Malabo

Malabo


Malabo is the beautiful capital of Equatorial Guinea. It is the country's oldest city and it is located on Bioko Island, which is only about 70 km from Cameroon. Malabo is the island's chief port and commercial center, though it is not the country's largest city. It has a Spanish influence and is very tourist-friendly with numerous bars, cafés and nightclubs and colorful markets.

There are plans to move the capital to the mainland town of Ciudad de la Paz, which was especially constructed for this purpose. In 2017, institutions of governance began the process of relocating to Ciudad de la Paz, but the process is slow and a long way from completion.

There are some beaches to the north of the city but they are not especially good. To the south you can see hills and mountains covered with rainforests, providing spectacular volcanic views of Basile peak (Mount Malabo), the country's highest mountain.

There are numerous beautiful colonial-era buildings in Malabo. They include the Presidential Palace and the Palace of Justice of Malabo. In the center of town, many of the old buildings are in a state of disrepair, especially the wooden 19th-century buildings on Nigeria and Rey Boncoro streets.

The Gothic Cathedral of Santa Isabel was inaugurated in 1916. It has two 40 m tall spires. There are numerous other Christian churches and temples in Malabo, as well as a mosque.

La Gaditana used to be called Finca Amilivia prior to 1918. Teodolita is one of the oldest buildings in Malabo. It was built in 1902.

Other interesting sites include the City Hall, the Church of Elá Nguema, Independence Square, Parque Nacional de Malabo, the Casa de España and the bay of the harbor.

The volcano of Pico Basilé can be seen from all over town, as it is only about 15 km away. It is the highest mountain in Equatorial Guinea and offers stunning views over Bioko Island.

There are great differences in income in Equatorial Guinea because of the oil industry, so you will see shantytowns, but also modern high-rise buildings.

There is not a whole lot to do in Malabo, but it is an excellent place for relaxing and there is a great nightlife. Alcohol is quite expensive, but there are local brews, of which malamba, made from sugarcane, is the best known. They are cheap and widely available.
Accommodation is expensive, but food is cheap, especially if you eat in the market or at local bars.

Malabo was founded as Port Clarence (or Clarence town) in 1827 by the British, who ruled Bioko Island in these days, as a base for the suppression of slave trade. In 1844 the Spanish took over and renamed it Santa Isabel. Independence came in 1968 and the present name of Malabo was ratified in 1973.

The airport is about 7 km from the city and there is no public transport to it so you will have to take a taxi.

About Bioko Island

The Portuguese navigator Fernão do Po, first described the island on which Malabo lies, in 1471. It was named the island of Fernando Po. Portugal ceded it to Spain in 1778 and with permission of the Spanish government, Great Britain maintained a naval station at Fernando Po and administered the island from 1827 until 1844.

In the beginning of the 20th century Fernando Po and Río Muni where merged and became known as the Spanish Territories of the Gulf of Guinea, or Spanish Guinea. The territory gained independence as the republic of Equatorial Guinea on October 12, 1968.

Some other places of interest on Bioko island include San Antonio de Ureca, the Ilachi waterfalls and the luxury resort of Sipopo.


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Miscellaneous Information

Latitude:    3°45' N
Longitude: 8°48' E
Elevation:  n/a

Population: 300,000
Cost-of-living compared to Washington D.C.: n/a

Hours from UTC: 1
Daylight savings time: n/a

City phone code: 9
Country phone code: 240

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