🇨🇫 Central African Republic

10 best places in Bangui

Bangui sits on the banks of the Ubangi River at the edge of the rainforest - a modest capital with a colonial-era cathedral, lively markets, and views across to Congo.

Sight

Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

An early 20th-century red-brick cathedral, the city's most iconic landmark with stained glass and twin towers.

Sight

Grand Mosque of Bangui

The city's main mosque and a symbol of Bangui's Muslim community.

Museum

Boganda National Museum

A museum of history and ethnography named after the country's first president, Barthélemy Boganda.

Market

Central Market

Bangui's largest market, a maze of stalls piled with produce, spices, and colorful pagne fabrics.

Market

PK5 Market

The city's biggest and busiest market, selling everything from vegetables to household goods.

Sight

Kilomètre Zéro Square

The city's central square, the reference point for all distances and a hub of daily life.

Sight

Hôtel de Ville

The modernist city hall building, one of Bangui's architectural landmarks.

Park

Ubangi River waterfront

A riverside promenade with views across to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sight

University of Bangui

The country's main university, known for its distinctive 1960s modernist campus.

Café

Place de la République cafés

Sidewalk cafés in the city center where locals gather in the evenings for coffee and local beer.

FAQ

Is Bangui safe?

The Central African Republic is one of the world's most unstable countries and most foreign ministries advise against travel. The capital is comparatively controlled, but security drops off sharply outside it. The PK5 district needs particular caution, and walking after dark is not advisable.

When is the best time to visit Bangui?

The dry season from December to February is the only reasonably practical window. From May to October heavy rain washes out roads and makes any trip outside the city unpredictable. It is hot and humid all year.

What is there to see in Bangui?

Not a great deal: the Notre-Dame cathedral, the Grand Mosque, the Boganda National Museum and the central and PK5 markets. The Boali waterfalls are a couple of hours away. There is almost no tourism infrastructure, so a lot depends on local contacts.

Which foreigners actually live in CAR?

Mostly UN staff, aid workers, diplomats and contractors. Nearly everyone needs a visa arranged in advance, usually along with a yellow fever certificate. CAR is not a country people consider for relocation.