Waterfront sights in Africa
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
Massina
From the pleasant Fula village of Massina, you can start a trip along the Niger by public pinasse (large canoe). A good first stop is Diafarabé, where vast Fula herds cross the Niger in one of West Africa's most picturesque annual rituals.
Every late December or early January (the exact date of the crossing is not set until November because much depends on water levels), Diafarabé (and other places along the Niger with large Fula populations) is transformed into a hive of activity as hundreds of thousands of cows are driven southwards and across the Niger to greener pastures.
The crossing, known as Dewgal, dates back almost 200 years and is a happy time for the Fula…
reviewed
-
Mindelo
Set around a moon-shaped port and ringed by barren mountains, Mindelo is Cape Verde's answer to the Riviera, complete with cobblestone streets, candy-coloured colonial buildings and yachts bobbing in a peaceful harbour.
Safely around a bend is the country's deepest industrial port, which in the late 19th century was a key coaling station for British ships and remains the source of the city's relative prosperity. Today, its prominence in Cape Verdean culture remains: it produces more than its fair share of the islands' poets, musicians and stylish bars.
reviewed
-
Arab Quarter
The neighbourhood around the port and the Ancienne Mosquée de Vendredi (old Friday mosque) is a convoluted medina with narrow streets lined with buildings dating back to Swahili times. It's reminiscent of a miniature version of Zanzibar's Stone Town and almost as intriguing. Watch for the elaborately carved Swahili doors found on many houses.
reviewed
-
Mopti Port
Mopti's port is a lively place, where boats from up and down the river unload their cargoes. You'll see slabs of salt from Timbuktu, dried fish, firewood, pottery, goats, chickens and much more. Boat building happens next to Restaurant Bar Bozo.
reviewed
-
Kivukoni Front
The city's waterfront, sometimes also called Azania Front, is lined with government buildings, all dating to the German era. Opposite is a colourful assortment of street-side vendors and ageing boats.
reviewed
-
A
Terre Sainte District
It's well worth exploring the Terre Sainte district, to the east of the centre. Though no longer the traditional fishing village it used to be, this area has its own peculiar appeal.
reviewed
-
Port
After a visit to the kasbah it is worth dropping in at the Port, where you'll find some real Moroccan atmosphere.
reviewed