Oio
- Quinara
- Tombali
Cities
- Bissau - capital
- Bolama - capital of the country until 1941, has some magnificent examples of colonial architecture and has been suggested as a world heritage site.
- Bubaque - Largest town in the Bijagos archipelago, with hotels and harbor for boat trips to other islands.
- Gabu
- Bafata
- Farim
- Casheu
Other destinations
- Bijagos Islands - an archipelago of some ten tropical, beautiful islands. On the island of Orango it is possible to see hippos, and there are many other possibilities of eco tourism on the "unspoiled islands". On some islands there are even turtle nesting grounds.
Culture and History
Travel to Guinea-Bissau, visa requirements
Flights to Guinea-Bissau, airtickets
Direct flights from Portugal with TAP or Luxor Airlines. Several airlines fly into Dakar, Senegal, and there is a daily Air Senegal flight into Bissau. Air Senegal has a website that publishes its schedule.
By train
By car
Buses to Guinea-Bissau
By boat
Get around
In Bissau minibuses called toca-toca work for transports within the city. There are also regular taxis. For inter-city travel there are candongas, big commercial vehicles carrying ten to twenty passengers. Try to get the front seats. It is also possible to rent taxis to other towns and cities.
Talk
Portuguese is the official language, however creole is the language spoken amongst the locals. There are several local languages such as Balanta, Mandinka, Pepel, Bijago etc. But you will always find people who speak English and of course French from other African countries(The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Mauretania, Nigeria etc).
Shopping, Guinea-Bissau souvenirs
The largest market in the country is Bandim Market, which is located on the main road going into town. You can buy many things there and the atmosphere is nice. Otherwise there are small vendors on most roads of the capital. In the villages (Tabankas) you will also find small vendors selling the necessities. In the main towns in the countryside there are larger markets, which give farmers and merchants the possibility to sell/trade their goods. These are called Lumo. Don't forget that Guinea Bissau is a poor country and as such the possibilities for shopping are smaller than in the Gambia or Senegal.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Most Guineans eat Rice with Fish. Because the country is rich in rice and fish. The more costly meals contain Beef. Meals are also made with Palm oil and Pea nut sauces and diverse vegetables. Guineans also eat wild/game meat(Deer, Monkey, Beaver etc.) but these animals are considered to be in danger of extinction and so it is not recommended to support this. Guineans are knowen for their warm heartedness and so you will always be asked to come have a bit with a group of people (it is common to eat from a large bowl)..."bin kume, no kume"
Guinea-Bissau nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Either you are a muslim in Guinea Bissau and love to drink a sweet green tea aka Warga. Or you are not muslim and love drinking cashew wine or palm wine. There are also possibilities to buy soft drinks but these are expensive. It is recommended that foreigners drink bottled water, although well water is of very good quality. Water would just have to be cooked or mixed with some lemon juice.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
The most expensive hotel in Bissau would be the Sheraton/Hotel Bissau and the 24 Septembro.
But there are also cheaper hostels such as the: Pensao Central, Monte Carlo Apparthotel, Grande Hotel (Oldest Hotel in Bissau), Casino and the Ta Mar(Not recommended).
In most of the towns and cities outside the capital, there are possibilities to find rooms which can be rented out.
There are also foreign run hotels on the Bijagos islands which are recomendable.
Learn
Work
Stay safe
Stay healthy
Before travelling, make sure you have the yellow fever, hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid vaccinations up to date. Malaria tablets are highly recommended. Once there make sure you drink only bottled/filtered water.
Respect
Contact
More from West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo More from Africa: Central Africa, East Africa, North Africa, Saharan Africa, Seychelles, Southern Africa, West Africa |
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