Must-see attractions in Cameroon

  • Palais Royal

    Cameroon

    The must-see attraction is the sultan's palace, home to the 19th sultan of the Bamoun dynasty. It has a fascinating, well-organised museum providing great…

  • Chefferie

    Cameroon

    Approached via a ceremonial gate, the compound is centred on a hugely impressive bamboo building, its conical thatched roof supported by wooden pillars…

  • Musée de la Blackitude

    Yaoundé

    If time is short, give the overpriced National Museum a miss, and take a passionately well-informed tour (French only) of this private collection. It’s a…

  • Mefou National Park

    Yaoundé

    A 45-minute drive south of Yaoundé, Mefou is run by Ape Action Africa, an organisation established to protect primates in Cameroon. Well-informed guides…

  • The Royal Palace Museum of the Fon dynasty kings of the Dahomey Empire. The Museum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Abomey, Benin. West Africa. (Photo by: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)

    Fon's Palace

    Cameroon

    Just north of Bamenda is the large Tikar community of Bafut, traditionally the most powerful of the Grassfields kingdoms. The fon's (local chief's) palace…

  • Mandrill -Mandrillus sphinx-, female, animal portrait, captive, South-West Region, Cameroon

    Limbe Wildlife Centre

    Cameroon

    Many zoos in Africa are depressing places, but the Limbe Wildlife Centre is a shining exception. It houses rescued chimpanzees, gorillas, drills and other…

  • Botanical Gardens

    Cameroon

    Limbe's Botanical Gardens, the second oldest in Africa, are the home of, among others, cinnamon, nutmeg, mango, ancient cycads and an unnamed tree that…

  • Parc National de Campo-Ma'an

    Cameroon

    Campo-Ma'an comprises 7700 sq km of protected biodiverse rainforest, sheltering many wonderful plants and animals, including buffaloes, forest elephants,…

  • Chutes de la Lobé

    Cameroon

    The Chutes de la Lobé are an impressive set of waterfalls that empty directly into the sea – it's a beautiful sight. Take a moto-taxi (CFA500), or make a…

  • Nôtre Dame Cathedral

    Yaoundé

    The honking of Yaoundé's traffic merges with the sound of prayer and song at Nôtre Dame Cathedral. It's a bold triangular building, consecrated in 1955,…

  • Musée National

    Yaoundé

    Located in a grand white 1930s villa – a former presidential palace – the museum provides a thorough, if overpriced, trip through Cameroon's history…

  • Marché Central

    Yaoundé

    The market is housed in a dramatic brutalist building in central Yaoundé, with towering floors of fabric and garment sellers and a bank of tailors. It can…

  • Place de l'Indépendance

    Yaoundé

    A dramatic expression of independent Cameroon, this huge square is fronted by Yaoundé's Hôtel de Ville (town hall) and edged by flower beds and proudly…

  • Musée d'Art Camerounais

    Yaoundé

    At the Benedictine monastery on Mt Fébé, north of Yaoundé's city centre, the Musée d'Art Camerounais has three exhibition rooms with an impressive…

  • Espace Doual'art

    Cameroon

    Well worth dropping into if you're nearby in Douala, this contemporary art space hosts changing displays of work from all over Cameroon and the rest of…

  • Afriland First Bank

    Yaoundé

    Africa First Bank is a highlight of Yaoundé's Place de l'Indépendance, with its colourful mosaics depicting tribal figures and Egyptian scenes, and a…

  • Bandjoun Station

    Cameroon

    Dramatically decorated with mosaics, this arts centre and workshop boldly announces itself. The centre supports the work of local contemporary artists.

  • Grande Mosquée

    Cameroon

    The octagonal tower and green domes of the mosque are a landmark at the centre of Foumban.

  • Cathedral

    Cameroon

    Built in 1936, Douala's cathedral is impressively large, though plain inside and out.

  • Old Church

    Cameroon

    Historic church facing Down Beach.

  • Palais du Lamido

    Cameroon

    To enter the Palais du Lamido, the palace of the local Muslim ruler, you pass between three pillars stuffed with the remains of individuals who were…

  • Parc National du Waza

    Cameroon

    Waza National Park is Cameroon's most accessible and rewarding wildlife-viewing experience. Visitors can reasonably expect to see large numbers of…

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