Vacations Abidjan Yamoussoukro - Ivory Coast

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Vacations Abidjan Yamoussoukro - Ivory Coast
Travel tips for your trip to Côte d'Ivoire Hotel Maps helps you to make your trip to Côte d'Ivoire the holiday a Splendid One

Abidjan

Abidjan is the largest city in Cote d'Ivoire. Situated in the Ebrie Lagoon, it stands on several converging peninsulas and islands. Also known as the Pearl of the Lagoons, it has a population of approximately 4 million inhabitants.

Typical of tropical weather conditions, the city is hot and humid. Summer is from March-May, followed by the rains from June-October. The general ttemperature in Abidjan ranges from 21.6-32.6C
Abidjan is the commercial and business centre of Cote d’ Ivoire. It houses numerous important governmental departments as well as embassies and banking institutions.
A cosmopolitan city, Abidjan is a melting-pot of more than sixty ethnic tribes of Cote d’Ivoire.


Vacations Yamoussoukro

Yamoussoukro, located 240 kilometres North of Abidjan, is the administrative capital of Côte d'Ivoire.
In 1983, President Felix Houphouet-Boigny moved the capital of Cote d'Ivoire from Abidjan to his hometown Yamoussoukro. This made the official capital Yamoussoukro, but many government offices still remain in Abidjan.
The city is therefore a very recent capital, but that’s quite frequent in Côte d'Ivoire!
Yamoussoukro became the political and administrative capital after, considering only one century, Large-Bassam (1893), Bingerville (1900) and Abidjan (1933).

Cote d'Ivoire Cities Grand-Bassam , Abidjan

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Cote d'Ivoire Cities Grand-Bassam , Abidjan
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Abidjan
Abidjan is the largest city and the chief port of the country of Côte d'Ivoire / Ivory Coast located in the continent of Africa. Presently, Yamoussoukro is the official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, but Abidjan holds its position as the most important commercial and banking centre in the country. Known as the “Paris of Africa”, it is one of the largest populated cities in Western Africa with a major French speaking population.

The city is situated on the Ébrié Lagoon, consisting of several peninsulas that are linked by bridges. The Ébrié Lagoon is separated from the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean by the Vridi Canal sandbar.

Today Abidjan’s seaport is known for exporting agricultural products such as coffee, cocoa, timber, bananas, pineapples, and manganese. The total area of Abidjan extends from the main administrative area to the industrial area in Petit-Bassam and the petroleum and mineral docks in the Vridi Canal.

The city has been beautified by a number of wide streets and green garden squares. There are a number of museums, research institutes and libraries that add up to the value of the city with its arts and crafts displays. Attractions such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Hôtel Ivoire and Banco National Park help in drawing a lot of attention towards the city.

Grand-Bassam

Grand-Bassam is a city in Côte d'Ivoire, lying east of Abidjan. It was the French colonial capital city from 1893 until 1896, when the administration was transferred to Bingerville after a bout of yellow fever. The city remained a key seaport until the growth of Abidjan from the 1930s.

Grand-Bassam is the chief city of Grand-Bassam Department. The city has the aura of a ghost town, since large sections have been abandoned for decades. In 1896 the French capital was moved to Bingerville, and commercial shipping gradually declined until it virtually ceased in the 1930s. In 1960, with independence, all remaining administrative offices were transferred to Abidjan, and for many years Grand Bassam was inhabited only by squatters. Beginning in the late 70s the city began to revive as a tourist destination and craft center. It now has a year-round population of approximately 5000.

The city is divided by the Ébrié Lagoon into two halves: Ancien Bassam is the former French settlement, facing the Gulf of Guinea. It is home to the grander colonial buildings, some of which have been restored. The district is also home to a cathedral and the Côte d'Ivoire National Museum of Costume. Nouveau Bassam, linked to Ancien Bassam by a bridge, lies on the inland, northern side of the lagoon. It grew from the African servant's quarter and is now the main commercial centre of the town.

The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand-Bassam. The Diocese's cathedral is the Cathédrale Sacré Cœur in Grand-Bassam.

Cote d'Ivoire Culture, and Cote d'Ivoire History

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Cote d'Ivoire Culture, and Cote d'Ivoire History
Travel tips for your trip to Côte d'Ivoire Hotel Maps helps you to make your trip to Côte d'Ivoire the holiday a Splendid One

The Portuguese discovered what is now Cape Verde in the 15th century. By the late 15th century, settlement began on São Tiago, which later became used as a supply point for slaves traded to Brazil and the West Indies.

In 1951, Cape Verde was redefined as an overseas province, from its previous status as a colony. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the islands were used as a garrison by the Portuguese army, while many members of the growing independence movement fled to Guinea-Bissau, to form the Partido Africano da Independência do Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC) under revolutionary leader Amilcar Cabral.

Following Portugal’s 1974 revolution, Cape Verde achieved independence in 1975, shortly after the granting of independence to Guinea-Bissau, with whom Cape Verde had close political associations. The PAIGC took control of the political activities of both countries and full unification was discussed. This proposal was shelved after the 1980 coup in Guinea-Bissau, after which the Cape Verdean branch of PAIGC was renamed the Partido Africano da Independência de Cabo Verde (PAICV).

