Abidjan

The city has a tropical wet and dry climate, with a lengthy rainy season from May to July, a short rainy season (September–November), and two dry seasons, but rain falls even in these dry seasons. Throughout the year, Abidjan is humid, with humidity levels reaching or above 80%. It may rain constantly for many days or violently for over an hour during the rainy season. The rainfall is plentiful, averaging over 2,000 mm per year. From January through June, monthly rainfall ranges between 20 and 500 millimeters, while the temperature remains relatively steady at roughly 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit).

Abidjan is located on the country’s south-east coast, on the Gulf of Guinea. On the Ébrié Lagoon, the city is situated. The commercial area Le Plateau, as well as Cocody, Deux Plateaux (the city’s richest neighborhood and a diplomatic hub), and Adjamé, a slum on the lagoon’s north side, form the city’s core. To the south are Treichville and Marcory, to the west are Attecoube, Locodjro, Abobo Doume, and Yopougon, and in the center lies Île Boulay. Port Bout, to the south, is home to the airport and the primary seaport. 5°25′ North, 4°2′ West (5.41667, 4.03333) is the latitude and longitude of Abidjan.

The city is home to the country’s main stock market, the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM). Abidjan is the headquarters of Air Ivoire.

Air Afrique had its headquarters in Abidjan prior to its demise.

Food processing, timber, vehicle production, and textile, chemical, and soap making are all major businesses. A big oil refinery is also there.

The lagoons area is the most industrialized part of the nation.

Its primary businesses are construction and maintenance, with important multinational companies such as SETAO, Colas, Bouygues, Jean Lefebvre, and Swiss Holcim present.

There are textile businesses in the north that package cultivated cotton for export or on-site processing of fabric, canvas, batik garments, and other items. The textile industry in Ivory Coast is particularly active, accounting for 15.6 percent of net investment, 13 percent of turnover, and 24 percent of value added.

There are multiple offshore oil wells (Ivory Coast is an oil-producing nation, even though it is not self-sufficient in this sector), which leads to the establishment of a chemical industry with petroleum refineries and a port for hydrocarbons. It also works on valuable stones and metals for exports.

The city also has a significant wood processing industry, which is mostly carried out at the port by river from the woods of central Canada. It is exported either in its natural state, as mahogany, which was first marketed by the English Victorians two centuries ago, or in a semi-industrialized state, as peeled wood, plywood, and chipboard.

Production of oil palm, processing of bergamot and Seville oranges, processing of rubber from western plantations, the manufacture of beverages from pineapples, oranges, and mangoes, and especially the roasting of robust coffee, which comes from western plantations and is the world’s third largest producer, behind Colombia and Brazil, as well as packaging and processing of cocoa, including Ivory Coast’s, the world’s leaner cocoa. (At least one initial local processing is done on 37% of cocoa and 10% of coffee products). Abidjan is also Africa’s first tuna port, with three factories preparing tuna for the European market. About 3,000 paid jobs are created as a result of this activity, which is also a significant source of foreign cash.

Much of the city’s economy, like in other Third World developing nations, is based on what economists refer to as the “informal sector,” which includes numerous “odd jobs.”

Abidjan is well-connected on a global scale, with daily flights on:

The sole railway link to Abidjan is from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with stops at Bouake, Bobo-Dioulasso, and a few minor towns. While the travel should take 36 hours, the timetable is highly erratic, and journeys have been known to take substantially longer time. There are about two weekly departures.

The roads to Abidjan are fairly nice, despite the fact that they are not being maintained as much as they should. However, once outside of Abidjan, traffic signals almost completely vanish, therefore be aware that driving outside of the city might be “active.” It’s crucial to know that whether you’re in a private vehicle, taxi, or gbaka (shared minibuses), you’ll be stopped at different official (and unofficial) checkpoints where they will either delay you or attempt to shake down a bribe. Abidjan is also a stop for long-distance bus routes from Bamako, Mali, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and Accra, Ghana.

If you are traveling from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Liberia, or Togo, we suggest YSG Transport, Chisco Transport, Union Transport de Bouake (UTB Transport), STC Transport, and Others. According to Africa Travelogue, all road travelers traveling through West Africa are always able to enter the West African nations with or without a passport (visa not required) since they are all ECOWAS States.

