Guinea Bissau

Despite its wild beauty and remote tropical beaches, Guinea-Bissau is a relatively undiscovered tourist destination because of its long-running instability and conflict. The main attractions are the sandy beaches along the coast and the islands of the Bijagós Archipelago, a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve. The wildlife and scenery, including rainforests, reefs and mangroves on the archipelago, are largely unspoiled. The capital, Bissau, is a laid-back town with a few cultural sites, some nightspots and the Mediterranean architecture of the Portuguese Quarter.

Colonized by the Portuguese, Guinea-Bissau fought a protracted war of independence, which it finally won in 1974. After a period of upheaval, a coup in 1980 ushered in authoritarian leader Joao Bernardo ‘Nino’ Vieira. A series of democratic reforms in the 1990s culminated in a multi-party election in 1994, which Vieira won. By 1998, however, worsening economic conditions led to a coup. The military held civilian elections the following year, but the winner proved unpopular and unable to deal with the economic and political turmoil. There was another coup in 2003 and then elections held in 2005 brought back Vieira. Instability persists.  

Guinea-Bissau has a population of 1.5 million. While the official language is Portuguese, most Guineans speak Creole or a local language. About half of the country follows traditional local religions, while 45 percent follow Islam and five percent adhere to Christianity.

There are direct flights to the capital, Bissau, from Portugal, and other African countries. Buses and taxis are the main forms of transportation on the mainland, as well as canoes in rural areas during the rainy season. To get to the islands there are daily flights from the capital as well as canoes and boats.

From rare birds and monkeys in the wildlife parks, to remote white sand beaches and coral reefs on the tropical islands, Guinea-Bissau has many attractions to offer. The past decade of political and economic turmoil has created dangers and difficulties for tourists, but it has also guaranteed that many tourist attractions remain secluded and untouched.