Things to do in Côte D’ivoire
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Restaurant des Combattants
A huge colonial building with a wide-ranging African menu featuring escargot, sauce feuille (manioc leaf sauce with beef tail, fish and crab) and other dishes not often found in sit-down restaurants.
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Musée National
About 1km north of Le Plateau market is the Musée National . It has a very dusty collection of over 20,000 objects, including wooden statues and masks, pottery, ivory and bronze.
Just more than 1km (0,6mi) north of Le Plateau market is the Musée National. It has a collection of over 20,000 objects, including wooden statues and masks, pottery, ivory and bronze. Many of the buses heading for Adjamé pass nearby.
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Nuit de Saigon
This is arguably the best Vietnamese restaurant in Abidjan; the food is first rate and the décor swish. It specialises in duck and has an excellent French wine list.
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Hypermarché Sococé
The vast Hypermarché Sococé in Les Deux Plateaux is worth a visit for its own sake: you'll need to pinch yourself to confirm you are still in Africa.
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Marché Plateau
Marché Plateau has been razed, but will be rebuilt.
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Cathédrale St-Paul
Designed by the Italian Aldo Spiritom, is the bold and innovative Cathédrale St-Paul . The tower is a huge stylised figure of St Paul, with the nave sweeping behind him like trailing robes. Inside, the stained-glass tableaux are as warm and rich as those of the basilica in Yamoussoukro.
Make a point of seeing these three in particular: the one behind the altar depicting God blinding St Paul on the road to Damascus; the storm on Lake Galilee with Jesus pointing the way ahead as the disciples jettison the cargo; and, opposite, the tableau of the first missionaries stepping ashore to a scene of African plenty - elephants, gazelles, luxuriant palms and smiling villagers.The…
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Fondation Houphouët-Boigny
Houphouët-Boigny's massive palace, where he is now buried, can be seen only from beyond its 5km perimeter wall. Sacred crocodiles live in the lake on its southern side and the keeper tosses them some meat around 17:00. The Fondation Houphouët-Boigny, on the south side of town, was built as the headquarters of the largesse-distributing association established by the former president.
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Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix
Félix Houphouët-Boigny's vanity project symbolises the tragedy of Ivorian history. It was the world's largest Christian place of worship when it was built. It was modelled on Rome's St Peter's, although the dome is slightly shorter due to a papal intervention. And of course it cost a fortune. Bring your passport - you may be asked to leave it at the gate.
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Hôtel Ivoire
Visiting the colossal Hôtel Ivoire, once West Africa's premier hotel and a small city in itself, was always an odd experience, but the lack of guests these days makes it almost surreal. The complex has 11 tennis courts, swimming pools, a cinema, casino, restaurants, grocery store, nightclub, sauna and bowling alley.
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Parc National de la Comoë
Côte d'Ivoire's biggest and best-known national park has plenty of wildlife, including lions, elephants, hippos, many species of monkeys and antelopes, and abundant birdlife. It's been inaccessible since the civil war began; in times of peace you can visit but visitors need a vehicle.
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Bar des Sports
The bar below Hôtel des Sports is a favourite watering hole for French expats and old-school Ivorian professionals. With its bustle and French football-league tables posted on the wall it could have been transplanted from Marseille. It's the ideal place to watch the world go by.
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Butterfly Lounge
The hippest place in town is stylish, cool and bright and has live jazz in the garden on Thursday nights. With the young Ivorian elite spending freely on cocktails and Johnnie Walker, it pulls off a New York vibe. It's right near the Notre Dame church.
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Grand Bassam
Fading colonial glory and long stretches of beach lined with hotels and seafood restaurants are the main attractions at this popular getaway. On the weekends visitors used to pack the hotels and beaches, but now most expats seek sun elsewhere.
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Musée Municipal d'Art Contemporain
The small Musée Municipal d'Art Contemporain beyond the Hôtel Golf has a thought-provoking, permanent collection of works by contemporary Ivorian and other African artists and regularly mounts exciting, temporary exhibitions.
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Parc du Banco
On the northwest edge of town is the Parc du Banco rainforest reserve. It has very pleasant walking trails, majestic trees and a lake, but little in the way of wildlife. Near the park entrance is Africa's largest outdoor laundrette.
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La Cascade
The cuisine at La Cascade is superb so it's usually packed. Try the feuilleté de foie gras (pâté in puff-pastry) for a not-quite-African experience. A gushing waterfall and pond add to the ambience.
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La Pyramide
Step back and look up at some of the buildings of Le Plateau; they're as breathtaking up close as from a distance. La Pyramide , designed by the Italian architect Olivieri, was the first daring structure.
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Pâtisserie Pako Gourmand
This popular place does sweet French fare superbly - cakes, pastries, buttery croissants and brilliant, real coffee - plus there is ice cream and African food. Strongly recommended.
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Le Village Ki-Yi
Le Village Ki-Yi offers a show with dinner that's very authentic. The singers, dancers and musicians of the resident troupe, Le Groupe Ki-Yi M'bock, enjoy national fame.
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La Caravelle
This place has copious, all-inclusive meals including hamburgers and pizza (lunch only). Its adjacent sweet shop produces delicacies as good as any sold in Beirut.
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Espace 331
This is a happening, tree-shaded outdoor joint with lunch time sauce dishes and evening grills such as brochette d'escargots (grilled snail kebabs).
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Ministry of Post & Telecommunications
The shimmering Ministry of Post & Telecommunications, all rounded angles and curves soaring skyward, contrasts with its cuboid, right-angled neighbours.
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Café Restaurant Oasis
The Oasis is, as its name suggests, a good place to take refuge from the busy streets outside. Afro-European food is served in a diner-style atmosphere.
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Marché de Treichville
The Marché de Treichville is an ugly Chinese-built building, but inside it's African to the core and well stocked. There is little you can't find.
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Allocodrome
This fantastic outdoor grill in Cocody is sizzling from 16:00 until late. Dozens of vendors barbecue fish, chicken and beef, providing filling meals.
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