Bobo-Dioulasso

Bobo-Dioulasso is Burkina's second largest city, with wide boulevards reminiscent of those in Ouagadougou. Most people that live there belong to the Bobo tribe and refer to the coty asw 'Sia'. It is very easy to find your way around in Bobo-Dioulasso. Be careful in the area along the riverside as people sometimes get mugged there.

Bobo-Dioulasso boasts numerous colonial buildings. The Grand Marché is a busy marketplace where lots of interesting items are sold. It is four blocks west of the railway station, about halfway to the river. One of the most impressive buildings in the city is Grande Mosquée on the Place de la Revolution, west of the market, close to the river. It is completely built out of mud in traditional Sudanese style. The caretaker can show you around if you give him some money. The mosque's interior is also very interesting. On the Place de la Nation to the south is the Musée Provincial du Houët. The museum is also built in Sudanese mud-style. There are exhibitions on modern African art and traditional art from throughout the region. If you want a rest after walking through the city go to the Centre Culturel Français Henri Matisse, a shady place where you can read magazines and relax in nice chairs. The old Kibidwé district has many potters and blacksmiths. is the ritual center of the Bobo-Jula group. The mausoleum of Guimbi Ouattara; one of Bobo-Dioulasso's fprmer rulers.

Dafra is a sacred pond and a site of pilgrimage.

Seven times a year the Fête des masques takes place just behind the Grande Mosqué. A few people covered in feathers and wearing wooden masks scare children and dance until late in the evening.

Accommodation and places that sell meals are widely available and easily found.

Bobo Dioulasso lies about 330 km (200 miles) southwest of the capital. There are flights and there is a railway link between the city and Ouagadougou. Daily buses and minibuses also cover the route.