Other passengers from Nigeria may also go to Abidjan and other West African cities using the weekly transportation system of Ejigbo, Osun State, Nigeria, International Travel Buses. They offer a daily and weekly travel plan that includes borderless travel from Nigeria to Cote d’Ivoire. Among the travel organizers are Bully Orelope, Bobo Muse (no longer in operation as of 2016), Atanda ‘Agee” Rambo Transport (also known as IRT), Laba Transport, and STC Transport. You may reach to Ejigbo, Osun State, from any intercity bus stop in Lagos, as well as from Osogbo.

Because Abidjan is extremely spread out, walking might take a long time, and riding a bicycle is not the safest option (except nearer the water in Zone Quatre.) However, there are several ways to travel around by car.

There are various bus lines that run across the city. They are inexpensive and quite dependable, albeit they are sometimes overcrowded owing to a lack of seats. Some bus stops, like as Adjame, might be daunting for individuals who are unfamiliar with traveling in West African cities. Pickpockets are also a risk in these busy places.

They have a complicated system made up of two sorts of automobile taxis. The orange (or red-orange) ones are the most common kind encountered by most tourists. These are permitted to operate everywhere in the city, and you should be able to travel alone in them. They are also the most costly. Most travelers (particularly non-Africans who know little French) will pay about 5,000 CFA for a transport from the airport, even to regions just 3 kilometers away. If you’re ready to bargain hard (the drivers often grumble about having to pay a charge to pick up customers there, which is a falsehood), you may be able to get it down to 3,500 or 2,500 CFA. The cost of a transportation between two distant districts, such as Zone Quatre and Plateau, is around 2,000 CFA.

The second sort of taxi is color-coded to operate in a certain neighborhood, such as the green taxis found in Koumassi and Treichville. Taxis are yellow in Cocody municipal regions and blue in Marcory, Yopougon, and Abobo. These are substantially less expensive, but will almost certainly have to be shared, and the distance they can go is confined to a particular area.

Taxis with meters are often mentioned in travel guides. If they do (which is unusual), they are never working, and the fee is always agreed upon before to leaving. They can only be found in Zone 4 (Industriel) locations, according to Africa Travelogue, because to the high degree of the Expat population of European visitors residing in Zone 4.

The Ivorian government removed import restrictions on compact motorbikes in 2010. Prior to this, the number of motorbikes on the road was low, and none were used as taxis since it was prohibited. Times are improving on this front, but be warned: riding about Abidjan on the back of a moto is arguably the most common way to die while traveling, despite the fact that it is inexpensive.

If you just need to cross the lagoon and can utilize one of the ferry routes, go ahead and do so. While the lagoon is dirty in certain areas, it is still a beautiful trip, and staring at the Abidjan skyline from the water at sunset is a treat.

Abidjan is divided into two halves (northern Abidjan and southern Abidjan), each having 10 official boroughs, or communes, led by a mayor.

• Abobo is mostly made up of public housing. Abobo has a substantial population of low-income migrants. This region, on the other hand, arose on its own.
• Adjamé grew from the settlement of Ébrié, which existed before Abidjan. Despite its modest size and dirty environment, this commune is vital to the Ivorian economy. Its market has a diverse retail center, and its bus terminal is the principal hub for foreign bus lines in the Ivory Coast.
• Yopougon is Abidjan’s most populated commune, located partially in Northern Abidjan and partly in Southern Abidjan across the lagoon. It has both industrial and residential sectors. This commune is home to the ORSTOM research station, the Pasteur Institute, and a training hospital.
• Plateau is the commercial heart of Ivory Coast, featuring highly contemporary, towering buildings. Although Ivory Coast’s political and administrative capital was formally shifted to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the republic’s institutions, like as the Presidency and National Assembly, remain in Plateau. It is Ivory Coast’s principal administrative, commercial, and financial hub.
• Attécoubé is home to the Banco forests, which is a national park.
• Cocody is well-known for its residential areas Deux-Plateaux and Riviera. The commune is home to the University of Cocody, a governmental university, as well as a few private institutions. Cocody is home to Radio Television Ivoirienne (RTI). This commune is home to the President of the Republic. The embassy district is also located in Cocody.