At the turn of the 1990s, the Government held elections in February 1991. The Movimento para Democracia (MPD) won both the legislature and the race for the Presidency. The MPD held onto both Presidency and national assembly in 1995, but lost both to the PAICV in 2001, when José Maria Pereira Neves was named prime minister. The PAICV also won the most recent parliamentary election in 2006.
Religion:

92.8% of the population are Roman Catholic with a Protestant minority of 1%.
Social conventions:

The usual European social courtesies should be observed.

Cote d'Ivoire Tours, Sightseeing & Things to do Travel info

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Cote d'Ivoire Tours, Sightseeing & Things to do Travel info
Travel tips for your trip to Côte d'Ivoire Hotel Maps helps you to make your trip to Côte d'Ivoire the holiday a Splendid One

Bird-watching

Cape Verde is home to several rare breeds of African birds, as well as unique types of sparrows, swifts and warblers.
Cape Verdean rum

Sample Cape Verdean rum or grog, produced on Santo Antão.

Shopping in Cape Verde

Shopping in the islands is low-key and is mainly in local markets. Toiletries and other day-to-day items can be expensive as most things are imported, but the markets are a great place to look for handicrafts. Basket-weaving is a popular past-time, and artists fashion utensils and figurines from clay.

Shopping hours: 

Mon-Sat 0800-1200 and 1500-1900.

Cidade Velha

Wander around Cidade Velha in Santiago, the first European settlement in the tropics and a World Heritage site to boot. City ruins from the 1600s have survived the ravages of both time and pirates, and Fortaleza Real de Sao Filipe, a dramatic cliff-side fort, provides sea views.
Dance barefoot

Dance barefoot on the beach. Cape Verdean's love dancing, and you're sure to pick up some special moves from the locals.
Fogo

Trek around Cape Verde's diverse islands. Fogo has a beautiful volcanic peak with sweeping views, while Boa Vista has a desert-like quality with shifting sand dunes and palm trees.
Go scuba diving

Go scuba diving around Sal's amazing underwater world. Get up close to Cape Verde's plentiful sea-life.
Live music

Listen to live music on Sao Vicente. Cape Verde is famous for sultry morna folk music, but its inhabitants also like to dance to faster samba and tango rhythms. For a taster, try Cesaria Evora, a national icon.
Sal

Sun yourself on Cape Verde's pristine beaches. Two of the best are the fine white sand beaches of Sal and the salty black sand beaches of Sao Nicolau.
Salt mines of Sal

Explore the famous salt mines of Sal, after which the island is named. The mines were built inside a dormant volcano and are a fascinating and eerie experience.
Surf the waves

Learn to surf or water-ski. Cape Verde has some of the best waves in the world, and most hotels are happy to arrange lessons or board hire.
Watch the sunset

Watch the sunset on Sal Island. Truly one of the most beautiful in the world.

Health and Medical Information for Cote d'Ivoire

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Health and Medical Information for Cote d'Ivoire
Travel tips for your trip to Côte d'Ivoire Hotel Maps helps you to make your trip to Côte d'Ivoire the holiday a Splendid One




Health insurance, including emergency repatriation cover, is advised, although in-patient treatment is free in general wards on presentation of a passport. Treatment is private and expensive on the smaller islands.
Food and drink:

All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. All drinking water should be bottled, boiled or carbonated. Water used for brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid all dairy products and food from street vendors. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other risks:

Hepatitis E is highly endemic in sub-saharan Africa, but has very low occurrence in Cape Verde; precautions are still advisable. Hepatitis B is hyperendemic in the region. Vaccination against tuberculosis is sometimes advised. Giardia occurs.

Cote d'Ivoire Visa and Passport entry requirements

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Cote d'Ivoire Visa and Passport entry requirements
Travel tips for your trip to Côte d'Ivoire Hotel Maps helps you to make your trip to Côte d'Ivoire the holiday a Splendid One

Passports: 

A passport valid for six months after intended length of stay in the Ivory Coast is required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas: 

Transit passengers leaving on the same or first connecting flight within 12 hours, provided they hold onward or return documentation and do not leave the airport, do not require a visa.
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements for the Ivory Coast.

Types and cost: 

A tourist visa for the Ivory Coast currently costs £96.

Validity: 

A tourist visa for the Ivory Coast is valid for up to three months.

Application to: 

Consulate (or consular section at embassy).

Cote d'Ivoire Currency Exchange Money Service

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Cote d'Ivoire Currency Exchange Money Service
Travel tips for your trip to Côte d'Ivoire Hotel Maps helps you to make your trip to Côte d'Ivoire the holiday a Splendid One

The official currency is the CFA Franc (XOF), divided into 100 centimes. The CFA Franc is linked to the Euro. New notes were issued in 2004 and only those issued by the Bank of West African States (Banque des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest) are valid currency. There are a few ATMs in Abidjan but most will accept only Visa cards. It is unwise to use an ATM that is not guarded. Credit cards are accepted in the larger hotels and better restaurants. Most shops require cash. Travellers cheques are accepted in banks, as well as some tourist orientated hotels and restaurants.

Travel Company in Cote d'Ivoire

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Travel Company in Cote d'Ivoire
Travel tips for your trip to Côte d'Ivoire Hotel Maps helps you to make your trip to Côte d'Ivoire the holiday a Splendid One

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