Limbe

Limbe is in the South West Region of Cameroon. It is a cosmopolitan city with a blend of various cultures which originated due to the hospitality of the people and western influence. This is one of the first cities in Cameroon to get in contact with the whites. The sanitation in Limbe is the best in Cameroon, so it has been nicknamed "clean city".

Ocean at Limbe, with Bioko (Equatorial Guinea) visible in the distance

Understand

Limbe city is a touristic city and a place were you can relax and get to know the history of this town in the behaviors and ways of the people. On entering the city you can read its motto above you which states "A Town of Friendship". It is dominated by Christian inhabitants such as the Catholics, Baptists and Pentecostals, along with Muslims.

The Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) produces and exports rubber, banana (makossa), tea, palm oil, etc. The refinery known as SONARA refines crude oil. Debunscha has a rainfall of about 10,000 mm per year. Idenau is 36 km north west of Limbe. It is a small fishing community.

Get in

You can get into Limbe by land or sea. By land, transport buses or private cars can be used to get into the city. By sea boats can be used to get into the town from Idenau or from the Bota Walf.

Get around

By foot

The city is small, so many places can be reached on foot.

By bus

Council buses circulate around town which help to transport people especially students at a cheaper rate.

A view of Mount Cameroon from Limbe

By car

Taxis and hired cars are available. Motorbikes also circulate within the city.

Talk

The main languages are English and French.The use of local Pidgin English is common.

See and do

German cannon

• You can take a walk around to visit the touristic sites such as the playground, ALCEF Park in mile 4 where kids can go to relax and play, the botanical garden were you can visit and see various species of plants and their uses, and the zoological garden used for the conservation of endangered species in the country.
• Limbe's black sandy beaches on the Atlantic ocean are attractive to watch while the warm breeze passes by.
• The slave port which existed since the 17th century contains the ruins of the slave hurts which were constructed by the Europeans during this period.
• Mondoli Island and its beautiful site, which is in development by the city council.
• The remains of the eruption of Mt. Cameroon in Idenau.
• The monument in memory of the Baptist missionary Alfred Saker.
• The monument celebrating the 150 years of Limbe's existence.
• German buildings from the period of German colonial rule.
• A cannon which was used to fight during the First World War when fighting extended to Cameroon in 1916.

Eat

A thoughtful gorilla at the Limbe Wildlife Centre

The local dishes are mostly made of fish, due to the abundance of fish from the sea. There are various dishes from the traditional cocoyams such as kwacocoa bible or endeley bread (common among the Bakweri people) ekwang, ashu; others prepared with vegetables like the popular akomobong soup, eru and fufu, and a lot more. Roasted fish is commonly eaten at night, along with an abundance of prawns popularly known as janga. Cameroon was first named by the Portuguese (Cameroes) due to the abundance of prawns. There is also increasing local demand of snails, and they can be found in restaurants and at the beach.

Drink

A variety of drinks are available, including the traditional palm wine and locally made cornbeer and foulerie, bottled drinks such as malta, pamplemouse (grapefruit), djino and beers such as Castle, Insemberg and a host of others. You can also get natural fruit juices and bottled water like Tangui and Supermount. The medicinal lemon grass tea and its great aroma is also available. It is popularly known as "fever grass" and used to calm fever.

Buy

Souvenirs

More souvenirs

Shoppers have ample opportunities to buy souvenirs in Limbe. There are crafts available, bracelets depicting the creativity of the Limbe people, outfits such as the gaba ngondo of the Bakweri people and the hand-made north-west traditional outfit; books, articles and magazines about the town of Limbe; and paintings of outstanding creativity. For food lovers, you can get great chocolate biscuits made by Chococam.

Sleep

You can have a good night's rest in affordable hotels or guest houses.

• Trinity Hotel in town and has a minimum price of 15,000 FCFA.
• Hotels close to the sea with a perfect seaview for nature lovers: Seme beach hotel has a minimum price of about 25,000 FCFA.
• Fini Hotel, ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. One branch in town, one at the seaside. Bar, restaurant, pool, business centre. Doubles from 20,000 FCFA in town, and from 34,000 FCFA at the seaside. (updated Apr 2017)

Stay safe

Limbe city is a safe city, with few incidents of harassment or theft. However, if you are the victim of any crime, do report it to the police, who will endeavour to solve the crime.