Douala
Douala is the largest city and the commercial centre of Cameroon.
Understand
Get in
By plane
- 1 Douala International Airport (DLA IATA). Serves as the main entrance point in the country. Camair-Co (national carrier) is the main service provider to the city of Douala. Other airlines also fly to Europe - Air France (Paris), Royal Air Maroc (Morocco), Brussels Airlines (Brussels) and Turkish Airlines (Istanbul). Several airlines provide links to African destinations. Flights to Douala with major airlines are not available daily, hence a flexible schedule and a timely reservation is required. On flights out of Douala a cash-only airport tax of FCFA 10 000 is payable after you have checked in but before passport control.
By train
Passenger services are operated by Camrail. There are several daily services from the capital Yaoundé, brand new Intercity trains takes 3:45 h to complete the journey. There's also a slower service from Kumba twice a week. The central station in Douala, 2 Bessengue station (Gare de Bessengue) is located just off Blvd. de la Réunification.
By car
The Route Nationale 3 (N3) from Yaoundé to Limbe and the Route Nationale 5 (N5) from Bafoussam to Douala are the two main roads linking Douala to other cities of the country.
By boat
There are passenger ferries, usually one sailing per week, from Bata and Malabo, both located in Equatorial Guinea.
Get around
See
- 1 [dead link] Douala Maritime Museum, Rue de l’Hopital, ☏ +237 33 42 21 65. Museum showcasing the rich maritime history of Douala. Entrance 5000 CFA.
- Douala Memorials, Douala water park, Douala shops
- Place du Gouvernement
- La Pagode
- Doual'art.
Do
Buy
- Ecobank. have ten Master card / visa card ATMs all over Douala
Eat
Mediterranee (Greek and Pizza),
Saga Africa,
Alladin (Lebanese),
La Sorento (Italian pizzas),
Kali (Barbecue),
Le dernier Comptoir Colonial (Fish, Prawn)
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
Sleep
Ibis Hotel, Vallée des Princes Hotel, The Douala Gingerbrook Hotel, Halmari Hotel, Karkson Hotel, Borduav Hotel, Veavousa Hotel
Budget
Mid-range
- 1 Planet Hotel, Akwa, west of the city, ☏ +237 33 43 31 31. Modern and marginally maintained hotel which is convenient for airport. Wireless internet works well, air conditioners do not. Rooms are generally clean and have TV with a few English channels. If you need entertainment, there is a nightclub across the street. 55000 CFA.
- 2 Peninsula Plaza Hotel, Voie Makepe Est (North side of the city), ☏ +237 347 1741. A modern hotel which is on the northern side of the city. Rooms are quite good, with air conditioning. Internet might not work and hot water from in room boiler may not work. 25000 CFA.
Splurge
- 3 Hôtel Akwa Palace, 920 Boulevard de la Liberté.
- 4 Hotel Sawa, 488 Rue de Verdun.
- 5 [dead link] Pullman Douala Rabingha, 35 Avenue Des Cocotiers.
Connect
Stay safe
Cope
English and French language broadcasts can be heard on BBC World Service on 101.3MHz.
Consulates
Greece, B.P. 617, 349 Rue Joffre, ☏ +237 3343-7742, fax: +237 3342-9935, grecoms-dla@hotmail.fr.
British Honorary Consulate, BP 1016 Douala, ☏ +237 3343 9732, fax: +237 3343 9732, Constance.Njike-HonCon@fconet.fco.gov.uk.
Go next
- Yaoundé — the capital of Cameroon.