• Koumassi: This municipality has a significant industrial area.
• Marcory: This commune is mostly residential.
• Port-Bouët: This commune is home to a refinery (Societe Ivoirienne de Raffinage SIR) as well as the Felix Houphout-Boigny International Airport. In the center of Little Bassam, there is also an established IRD office. The iconic lighthouse stretches for many nautical miles over the Gulf of Guinea.
• Treichville: This commune is home to the Autonomous Port of Abidjan as well as a number of stores. The port region also serves as an industrial zone. There is also the Treichville State Pool (PET), the Treichville Sports Palace, the Treichville Palace of Culture, street 12, and the Abidjan Racetrack.

Jacqueville, Grand-Lahou, and Dabou are in the west; Sikensi, Tiassalé, Agboville, Adzopé, and Aleppo are in the north; and Grand-Bassam is in the east.

Anyama, Bingerville, Brofodoumé, and Songon are towns (or sub-prefectures) within the Abidjan Department, which is co-extensive with the autonomous region.

Abidjan, in the past was a coastal fishing village in Côte d’Ivoire. The completion of the Virdi Canal in 1951 allowed it to become a central sea port. The long period of economic boom witnessed by Abidjan gave it the nick name of Paris of Africa and made it the most desirable tourist spot in West Africa. There are some amazing Abidjan beaches situated in and around Abidjan giving that extra charm to this place.

Bassam

Situated about 45 kms to the east of Abidjan is the Bassam Beach which is one of the better and famous beaches of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Several Beach Hotel resorts in Grand Bassam have their padded lounge chairs set up on the beach. Be sure to spend a whole day on the beach just relaxing and enjoying the African sun. If you are not a strong swimmer, be on your guard in the water and stay closer to the shore as the waves are very strong. The beach gets pretty crowded during weekends, but during weekdays the crowd on the beach is relatively less. Pick up some interesting souvenirs like masks, brass work, wood carvings and batik work from the hawkers on the beach. Be ready for some negotiation before you decide to pick up a souvenir.

Assinie & Assouinde

Travel 80 kms to the east of Abidjan to reach Assinie & Assouinde, two small villages that lie between the lagoon and the sea. The quiet and sparsely populated palm fringed beaches on Assinie & Assouinde draws plenty of surfers and weekend visitors. The Assinie & Assouinde coast is easily accessible by road. Watch out for the water currents if you are here to surf. There are several hotels available here with fully-equipped facilities and water sport activities that you will need to enjoy your stay.

Jacqueville

Jacqueville was the fist place in Ivory Coast where the Union Flag was hoisted when the British originally occupied the country. Jacqueville is now a major seaside resort and fishing zone. Located around 60 kms from Abidjan, there are no direct land routes to reach this place. Hire a ferry to cross the water body and reach the beach of Jacqueville. Coconuts being the main source of revenue are found everywhere. There is nothing much to do here and not many places to see, visit Jacqueville if you want to enjoy a quiet, lazy, secluded holiday.

Sassandra

Located around 210 kms west of Abidjan are the pristine and untouched beaches of Sassandra where the rainforests touch the shore. Along a dirt road on the west you will find the beaches of Sassandra. There are several beach resorts offering horseback riding and bonfires by the night. These beaches are relatively less crowded except for a few natives. Spend your day just by enjoying the African sun or go for a swim in the sea.

Although Abidjan and its beaches may seem primitive at first sight, you start to enjoy the real beauty and the humble settings once you settle down.

MARKET / SUPERMARKET

RESTAURANTS

ENTERTAINMENT

PERSONAL CARE

CLOTHES / SHOES

TRANSPORTATION

Abidjan has been dubbed the “Paris of West Africa.” The city of Abidjan developed under the lengthy and steady administration of the Ivory Coast’s Godfather Felix Huphouet-Boigny. However, the city has suffered as a result of the city’s political insecurity and civil conflict during the last decade. Neglect, poor care of buildings and public spaces, and a major migration of immigrants have created a feeling of “lost grandeur” in the city. This is nowhere more evident than at the renowned Hotel Ivoire. Entering it is like going back in time to the 1960s; there have been no substantial renovations or modernisations to its interior or furnishings since its creation. Unfortunately, instead of turquoise seas, its enormous swimming pool has weeds growing on the bottom. The public zoo is quite lovely. It’s a lovely area with plenty of unusual creatures for just CFA 200, and it’s definitely worth it. Don’t forget to visit Bassam, Abidjan’s most popular beach.

