Mbandaka is in Congo Basin. It is the capital of Equateur province. This city is formerly known as Coqilhatville (in French ) where it was named by the Belgians in 1886 during the beginning of colonial rule.

Understand

As Mbandaka city is located in an area where it touches on Congo River and Ruki river, this makes it the handler of the headquarters of Fourth Naval Region of the Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the local ethnic group of people residing Mbandaka on a large percentage are called Mongo.

Get in

• Mbandaka Airport.

• By boat through the river as it links Mbandaka to Kinshasa and Boende.

See

Colonial architecture in Mbandaka.

• 1 Catholic Mission station and Central African history research centre of Bamanya. A large research centre for Central African history, originally set up by Fathers Gustaaf Hulstaert (1900–1990) and Honoré Vinck, is at the Catholic mission station of Bamanya (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC)), 10 kilometres east of Mbandaka. (updated May 2020)
• 2 Botanic Garden of Eala (Jardin Botanique d'Eala). One of the finest botanical gardens of central Africa is at nearby Eala, about 7 km east of the town centre. The Botanic Garden of Eala, founded in 1900, contains between 4,000 and 5,000 species. It covers approximately 370 hectares with special collections (125 ha), forest (190 ha), marsh (50 ha) and savanna "Euobe" (7 ha). The garden is neglected and unfenced and there is illegal logging. The last catalogue was published in 1924. (updated May 2020)
• First Habitat for Humanity International housing project. Mbandaka is the home of the world's first project of Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat for Humanity's founder Millard Fuller served as missionary with the Disciples of Christ Church in Mbandaka from 1973-76. The housing project Fuller started in Mbandaka in 1973 became the original project of Habitat for Humanity when Fuller founded Habitat upon his return to the United States. (updated May 2020)
• Ligne de l'equateur, tourist attraction place.

Buy

• Marche de Basoko.

• Maison Willy Bakombela.

• Marche Central de Mbandaka2.

Eat

• Restaurant de la Bralima.

Drink

• Hotel Mosika.

• Hotel Benghazi.

Sleep

• 1 Nina River Hotel, Avenue Bolenge, ☏ +243 999 972 266. Riverside hotel with pool. (updated May 2020)

• Hotel Wimpey.

• Hotel Samanta.

• Mputu Palace.

• Centre d'Accueil Vatican.

• Puits M'Bandaka-1.

• Centre Tomodja Onakoy.

Talk

Citizens residing in Mbandaka mostly speak several languages that are Lingala, French, and the local language Mongo.

Go next

• Bumba.
• Gbadolite.
• Kisangani.