Bissau

Capital of Guinea-Bissau, with the weathered Portuguese old town of Bissau Velho and the Fortaleza de São José da Amura; take a boat to the Bijagós Archipelago, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, to see sea turtles and hippos.

Bissau is the capital and largest city of the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau, located on the north bank of the Geba River estuary with a population of about 500,000. The city grew out of a 17th-century Portuguese trading post, became the capital of Portuguese Guinea in 1941, and has been the national capital since independence in 1973–74. Portuguese is the official language, Kriol is spoken day to day, and French is also widely used near the borders. The climate is hot: the dry season from November to May is sunny with little rain and ideal for island trips, with cooler mornings and evenings from December to February; the rainy season from June to October brings frequent downpours that can cut off roads and ferries. Carnival in February is the liveliest festival of the year, with masked and dancing parades from the country's many ethnic groups. Sights in town are close together: Bissau Velho, the Fortaleza da Amura, the Pidjiguiti Memorial at the docks and the cathedral can be covered on foot in half a day; the Praça dos Heróis Nacionais and the Presidential Palace stand at the end of the main avenue to the north; and Bandim Market is a great place to experience local life. The real highlights lie beyond the city: a 2–5 hour boat ride takes you to the Bijagós Archipelago, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, where you can island-hop from a base on Bubaque, see saltwater hippos on Orango and sea turtles on João Vieira; the colonial ruins of the former capital Bolama are one of a kind; and Cacheu and the beaches of Varela in the north require a car and are mostly overnight trips. Getting there: Osvaldo Vieira International Airport has flights via Lisbon, Dakar and Casablanca. Infrastructure is limited and ATMs are scarce, so bring euros in cash to exchange for West African CFA francs; a visa must be arranged in advance, yellow fever vaccination is required, and take malaria precautions. The political situation is occasionally unstable, so check the latest travel advisories before you go. Plan on 4–6 days, with at least 3 in the islands.

Top sights

• Bissau Velho – The old harbor district from the Portuguese colonial era. Its peeling colorful arcades, iron balconies and colonial houses are half ruin, h…
• Bubaque – The transport and accommodation hub of the Bijagós Archipelago. Trips to Bruce Beach, fishing villages and island-hopping tours all depart…
• Orango Islands National Park – One of the world's rare habitats for saltwater hippos. It is also home to the matrilineal traditions of the Bijagós and a royal tomb.
• Fortaleza de São José da Amura – A Portuguese star-shaped fort begun in 1696, home to the tomb of independence leader Amílcar Cabral, and still used as a military barracks.
• Pidjiguiti Memorial – A memorial to the 1959 Pidjiguiti dock workers’ strike, marked by a giant black clenched fist sculpture. The event marked the start of the…
• Bandim Market – Bissau’s largest open-air market, with dense rows of stalls selling fabric, seafood, cashew nuts, and herbs. It is one of the best places t…
• Praça dos Heróis Nacionais – A circular square at the northern end of the city’s main axis, with the Independence Heroes Monument at its center and the white Presidenti…
• Bissau Cathedral – A white Catholic cathedral completed in 1950, with twin bell towers at the entrance to the old town, and a landmark of Bissau’s skyline.
• National Ethnographic Museum – A small museum with Bijagós masks, sculptures, and traditional objects from the country’s ethnic groups. It is a good entry point for under…
• Quinhamel – A riverside town about 30 kilometers west of Bissau, at the mouth of the Mansoa River. Its Papel weaving workshops and mangrove-side restau…
• João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park – One of the most important nesting sites for green sea turtles in West Africa, with four uninhabited islands, white sand beaches, and fine s…
• Bolama – The former capital of Portuguese Guinea, where wide streets lined with colonial palaces and an old hospital are being reclaimed by tropical…
• Cacheu – One of the earliest Portuguese trading posts in West Africa, with a fort linked to the slave trade. Beside it is the Cacheu River Mangroves…
• Varela Beach – Mainland Guinea-Bissau’s most beautiful beach, with a long stretch of golden sand backed by pine forest and dunes, near the Senegalese bord…

Where to eat

• Coqueiros Bar & Restaurant – One of Bissau's highest-rated Portuguese restaurants, known for oysters, fish and francesinha, a hearty Portuguese sand…
• Papa Loca Restaurant – A popular restaurant inside the Benfica Bissau sports club, serving pizza, shawarma and grilled chicken to locals and v…
• A Padeira Africana Restaurant – A Portuguese-style restaurant converted from a 1990s bakery, using local ingredients for Portuguese dishes and peanut s…

Itineraries

• West Africa Six-Country Overland – An epic overland journey heading south from Dakar through six countries to Monrovia, including the Bijagós Archipelago.