Kribi
Cameroon's most popular seaside town, with a long beach, fresh seafood and Lobe Falls plunging straight into the ocean. Sea turtle villages and rainforest reserves lie nearby.
Kribi is on the Atlantic coast of Cameroon's South Region, at the mouth of the Kienké River. It is about 160 km north of the largest city, Douala, and about 270 km from the capital, Yaoundé. It is Cameroon's most popular seaside resort, and it has developed rapidly in recent years with the construction of a deep-water port.
The climate is hot and humid, with temperatures of 25–30°C year-round. December to February is the main dry season, with the best sunshine and calm seas, making it the best time to visit. July–August is a short dry season and also suitable. March–June and September–November are rainy seasons with heavy downpours, and some dirt roads become difficult to pass.
The sights fall into three areas. In town, there are the fishing port's fish market, the lighthouse and the cathedral, as well as Ngoye Beach to the north and the Londji fishing village. To the south are Lobe Falls and Grand Batanga. Further south are Wolf Rock, the Ebodje sea turtle village and Campo-Ma'an National Park, which needs a separate one or two days.
Getting there: it is about 2.5–3 hours from Douala on the expressway and about 4 hours from Yaoundé, with several long-distance bus companies serving the route. In town, you rely on taxis and motorbike taxis, and hiring a car is recommended for the southern sights. A stay of 2–4 days is suggested. Carry your passport for police checks. Some stretches of beach have rip currents. Malaria is prevalent, so take mosquito protection and preventive medication. Entry requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Cash is mainly in Central African CFA francs.
Top sights
- Lobé Falls – The Lobé River plunges over a broad row of falls right where it enters the Atlantic, making it one of the few waterfalls in the world that…
- Kribi Beaches – Golden sand and coconut palms stretch for dozens of kilometres. The area around Ngoyé, just north of town, is the liveliest, making Plages…
- Kribi Fishing Port & Fish Market – A fishing harbour at the mouth of the Kienké River, where colourful dugout canoes unload their catch. Buying fresh fish at the market and h…
- Kribi Lighthouse – A lighthouse built in 1906 during the German colonial period, standing on a headland in the city centre, and a landmark of old Kribi.
- Saint Joseph Cathedral, Kribi – A Catholic cathedral by the sea in the city centre, with a striking white facade and stained-glass windows. It can be visited along with th…
- Grand Batanga – A seaside village of the Batanga people south of the Lobé Falls, where 19th-century missionaries first landed. It has quiet beaches and a s…
- Londji – A fishing-village bay about 15 km north of Kribi, with a wide sandy beach and calm water, where you can paddle dugout canoes past mangroves…
- Rocher du Loup – A huge granite rock off the coast south of Kribi, shaped like a wolf lying down, with quiet beaches nearby; it is often combined with a sto…
- Ebodjé Turtle Village – A community-run sea turtle conservation village, where at night you can follow a guide along the beach to watch leatherback and green turtl…
- Campo Ma'an National Park – A lowland rainforest reserve on Cameroon's southern coast, with a habituated gorilla-tracking programme, forest elephants and a rich variet…
Where to eat
- Au Plaisir du Goût – The beachfront restaurant at the Les Gîtes de Kribi hotel, ranked first in Kribi on Tripadvisor and praised for its sea…
- Pieds dans l'Eau – A Breton crêperie on the beach at Mbouamanga, with a sea view, known for traditional buckwheat galettes and grilled fis…