Brazzaville
This popular riverside hangout is the best place to view the rapids on the Congo River, a little downriver from central Brazzaville. The low-key bar here…
Must-see nightlife in West Africa
Gabon
There's a slightly sleazy air to this bar which makes it quite attractive. There are a few tables and chairs outside but the main action is inside. Early…
Lagos
Starts late, gets good even later. Nigeria's elites, socialites and pop stars come here for the post-party partying. If you get the munchies, head across…
Monrovia
Take any one of the beach tracks from Mamba Point Rd and you'll stumble upon JR's Beach Bar, which serves up drinks and views with good vibes and fun. If…
Abidjan
A wide range of cocktails means you can spend hours choosing between passionfruit cocktails or something with a tamarind twist. There's great music here,…
Serekunda & Atlantic Coast Resorts
An anchor of the Senegambia party scene, Aquarius draws a well-dressed crowd out for a big night out to its glittering dance floor. The drinks are…
Libreville
This is a popular place with a garden, a bar and a huge sports screen. There are bar snacks to soak up the beer (for example sausages at CFA2000) and a…
Gabon
This is a large place with a bar, dance floor and various lounges. It's all very exclusive and drinks are expensive. It holds parties for special…
Conakry
Perched on stilts out in the water, this cute thatch-and-wood bar covered in fish skeleton decorations is a great place for a sunset drink. Whether the…
Cotonou
This hip, convivial bar with an open-air terrace is a great spot to swill a beer or two before hitting the clubs. The crowd ranges from expats to well…
Rio Muni
Operating from a tiny shack with three or four tables set on a driveway, this informal bar is next to the Spanish Cultural Centre. It makes a great place…
Dakar
At this old-style, beer-scented pub, the pints spill over and the guests are red-faced. (Women will feel safer if they've come with a few friends.) Live…
Bissau
Guineans and expats head to Saboura to dance to Guinean and African beats until the sun comes up. The place is usually teeming on Thursday nights. Saboura…
Rio Muni
This open-air bar on the beachfront has booths as well as tables and chairs on the grass. It's a great place for a sunset beer, though the beach could do…
Senegal
Smart and glittering, La Chaumière is the best and closest nightclub (and occasional live-music venue) to the town centre. Pick the right night: it's…
Ouagadougou
This jazz bar is a gem: the music is great, the decor original (with fab photos, posters and two beautiful pool tables), the terrace breezy and the…
Guinea
The town's most popular nightspot is the club within the Hôtel Salaa complex. There's occasional live music as well. Admission fees depend on what's going…
Bissau
At X (pronounced 'sheesh') Club, join the odd assembly of hard-working UN staff, shady businessmen and sparkling party folk on their glitzy trip through…
Libreville
One of several nightclubs on Montée Louis, this black and purple building stands out. Inside are billiard tables and shisha as well as a bar and a dance…
Nigeria
Grassy area with a stage for nighttime concerts (free) and thatched cabanas where you can buy beers, smoothies and street food, including fiery baked fish.
Conakry
Brash club filled with teen and twenty-something lip-gloss-sporting girls in tiny skirts and posing guys. There's also a lounge bar in the same complex.
Mindelo
Just around the corner from Praça Amilcar Cabral, under Porto Grande Hotel, Syrius is the city's perennially fashionable but often empty disco.
Bissau
Get lost among the plastic palm trees and plastic people at Insónias, a bizarrely decorated club popular with the NGO and UN crowd at weekends.
Monrovia
Join the shimmering, moneyed party people at Liberia's sleekest club, which hosts DJs and regular special nights. No shorts or sandals for men.
São Tomé
This cute chill-out bar occupies an old warehouse on the seafront and is a great place to hang out after a weekend meal. English spoken.
Conakry
A chilled-out place from which to watch the sun sink into a murky Atlantic horizon as you nurse a sundowner drink or two.
Togo
With its massive BBQ and candle-lit tables, this joint doubles as a beer hang-out and a great spot to grab a bite.
Togo
This cheerful, easy-going bar is a fun place for a drink. It also shows regular football games and serves food.
Senegal
A friendly watering hole with decent food on hand (such as omelette sandwiches) and a back patio.
Boa Vista
Good spot for a coffee, drink, or snacks with fine people-watching right on Sal Rei's main plaza.
Rio Muni
This rowdy place gets going from 10pm on weekends. The beers are cheap and the music loud.
Burkina Faso
The outdoor terrace bar is open every night and is a relaxed place for a beer, but what really draws the crowds to this place is the indoor (air-con)…
Cotonou
This Cotonou institution has been around for yonks and isn't showing signs of slowing down. If you want to rub shoulders with hip-gyrating Beninese…
Burkina Faso
Come and shake your stuff to coupé-décalé (Ivoirian beats) and other Afro-beats at the funky Provencale. The Sunday matinée is particularly popular.
Abidjan
Expats and travellers congregate here on weekends: a drinking lounge with walls the colour of Ivoirian soil. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed.
