The West African country of Guinea may be among the poorest in the world, but it’s also home to some of the continent’s friendliest people and most spectacular landscapes. The areas of Guinea bordering Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone should be avoided because unrest in those countries has spread across the border.

The Palais de l’OUA and the National Museum are the main attractions in Guinea’s capital of Conakry. Boats behind Conakry’s Novotel Hotel take visitors to Atoll Island and the Iles de Los, where Guinea’s most beautiful and uncrowded beaches are located.

Guinea is home to some of the few dry tropical forests in the world, as well as some scenic rainforests, but perhaps the country’s most outstanding natural attraction is the breathtaking Fouta Djalon plateau, featuring several spectacular waterfalls and some of West Africa’s best hiking along rolling green hills. Other Guinea attractions worth visiting include the Soumba waterfalls, the Forêt Classée de Ziama where elephants roam, and the chimpanzees who live in the forest around the village of Bossou.

Guinea’s most impressive hotel is Conakry’s seven-floor Novotel Hotel. Other fine Conakry hotels include the Riviera Royal Hotel and the smaller Hotel Camayene. Lower budget accommodation is also widely available.

Conakry International Airport receives regular flights from Paris, Brussels, and most other neighbouring African countries. All foreign visitors require visas and vaccination cards, and bags are searched manually as the airport has no x-ray machines. Guinea has no buses or passenger rail service, so renting a taxi is the safest and most recommended way to explore the country.