Douala is the economic capital and largest city of Cameroon, a port city of 3 million on the estuary where the Wouri River opens into the Gulf of Guinea. The Portuguese named the country in the 15th century after the shrimp in the river, the Duala kings signed a protection treaty with Germany in 1884 and the colonial buildings of the Bonanjo district date from that period. Today Douala is the largest port in Central Africa and the lifeline of the country's trade; it is hot and humid, noisy and alive. The makossa bars of Akwa, the scrap metal statue at the Deido roundabout and the riverside are the urban side of a visit; the black sand beaches of Limbe an hour to the west, Mount Cameroon and the Kribi coast to the south are the nature side.
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See flights to Douala →When to visit Douala
Late November to February is the easiest period: the dry season, days of 30C to 32C and, although humidity stays high all year, little rain, with the climb of Mount Cameroon and the Limbe beaches at their best in these months. From March to May the rains begin, with short afternoon downpours. June to October is one of the wettest regions in the world; in July and August it can rain for days, roads break up and the sea is rough. The Race of Hope on Mount Cameroon in February is the busiest day on the mountain.
Things to do in Douala
La Nouvelle Liberte statue
The 12 metre statue rising in the middle of the Deido roundabout is a figure the artist Joseph-Francis Sumegne made in 1996 from scrap metal, old engine parts and waste iron, and it has become the emblem of Douala. The human figure carrying a globe speaks of the city's power of improvisation and of recycling; controversial in its first years, the work now appears on the city's logos and postcards. Traffic on the roundabout is heavy, so photographs are taken from the pavement. The nearby Deido market fits into the same walk.
La Pagode (Manga Bell Palace)
The two storey pavilion with its Far Eastern roof in Bonanjo was built by the Germans in 1905 for the Duala king Manga Ndumbe Bell; his son Rudolf Duala Manga Bell was executed here in 1914 for resisting German land policy and is a national hero today. The building is still owned by the Bell family and is seen from outside, and its surroundings, with the colonial era governor's office, post office and courthouse, offer the quietest walk in the city. The nearby Doual'art gallery shows contemporary Cameroonian art.
Douala Maritime Museum
Opened in 2010 in the port authority building in Bonanjo, the museum tells the history of the Wouri estuary and the Cameroon coast, from the Portuguese explorers to the German colonial port and from the carved canoes of the Duala fishermen to today's container terminal. Examples of the decorated pirogues used in canoe races and sea charts are in the collection. The air conditioned halls also serve as an escape from the midday heat. An hour is enough and it opens on weekdays.
Limbe Wildlife Centre and Botanic Garden
Limbe, 70 kilometres west of Douala, is a coastal town known for its black volcanic sand beaches where Mount Cameroon drops to the sea. The Limbe Wildlife Centre in the middle of town houses chimpanzees, gorillas, mandrills and monkeys rescued from poaching and the pet trade; it has been open to visitors since 1993 and its painted entrance wall is recognised from a distance. The botanic garden next to it, founded by the Germans in 1892, is one of the oldest in Africa, with tropical trees and walking paths along the Limbe River across 50 hectares. The fish restaurants of Down Beach are ideal for dinner.
Mount Cameroon
The 4,040 metre active volcano rising above the town of Buea 70 kilometres west of Douala is the highest peak in West Africa and is known locally as the Chariot of the Gods; its last eruption was in 2012. The climb starts from Buea, rising through rainforest to savanna and lava fields in two or three days, and a guide is compulsory. In the dry season the Gulf of Guinea and, in clear weather, the island of Bioko are visible from the summit. The cool air of Buea at 1,000 metres is reason enough for an escape from Douala.
Lobe Falls
Just outside the coastal town of Kribi, 160 kilometres south of Douala, the Lobe River drops straight into the Atlantic over a series of steps, one of the few waterfalls in the world that flow directly into the sea. Canoes circle below the falls and boat trips run upriver to Pygmy villages. The white sand beaches and shrimp restaurants of Kribi are Cameroon's holiday coast. It is three hours by car from Douala and a weekend trip.
Flights from Turkey to Douala
Direct flights to Douala from Turkey leave Istanbul Airport on Turkish Airlines; the route runs year round with one to three flights a week, departing in the evening, and takes about 7 hours; on other days the service continues via Yaounde on the same aircraft. The time difference is two hours and arrival is towards midnight. Douala International Airport is 10 kilometres from the city centre; a hotel transfer is arranged in advance, and taxis at the terminal exit reach the centre in 20 to 30 minutes after bargaining. A yellow fever vaccination card is checked on entry.
Douala FAQ
How many days do you need in Douala?
A day for Bonanjo, Deido and the riverside and a day for Limbe are enough; the Mount Cameroon climb takes two or three days and Kribi a weekend. Plan two nights for the city alone and a week with the coast and the mountain. Adding Yaounde and the Bamileke kingdoms to the west stretches it to ten days.
How far is the airport from the city centre?
Douala International Airport is about 10 kilometres from the city centre. A taxi takes 20 to 30 minutes and the fare is agreed before getting in; most hotels send a pick up car, which is the better choice for night arrivals. Limbe is an hour and a half by road from the airport.
Do you need a visa for Cameroon?
A Turkish passport needs a Cameroonian visa; the application is made online through the official e-visa site and the visa is stamped into the passport at the airport on presentation of the approval. A yellow fever vaccination card is compulsory and checked on entry, and malaria precautions are planned with a doctor. The passport must be valid for at least six months. Travel warnings apply to some regions in the north and west, and Douala and the coast are outside them.
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