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West Africa is a region of Africa.
Nations
| Benin A hot, humid country with many lagoons along the coast. |
| Burkina Faso Inland state. |
| Gambia The smallest country on the African mainland, stretched out on both sides of the river of the same name. |
| Ghana The most visited country in West Africa by tourists, dominated by the immense Volta Lake. |
| guinea A beautiful country with mountain and forest areas and several rivers. |
| Guinea-Bissau A small country that also includes a large number of islands off the coast. |
| Ivory Coast A country with savanna in the north and rainforest in the south. |
| Cape Verde An archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Liberia A hot country with a lot of wetlands and rivers. |
| Nigeria A country that consists for the most part of pasture. |
| Senegal A flat country located around the Gambia. |
| Sierra Leone A country that owes its name to the shape of the lion mountains along the coast. |
| Togo A vast country with grassland in the north and cocoa plantations in the south. |
Sometimes become Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad also considered West African states.
Arrive
Passport and visa
An international passport is required. You must have a visa for the duration of your stay. This visa can be obtained at the embassy or on the spot upon arrival at Bissau airport. The price is currently (January 2013) 55,000 FCFA (= /- 85 euros) per person.
By plane
The best and cheapest way to get to Bissau is via TAP (Portuguese airline). There are three flights a week from Lisbon to Bissau. To visit the Bijagos archipelago (group of islands), you can go to Bubaque by boat (weekly departure on Friday, return on Sunday) or by air taxi (by appointment).
Language
Official language is Portuguese, but Creole (on a Portuguese basis) is spoken by almost everyone.
Travel around
To look at
The Bijagos Archipelago is worth a visit. From Bubaque you can explore the other islands by boat. A guide is required. On Bubaque there are several hotels, which usually have an extensive excursion program. The Bijagos archipelago is mainly known by anglers, who go fishing for "big game". Success assured: the waters between and around the archipelago are among the richest in fish in the world.
To do
Food
The local cuisine is simple. Base is fish and rice. Sometimes chicken, beef or pork is also available. Fruits and vegetables are sold in bulk in the local markets, but are used relatively little in the native cuisine. The restaurants of the hotels offer a more international cuisine. Tips:- on the island of Bubaque: in hotel "Les Dauphins" (best restaurant in Guinea Bissau) and in hotel Dora (on order: very tasty Portuguese meals at reasonable prices).- in the capital Bissau: La Padeira Africana (correct, moderate quality, quite expensive) Attention: As a tourist you are not immune to certain bacteria and so it is not recommended to "eat" with the local population. Remember: there is no (or almost no) electricity, so no refrigeration to store food.
Safety
Guinea Bissau is generally a safe country. But the people own little or nothing. Don't flaunt an abundance of electronic equipment, money or jewellery: opportunity still makes the thief. Tip: if you want to give someone something, don't give money, but a piece of clothing, something to eat or drink, a must-have.