• National Museum (Musée National), 32 Boulevard Carde,   +225 20 222056.
• St Paul’s Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Paul d’Abidjan).
• National Library of Côte d’Ivoire (Bibliothèque Nationale de Côte d’Ivoire), Boulevard Carde.
• Cocody Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art.
• Banco National Park (Parc national du Banco). A 30.00 km2 national park north of Abidjan with a variety of tropical uncommon woods (mahogany, avodirés, waffle wood, and others). There are a number of walking pathways and popular hiking areas.

There are several restaurants serving Ivorian cuisine, the majority of which are located on the sidewalk or on a tiny roadside patio. Make sure you inquire about the pricing before you sit down, so you don’t have to have long debates about it afterwards when they attempt to overcharge you. Rice, cassava, yam, and bread are main meals of the Ivory Coast. Bread is often consumed for breakfast or as a meal supplement. Cooked whole, as a mash called plakali, combined with banana (foutou), or in crums, cassava (manioc) may be consumed (atchiki). The cheapest meal is generally fish. Plateau, Cocody, Deux Plateaux, and Zone 4 are some of the affluent neighborhoods with European-style food.

• Restaurant des Combattants (Across the street from the French Embassy),  +225 20 224742. This renowned restaurant serves authentic African food and is housed in a beautiful colonial estate in the Plateau region.
• Chez Georges Hollywood, rue du commerce, plateau,  +225 20 32 19 84. Su-F 11:30-22:30, Sa 18:30-22:30. In a formal environment, French and Italian foods are served at French pricing. Wi-Fi is available for free.
• Saarkan, Avenue Chardy face à l’AIP, à la descente de Radio Nostalgie Plateau ABIDJAN Côte d’Ivoire. (On Plateau, near the highway on the eastern side of the peninsula.),  +225 20 32 13 58. Ouvert du lundi au jeudi de 11h30 à 15h et 18h à 23h. Ouvert le samedi de 18h à 23h.. The restaurant provides contemporary Ivorian cuisine. The bar is well stocked. A lighter vegetarian entrée of tofu in peanut sauce with rice and spinach was available on the menu, and it was reasonably priced. Delivery is accessible via Hellofood, which also has the menu. CFA ranges from 6000 to 12000.

There are several options for a fantastic Abidjan Shopping spree in this Ivory Coast or Cote d’Ivorie metropolis. There are several shopping centers and shopping malls that provide a wide range of things and goods at varying costs. The finest option for purchasers is in Abidjan’s markets, which include a wonderful selection of textiles, jewelry, masks, ceramics, woodcarvings, and musical instruments.

It’s on Boulevard Abrogoua in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Items of all kinds are available here, including man-made fabrics in a variety of appealing hues. Residents of Abidjan, as well as visitors, seem to enjoy shopping at the local markets. This is due to the fact that individuals may buy high-quality things at extremely inexpensive rates. Various gift products may be obtained at a very low price.

This market is located on Avenue Delafosse in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. It provides amazing and wonderful shopping in a wide range of things such as food, home items, textiles, and gadgets. Not only do locals shop here, but many foreigners and tourists go as well, buying everything from souvenirs to meals.

This market has something for everyone, with prices ranging from expensive to cheap depending on the quality of the commodities. Plateau Market is considered Abidjan’s commercial district, with a variety of retailers, restaurants, and cafés. This market serves as a transportation hub for bussines travelers.

It is located on Boulevard de France in Abidjan, between Rue Washington and Boulevard des Martyrs. This is also an excellent location for shopping. The market’s second level has showrooms selling bronze, malachite, and wood artwork. This market sells a wide range of things at low costs, including clothing, decorations, and household items.

