Guide to holidays in Gabon Africa

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Gabon.
The countries full name is the Gabonese Republic, an area of 257, 670 square kilometres, with Cameroon to the north, Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, and Congo to the east and south. Its 1.2 million residents are a mixture of Europeans, Africans and various tribes from different Bantu groups, all speaking either Fang or French, whose religions are Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and native beliefs. The country’s main commercial business is from lumber, textiles, mining, food and drink and ship repair with major trading in Japan, USA, France, Cameroon and the Netherlands.

Around 1472, the Dutch, British and French came to the area to trade in slaves, tropical wood and ivory, but by 1849 the capital, Libreville, became a community for freed slaves and 21 years on, Gabon was a French colony in French Equatorial Africa. During this time, French companies were forcing Africans to work for them, allowing the slavery trade, to once again rear its ugly head. Due to this, riots broke out, but the French stamped out every attempt at a rebellion, whilst draining the area of its forests and other natural means of wealth, bringing the country into economic disaster. In 1960, Leo M'Ba became the first president of the new republic of Gabon and after his death in 1967, Albert-Bernard Bongo, took over, a time when manganese and uranium deposits were being processed and oil prices were raised, bringing wealth throughout the country. By the 1980’s though, oil prices dropped, but throughout the country’s financial struggles, Bongo remained in office and today, Bongo is still president with the citizens of Gabon backing him all the way.

When it comes to activities in Gabon, the country is inundated with outdoor fun, including diving, sail boarding, swimming, cycling, hiking, caving and tennis. Visitors who just fancy meandering around the cities and towns though, should start their exploration at the country’s capital of Libreville. This city is a world away from the more traditional native areas of Gabon, with its towering office blocks and hotels, fantastic shopping centres and modern, extensive highways. There is also an art museum, churches and the presidential palace for visitors to look round and some tranquil beaches to laze on mid-afternoon. By night, the area is very safe, with great places to eat at very economical prices and later on, the bars and nightclubs are filled with locals and tourists alike, drinking and dancing till dawn.

There are many ways to get about in Gabon from trains to minibuses to taxis, with all three means of transport being frequent but quite expensive. The minibuses are used more often than the taxis and travel to many places, but the amount of folk using the buses are far and few betweenl, even within the country’s capital of Libreville. Boats can also be a means of getting around but the time it takes to get from A to B is hours rather than minutes! Anyone interested in driving around the area independently, will find the roads are mainly dirt roads, that can sometimes get quite slippery and will find the locals drive without due care, so best to avoid this means of transport! The fastest way to move around would be by air, with Air Gabon flying daily between major cities and towns. To actually get into Gabon, European tourists can get direct flights to Libreville from countries such as Paris, Madrid Brussels, Geneva and Rome. Travellers should set off to Gabon from May through September, as this is the dry season, but if stifling hot weather and rain is more a visitors’ taste, then any other time would be fine!

Cycling.
Anyone wanting to travel locally around parts of Gabon should hire a bicycle, giving them freedom of choice on where to go and at their own pace. Cycling will also enable visitors to see more of the countryside with the ability to stop off for a rest and perhaps an afternoon picnic. The best time to cycle in the country is in the dry season, when the terrain is safe and car drivers aren’t slipping and sliding on the wet and muddy dirt tracks.

Hiking.
There's a chance for visitors to do some trekking while in Gabon, from strenuous to easy trail walks. A good trek is near Oyem, where visitors can climb to the very top of Mont Nkoum, or just outside Lastoursville are the cascading waterfalls of Boundji, where people can take a dip and a photograph or two. Another very good walk is only thirty minutes away from the centre of Lastourville, where some interesting caves await eager hikers.

Iguéla.
This area, 185 miles south of Libreville, is where visitors will find one of the best wildlife reserves in the country, with monkeys, lowland gorillas, forest elephants, crocodiles, warthogs, buffalos and many bird species creating habitats throughout the region. Visitors should go to the reserve during April and October, the dry season, as driving around the reserve in those months is far easier.

Lambaréné.
Sat on an island in the centre of the Ogooué River, Lambaréné is the country’s third largest city, which has its own hospital, the Schweitzer Hospital, where Albert Schweitzer's old home, library, office, laboratory and treatment centre reside. The hospital is fully functioning with a section kept as a museum, where guided tours are available. Whilst here, especially during the dry season, visitors should take a canoe ride along the lake region of Lambaréné, where wildlife including hippos can be seen.

Réserve de la Lopé.
The best and easiest to reach, wildlife reserve in Gabon, is the Réserve de la Lopé, which is 125 miles from Libreville. The park is situated in open savannah and dense forest, with buffalo in abundance throughout the area. Even though there is a vast array of other wildlife in and around the reserve, visitors need to keep their eyes peeled to find them, due to the animals mostly living in the denser areas of the forest.

Economy of Gabon:
Gabon is a small, oil-rich nation located in Central Africa. It is one of the smallest countries in the region, but its economy is the fourth-largest in sub-Saharan Africa. The economy of Gabon is heavily dependent on the exploitation of its vast oil resources. Oil production accounts for about 45% of gross domestic product and 80% of exports. However, the country is also a major producer of manganese and timber, and has substantial deposits of iron ore.

In recent years, the country has experienced economic growth due to the exploitation of its natural resources. GDP per capita has grown steadily since the early 2000s, reaching $7,355 in 2019. The government has laid out a plan to diversify the economy away from its dependence on oil and to invest in other sectors, such as infrastructure and tourism, to create economic growth and employment.

The Gabonese government has also invested in developing the country’s infrastructure. This includes investing in roads, ports, and other infrastructure projects. The government has also encouraged foreign investment, with several foreign companies investing in Gabon.

In addition, the government has implemented a number of policies to improve the business environment. This includes reducing taxes and tariffs, streamlining regulations, and providing incentives for businesses to invest in the country. The government has also implemented a number of reforms to reduce corruption and increase transparency in the public sector.

Overall, the economy of Gabon is showing signs of improvement, with the country’s GDP per capita having grown steadily since the early 2000s. The government is also taking steps to diversify the economy away from its dependence on oil and to invest in other sectors to create economic growth and employment.