How to Find Cheap Hotels in Libreville Gabon

Like many cities in developing countries, Libreville, Gabon, is a city of contrasts that has it all--ugliness and beauty, high-rise hotels, European expats and fancy cars, as well as piles of garbage, noisy cars and traffic moving at a snail's pace.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Credit card
• Passport or visa
• Computer with Internet access

Know Your Destination

1. Dig out your French vocabulary. Some English is spoken at the government tourist office.
2. Obtain a visa before arriving in Gabon.
3. Bring dollars or travelers checks to exchange at a bank for Central African CFA. However, it's cheaper to do it (in large denominations) from a merchant. Ask in a hush-hush manner.

Organize Transportation in Libreville, Gabon

4. Arrive by plane at Leon M'a Airport, 5km north of the city, from within Gabon or other nearby countries.
5. Arrive by train, bus or bush taxi from other parts of Gabon. Travel is not often cheap.
6. Navigate Libreville by taxi, bus or minibus.

Find Accommodations in Libreville, Gabon

7. Head for a religious mission if you're looking for cheap dorm accommodations.
8. Budget at least $30 a night for a cheap room.
9. Stay at one of Quartier Louis' plain and average hotel accommodations to be close to dining and nightlife.

Be Familiar With Local Information

10. Pick up anything you may miss from home in Libreville after a long trek through Central Africa, including books in English, Western and ethnic food and French wine, but at a hefty price.
11. Find someone who is familiar with the city to recommend nightlife hotspots. There are so many bars that it's otherwise impossible to find the most happening ones.
12. Go to the beach on the weekend, along with the rest of Libreville, to enjoy the sun and some people-watching.
13. Admire the Gabonese masks, artifacts and a re-creation of a traditional village house at the Musee des Arts et Traditions. Make a small donation.
14. To book accommodations in Libreville, Gabon, call Trip Advisor at 781-444-1113 or visit the link below.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a private cab at night, as taxi crime is a major problem.
• If you plan to travel by train, get your ticket early. If you wait until boarding time, it will be pretty hectic.
• Taxis can be found everywhere. It's much cheaper to share, but still fairly cheap by Western standards to flag down for yourself. Prices are doubled at night.
• Libreville's bus and minibus system does not have destination signs or route numbers. All routes begin and end at gare routiere. Thus, buses and minibuses are best to be avoided unless you know the city very well.
• Libreville experiences the usual big-city crimes, including robberies and taxi crimes.
• Be especially careful when crossing the road.