Not to miss

Iguéla

Iguéla reserve, 300km (185mi) south of Libreville, is a good place for a spot of fishing and is home to a fine wildlife reserve where forest elephants, buffalos, warthogs, crocodiles, monkeys, lowland gorillas and many species of birds hang out.

Libreville

With its big ocean-view hotels, office buildings, wide highways, fancy shops and cavalcade of taxis, Libreville looks more like a Miami Beach than a major African city. Just to prove the point, its prices are big-time cosmopolitan as well: Libreville is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

There's no lack of nightlife, either: the African quarters are full of fairly cheap places to eat and drink. They're easy to get to, not half as dangerous or rough as some other African capitals, and the hard-partying locals are always up for a beer or (just as likely), a French champagne.

The Musée des Arts et Traditions is one of the best in Central Africa and definitely worth a visit as long as you can find it. The Fang, Téké and Mitsogho masks are some of the best examples around, complemented by the wonderful collection of carved harps, baskets and an authentic Mitsogho temple.

L'Eglise St-Michel is a landmark church because of its 31 unusual wooden columns, carved by a blind Gabonese craftsman, each with a biblical scene.

The Palais Présidentiel overlooks the heart of town and is as much Bongo's paean to Western culture as it is to Gabon might. Unfortunately photographs are forbidden, and visitors aren't allowed inside.

Mayumba

If you mention Mayumba to someone who has been there, you're likely to be met with a dreamy, faraway look. It's no wonder - with endless and uninhabited beaches, whales spouting in the distance, trees full of magical spirits, and nesting sea turtles on the beach, it's not too far from eco-traveller heaven.

Mayumba would be Gabon's premier beach resort if it weren't so hard to get to. Anyone who gets this far, though, will discover deserted beaches, fishing villages and friendly locals who will offer to take you on fishing trips or boat tours for a small price. It's a great place to spend a few lazy days enjoying the sun, the waves, fresh seafood, and peace and quiet.

Cirque de Léconi

East of Franceville the savanna rises up into the Bateke Plateau, a dry, cool, flat stretch of land that extends south and east into the Congo. Léconi is a small, quiet place with a couple of bars, a hotel and a cheap case de passage. The spectacular Cirque de Léconi, a deep, circular red-rock canyon of loose sands, is only a few kilometres from town.

Infrequent bush taxis go to Léconi from Franceville, but a 4WD that's capable of handling the deep-sand road is necessary to get to the cirque. It is possible to camp overnight (if you can find equipment). Once there, you can enjoy the views right across the canyon.

Réserve de la Lopé

The Réserve de la Lopé is Gabon's most accessible and most popular wildlife reserve, where you're likely to see forest elephants, buffalo and a variety of primates. Recently the reserve initiated gorilla walks in an attempt to habituate the gorilla population to the presence of small groups of humans. Tours by pirogue, jeep and foot are available.

The reserve is a patchwork of rolling hills, savannah and dense rainforest, and if you're lucky you'll see some of the largest mandrill troupes in the world.