In Le Plateau, there is a massive flea market near Boulevard de Republic. There is a nice selection of Western music and movies here. This is a terrific spot for travelers to come since they may find used stuff as well as brand new products at extremely low prices. This market is frequented by visitors looking to purchase unique items at cheap costs. This flea market is also a fantastic place for travelers to purchase local art.

Overall, Abidjan’s nightlife is regarded as one of the most vibrant in all of Africa.

The neighborhood is densely packed with nightclubs, maquis, outdoor places, and go-go bars. These entertainment outlets offer a musical ‘pipeline’ that mostly includes DJs, Coupé Décalé, and Zouglou, as well as, to a lesser extent, other local and foreign variations.

Previously consisting of solely local traditional kinds, Congolese music, and Western music, Abidjan’s nightlife has seen a favorable cultural disruption in its music since the early 2000s, with the introduction of Coupé Décalé.

Douk Saga and JetSet, with the assistance of Sagacité, developed a phenomenon in 2002 that has not ceased expanding and reaching out to the scorching evenings in the sub-cities. region’s It has given the entertainment ‘Made in Côte d’Ivoire’ a cultural character that is worldwide recognisable.

The very popular Zouglou also benefits from “Wôyô” spaces, which are decorated and devoted in such a way that the most renowned, the Internat at Fitini’s and the Lycee at Vieux Gazeur’s, draw ‘zouglouphiles’ for the whole weekend.

Treichville, with its numerous maquis, discothèques, and jazz clubs, used to be the city’s liveliest neighbourhood, but Youpougon, Marcory, and Cocody have taken up this position since the end of the 1990s.

Every year, the city hosts many fashion events, including “Les Féeries” (The Fairies), the Miss Côte d’Ivoire, Miss Abidjan District, Miss Christmas (for 6–11 year olds), and Miss Awoulaba pageants (very prestigious). Every year, the Yéhé Fashion Show, a celebration of African fashion, is held, as is the International Festival of Lingerie and Beauty of Abidjan (FILBA).

Abidjan is also the headquarters for Ivory Coast’s fashion designers, who are considered as the greatest in Africa, such as Gilles Touré (designer for Miss Côte d’Ivoire) and Pathéo.

Abidjan is plagued with a variety of concerns that are representative of the general troubles that Cote d’Ivoire is facing. The military checks are first and foremost. While they are typically harmless to foreigners, they may make it difficult to navigate about the city in a timely manner, particularly if one is in private care. Bribes are prevalent, but not universal. Keeping modest money on hand is usually a smart idea. Otherwise, just agreeing with the officer who is harassing you is the best option. If you’re courteous, they’ll typically let you go, unless you’re French, in which case you’ll be hassled a lot more since the Ivorians despise French participation in their nation.

In addition, if you’re in a private vehicle, you’ll find that most individuals go past red lights late at night. While unlawful, carjackings have occurred when individuals are stopped, so follow this caution as you see fit.

Another thing to bear in mind is that Cote d’Ivoire physically closes down at midnight and does not reopen until 05:00. As a result of a curfew enforced during the last civil war, they have barricaded all of the towns’ principal means of admission and escape. If you are on the wrong side of the barrier when it is closed (for example, staying in Bassam but partying in Abidjan), you will not be let through until 05:00.

Pickpockets are a concern in crowded settings, just as they are everywhere else. When going through crowded bus stops or marketplaces, keep watch of your personal belongings and make sure your bags are securely fastened.

While the most vibrant areas, Koumassi, Treichville, and Yopougon are definitely best avoided unless accompanied by a native. Yopougon is certainly the safest, with the best selection of street food, however there may be young, inebriated males searching for trouble in these neighborhoods. However, if you don’t create the disturbance and attempt to diffuse the situation, you should have no problems since the residents of Abidjan are accustomed to an international throng in their city.

Women should not go out at night alone. You won’t have any issues throughout the day. Ivorian culture is undoubtedly patriarchal, but the men are courteous of foreign women, maybe a little too respectful at times, paying you a lot more attention than you’d want. If you experience unwelcome approaches, just tell them you’re not interested, like the local females do. They’ll either realize what they’re doing or move on to new ladies to “charm.”