Alright, let me tell you about my trip getting around Equatorial Guinea and what I actually saw. It wasn’t exactly straightforward, but I went and did it.
Starting off in Malabo
First thing, I flew into Malabo. That’s the capital, sits on Bioko Island. Spent the first few days just walking around, getting my bearings. Saw the Santa Isabel Cathedral, pretty impressive building, right there in the main square. Found some decent spots to eat, mostly local stuff. The city itself felt kinda compact, a mix of old colonial buildings and newer stuff. I just wandered, taking it all in, seeing how people went about their day.
Exploring Bioko Island a bit
Didn’t just stay in the city, though. I wanted to see some of that famous greenery. Rented a car with a driver – probably the easiest way. We drove south towards Luba. The roads got rougher pretty quick outside Malabo. The vegetation is just incredibly dense, green everywhere. You can see Pico Basile, the big volcano, from lots of places. Didn’t climb it, wasn’t really prepared for a serious trek, but just seeing it dominate the landscape was something. Found a couple of beaches too, dark volcanic sand mostly. Pretty quiet, not many people around.
Hopping over to the Mainland
After Bioko, I took a flight over to Bata. That’s on the mainland part, Rio Muni. Bata felt different, bigger, more spread out than Malabo. Seemed busier too, more hustle. Spent time walking along the waterfront promenade, watched the fishermen. Checked out the main market – always a good way to get a feel for a place. Lots of activity, people selling everything imaginable. Again, just tried to soak up the atmosphere.
Into the Jungle: Monte Alen
The big thing I wanted to do on the mainland was visit Monte Alen National Park. Getting there took some effort, let me tell you. The journey itself was part of the experience. Once inside the park area, it’s just pure rainforest. Thick, humid, noisy with insects and birds you can’t always see. Honestly, don’t expect easy wildlife sightings like in East Africa. It’s dense jungle. I took a guided walk, followed some trails. Saw some monkeys high up, heard lots of birds, saw incredible plants and giant trees. It was more about feeling immersed in that deep jungle environment than ticking off animal sightings. It felt properly remote.
Coastal Views near Bata
Before leaving the mainland, I explored the coast near Bata a little bit more. Found some nice stretches of sand. The beaches here were more golden compared to Bioko. Relaxed for a bit, watched the waves. It was a good way to wind down after the intensity of the jungle trip.
So yeah, that was my experience hitting some spots in Equatorial Guinea. It takes a bit of planning and patience, definitely not your average package holiday destination. But exploring Malabo, seeing the crazy green nature on Bioko, heading to the mainland for Bata and especially that deep jungle feeling in Monte Alen… it was quite the journey. You see things you definitely won’t forget.
