The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Central African Republic
Central Africa
Tropical forest, wildlife parks, waterfalls, waterfalls and culture. Bangui and the protected landscapes of Manovo-Gounda and Sangha.
- On the map
CapitalBangui
When to goNovember to January
Suggested length10 days min.
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc
LanguagesFrench, Sango
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Bangui · Boali · Parc national du Manovo-Gounda St Floris · Bayanga · Bimbo
- Best season
- November to January, from Bangui’s normals
- Length
- Allow at least 10 days for these 5 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Ideal
November
Bangui: mean maximum 32 °C, 69 mm of rain · dry and mild.
- Mean maximum
- 32 °C
- Rain
- 69 mm
- Station
- Bangui
Source: Wikipedia (climate normals)
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Some regions are formally advised against by the authorities. Check the official advice before making any plan. Official travel advice
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/republique-centrafricaine/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter the Central African Republic, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You must have a visa to visit the Central African Republic.
- To pass border control in the Central African Republic, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination. For more details about health entry requirements and recommended vaccinations for the Central African Republic, see TravelHealthPro’s Central African Republic guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- There are very few healthcare facilities in the Central African Republic. Facilities in Bangui are very basic. Strikes by government workers have affected medical services and hospitals.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 15 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Red · Zones formellement déconseillées (en rouge)
En raison de la présence de groupes armés particulièrement actifs, la situation sur l’ensemble du territoire (hors Bangui et Bimbo) est difficilement contrôlable et le niveau d’insécurité élevé.
- Orange · Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative (en orange)
Les déplacements à Bangui et Bimbo sont déconseillés sauf raison impérative. Le 3e arrondissement de Bangui (PK5) et ses alentours sont à éviter en raison de troubles récurrents et violents.
Il convient de s’informer de la situation sécuritaire avant d’y envisager tout déplacement. En cas de déplacement à Bangui pour raison impérative, il convient de se manifester auprès des services de l’ambassade de…
- Theft and robbery are common, and armed gangs operate in the outlying areas of Bangui, especially in the PK5 district. Bandits often target foreign nationals, including humanitarian workers. Weapons are common and can cause normal disputes in establishments such as bars to escalate quickly.
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- There are severe penalties for drug use and possession. If convicted, you can expect heavy fines and a long jail sentence.
Currency
Central African CFA francViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of the Central African Republic. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. There is an export tax on cultural artefacts.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 5,513,282
- Time zone
- no time difference with Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and E plugs · 220 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +236
- Languages
- French, Sango
- Area
- 622,984 km²
- Highest point
- Mont Ngaoui, 1,410 m
- Main religions
- Roman Catholic 34.6%, Protestant 15.7%, other Christian 22.9%, Muslim 13.8%, ethnic religionist 12%, Baha'i 0.2%, agnostic/atheist 0.7%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- BGFBangui M'Poko International AirportBangui156,995 passengers · official site
- BBTBerbérati AirportBerbérati
- IROBirao AirportBirao
- MKIM'Boki AirportObo
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in the Central African Republic, see information on driving abroad. Roads are in extremely poor condition, especially in the rainy season from May to November. Most roads are unpaved, may close at short notice and require a 4-wheel-drive vehicle.
Destinations
The essentials.
Bangui
Bangui (French pronunciation: [bɑ̃ɡi]; or Bangî in Sango, formerly written Bangi in English) is the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic.
Boali
Boali became the capital city of Ombella-M'Poko prefecture in Central African Republic on December 10 2020 after the former capital of Bimbo was incorporated into Bangui prefecture.
Parc national du Manovo-Gounda St Floris
Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (French: Parc national du Manovo-Gounda St Floris) is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Central African Republic prefecture Bamingui-Bangoran, near the Chad border.
Bayanga
Bayanga is a town and sub-prefecture in Sangha-Mbaéré, south-western Central African Republic.
Bimbo
Bimbo (also, Bimo) is the second-largest city of the Central African Republic, located southwest of the capital, Bangui.
Dzanga-Sangha
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service HeadquartersMust-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Gozo
Central African cuisine includes the cuisines, cooking traditions, practices, ingredients and foods of the Central African Republic (CAR). Indigenous agriculture in the country includes millet, sorghum, banana, yam, okra, yellow onion, garlic, spinach, rice an
Kanda
Central African cuisine includes the cuisines, cooking traditions, practices, ingredients and foods of the Central African Republic (CAR). Indigenous agriculture in the country includes millet, sorghum, banana, yam, okra, yellow onion, garlic, spinach, rice an
Gombo en sauce
Central African cuisine includes the cuisines, cooking traditions, practices, ingredients and foods of the Central African Republic (CAR). Indigenous agriculture in the country includes millet, sorghum, banana, yam, okra, yellow onion, garlic, spinach, rice an
Feuilles de manioc pilées
Feuilles cuisinées avec huile de palme et poisson. (summary in French)
Makongo
Central African cuisine includes the cuisines, cooking traditions, practices, ingredients and foods of the Central African Republic (CAR). Indigenous agriculture in the country includes millet, sorghum, banana, yam, okra, yellow onion, garlic, spinach, rice an
Chikwangue
Chikwangue, also known in Cameroon as bobolo and in the Congo River basin language of Lingala as kwanga, is a starchy, fermented-cassava product that is a staple food across Central Africa: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Republic of Congo (RotC),
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Bonjourhello
- Mercithank you
- S’il vous plaîtplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Roman Catholic 34.6%, Protestant 15.7%, other Christian 22.9%, Muslim 13.8%, ethnic religionist 12%, Baha'i 0.2%, agnostic/atheist 0.7%.
- Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages.
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Republic Day, 1 December (1958).
- Independence
13 August 1960 (from France).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Mont Ngaoui, reaches 1,410 m.
5,513,282 inhabitants in 2025 on 622,984 km², about 9 per km².
Independence on 13 August 1960 (from France).
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)556World Bank · 2025GDP growth4.5 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)1 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)6.3 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals87World Bank · 2019
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
The Viafro letter
The journey continues.
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Sources and verification dates · 18 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Central African Republic (Q929)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Central African Republic · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Central African Republic · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Central African Republic · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (French)
- Wikipedia · Cuisine of the Central African Republic (en article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Cuisine centrafricaine (fr article, dish verification; Viafro description)
- Wikipedia · Chikwangue
- Wikipedia · Bangui
- Wikipedia · Boali
- Wikipedia · Parc national du Manovo-Gounda St Floris
- Wikipedia · Bayanga
- Wikipedia · Bimbo (République centrafricaine)
- CIA World Factbook · Central African Republic (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · République centrafricaine · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 15 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Bangui · monthly normals (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.
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