🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire

10 best places in Yamoussoukro

Côte d'Ivoire's official capital is a spacious, quiet city of wide boulevards, best known for housing one of the world's largest churches and a lake of wild crocodiles right beside the presidential palace.

Sight

Basilique Notre-Dame de la Paix

The largest church in the world by floor area, modeled on St Peter's Basilica with a 158-metre dome.

Sight

Palais Présidentiel

The president's residence, set behind manicured lawns and a lake home to sacred crocodiles.

Sight

Lac aux Caïmans

The palace's crocodile lake, where a keeper feeds the wild reptiles in front of onlookers each evening.

Museum

Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny pour la Recherche de la Paix

A peace foundation with a museum and archives dedicated to the country's founding president.

Museum

Musée National du Costume

A national costume museum with a rich collection of traditional Ivorian dress and textiles.

Sight

Grande Mosquée de Yamoussoukro

The city's central mosque, with elegant minarets and an important place in the local Muslim community.

Park

Jardin Botanique de Yamoussoukro

A botanical garden of tropical greenery, a quiet place for a walk on a hot afternoon.

Café

Hôtel Président

A legendary hotel with a terrace and restaurant offering panoramic views over the city and lake.

Market

Marché Central de Yamoussoukro

The central market, stocked with fabrics, produce and Baoulé craftwork.

District

Baoulé villages (outskirts)

Nearby Baoulé villages where mask carvers and weavers can be seen at their traditional craft.

FAQ

What is the capital of Ivory Coast?

The official capital is Yamoussoukro, which received the status in 1983. Parliament, the ministries, the embassies and all commercial activity stayed in Abidjan, which remains the de facto capital and the largest city. You will see both named in reference sources, and both are correct in their own way.

Where is the largest church in the world?

In Yamoussoukro, the capital of Côte d'Ivoire. The Basilique Notre-Dame de la Paix was built between 1986 and 1989, modelled on St Peter's in Rome, and Guinness World Records lists it as the world's largest church: about 30,000 square metres, a 158-metre dome and seating for 18,000. John Paul II consecrated it in 1990.

How do you get from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro?

It is about 240 kilometres on the A3 motorway, three to four hours by road. Air-conditioned intercity coaches run several times a day and cost little; many visitors instead hire a car with driver and do it as a day trip. Nobody drives the route at night because there is no lighting. Scheduled passenger flights to Yamoussoukro are effectively non-existent.

Do you need a visa for Ivory Coast?

Most foreign nationals do. The main route is the e-visa: apply online in advance through the official portal, then collect the visa on arrival in Abidjan against that pre-approval. Separately, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory and the shot must be at least ten days old. ECOWAS nationals enter visa-free. Rules change, so verify on the date you apply.

Is Yamoussoukro safe to visit?

The central regions including Yamoussoukro are considered relatively calm, with mostly everyday risks: pickpocketing, taxi overcharging and hazardous night driving. The distinct high-risk area is the north, roughly within 50 kilometres of the Mali and Burkina Faso borders, because of Sahel armed group activity. Tourist itineraries do not go there.