The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Equatorial Guinea
Central Africa
Wild beaches, tropical forest, nature reserves and waterfalls. Monte Alén, Pico Basilé and the island landscapes of Annobón.
- On the map
When to goDecember to February
Suggested length8 days min.
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc / Central African CFA franc
LanguagesSpanish +2
Population · 20251.9m
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
- Malabo · Annobón · San Antonio de Ureca · Oyala
- Best season
- December to February, from Malabo’s normals
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 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.
Possible
November
Malabo: mean maximum 30 °C, 100 mm of rain · frequent rain.
- Mean maximum
- 30 °C
- Rain
- 100 mm
- Station
- Malabo
Source: Wikipedia (climate normals)
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
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/guinee-equatoriale/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Equatorial Guinea, 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 Equatorial Guinea. Short-term visas are valid for 90 days. For longer stays you must apply at local police stations.
- You must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination, due to a risk of yellow fever transmission. For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, including yellow fever, see TravelHealthPro’s Equatorial Guinea 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: Altitude sickness is a risk in parts of Equatorial Guinea. Read more about altitude sickness on TravelHealthPro.
- Medical facilities are generally poor, apart from the La Paz hospital in Malabo. Emergency facilities are extremely limited. For serious medical treatment, evacuation to Europe is likely.
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.
No particular vigilance zone is listed on the official page (in French) (updated on 15 Sept 2026) · see the page.
- Crimes range from petty theft and mugging to carjacking and armed robbery, risks can be greater in remote areas of towns, particularly after dark including around Malabo and Bata. You can reduce your personal risk by: staying alert in public places
- 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.
- Possession of drugs is a serious offence and punishments can be severe, including prison sentences.
Currency
Central African CFA franc / 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.
- You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. Previous:Warnings and insurance Next:Safety and security View a printable version of the whole guide Related content About Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice Support for British nationals abroad…
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 1,938,431
- 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
- +240
- Languages
- Spanish, French, Portuguese
- Area
- 28,051 km²
- Highest point
- Pico Basilé, 3,011 m
- Main religions
- Roman Catholic 88%, Protestant 5%, Muslim 2%, other 5%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- SSGMalabo International AirportMalabo886,559 passengers
- BSGBata Airport403,420 passengers
- NBNAnnobón AirportSan Antonio de Palé
- OCSCorisco International AirportCorisco
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 Equatorial Guinea, see information on driving abroad. Most major roads on Bioko Island and the Rio Muni mainland are now paved. In some isolated rural areas the condition of the roads is likely to be poor.
Destinations
The essentials.
Malabo
Malabo ( mə-LAH-boh, Spanish: [maˈlaβo]; formerly Santa Isabel [ˈsantajsaˈβel] ) is a city in Equatorial Guinea, located in the province of Bioko Norte.
Annobón
Annobón (Spanish: [anoˈβon]; Portuguese: Ano-Bom) is a province of Equatorial Guinea.
San Antonio de Ureca
San Antonio de Ureca, also known as Ureka or Ureca, is a village in Bioko Sur, Equatorial Guinea, south of Malabo on the island of Bioko.
Oyala
Arena Blanca, Bioko
ColleBlancheMust-try food
Four dishes, and where to taste them.
Peppersoup
Peppersoup is a soup eaten by Cameroonians and Nigerians. This soup is made using various meats or fish, chili peppers, salt, scent leaves and calabash nutmeg as its primary ingredients. It is a spicy soup that has a light, watery texture. Despite its name, th
Akwadu
Le akwadu est un des aliments de base de la Guinée équatoriale et du Ghana. C'est un plat fait à base de bananes et de coco. Il se mange soit au petit déjeuner soit en dessert. C'est un plat simple qui consiste juste à découper en de petites tranches des banan (summary in French)
Malamba
Malamba is a traditional alcoholic beverage in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon made by fermenting sugarcane juice. The canes are crushed in a mortar, and the juice is left to ferment for approximately two weeks. The flavor and texture is similar to the
Moambe
Palm butter or palm cream, frequently known as moambe, mwambe or nyembwe, is an ingredient made from the pericarp of palm nuts, the fruit of the African oil palm tree. It forms an important ingredient in stews and sauces in African cuisine.
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Holahello
- Graciasthank you
- Por favorplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Roman Catholic 88%, Protestant 5%, Muslim 2%, other 5%.
- Languages: Spanish (official) 67.6%, other (includes Fang, Bubi, Portuguese (official), French (official), Fa d'Ambo spoken in Annobon) 32.4% (1994 est.).
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Independence Day, 12 October (1968) ; independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain).
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, Pico Basilé, reaches 3,011 m.
1,938,431 inhabitants in 2025 on 28,051 km², about 69 per km².
Independence on 12 October 1968 (from Spain).
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$)6.6World Bank · 2025GDP growth-5.8 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)2.9 %World Bank · 2024Unemployment (ILO estimate)8.3 %World Bank · 2025
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 17 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 · Equatorial Guinea (Q983)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Equatorial Guinea · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Equatorial Guinea · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Equatorial Guinea · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (Spanish)
- Wikipedia · Peppersoup
- Wikipedia · Akwadu
- Wikipedia · Malamba (drink)
- Wikipedia · Moambe
- Wikipedia · Malabo
- Wikipedia · Annobón
- Wikipedia · San Antonio de Ureca
- CIA World Factbook · Equatorial Guinea (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Guinée équatoriale · 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) · Malabo · monthly normals (Deutscher Wetterdienst) (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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