Super Seven
Malabo City Tour
Malabo is the capital of Equatorial Guinea and located on Bioko Island. The Spanish colonial architecture throughout the city is is like stepping back in time. The highlight is definitely the neo-gothic, twin-towered Santa Isabel Cathedral. Stroll down Independence Avenue and watch daily life pass by. If you're a fan of monuments, then this is a great city, as there's many scattered around, with minimal explanation to what they actually are.
Arena Blanca
Arena Blanca is located in Luba on Bioko Island and is undoubtably one of the most beautiful beach in Equatorial Guinea. It's a peaceful spot to chill on the powdery sand, with barely any tourists tourists are. You'll see plenty of locals heading out to fish on their wooden boats. Sadly, the only drawback was the large amounts of litter scattered across the beach, although that's now become more of a global issue.
As for Bata, the beach where Restaurant La Ferme is located is beautiful!
Parque Nacional De Malabo
Located on Bioko Island is the National Park of Malabo. It isn't typically what you'd expect when you hear the term 'National Park' but it's still a great place to go for a stroll. I'd recommend early evening as there's some monuments within the park that look great when they're lit up. There's a restaurant inside the park, you can ride a bike round the lake, walk through the greenery, or just people watch. This is definitely one of the most popular local hangout spots in the evening.
Bata Cathedral
The St. James and Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral or Cathedral is located in Bata on mainland Equatorial Guinea. The Cathedral is part of the Catholic Church and is one of three Cathedrals in Equatorial Guinea. The architecture is neo-gothic and is the work of several missionaries. It took three years to build and completed in 1954, although more recently, renovation work was carried out by the government in 2000. The artwork on the internal ceiling is very impressive!
Stadio De Bata
A multi-purpose stadium located in Bata that was completed in 2007. The stadium was constructed by the Chinese with an initial capacity of 22,000 but this was later increased to 35,000 with the addition of an upper tier. The reason for the increase was because the stadium was elected as one of the venues for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, and was also the spot where the opening ceremony took place.
The stadium was closed when I arrived, but with a lack of security, it's relatively easy to hop the fence and head to the upper tier for a photo!
Plaza de la Libertad
The large square in the centre of Bata is called "Plaza de la Libertad" and often the central meet point within the city. There's the tall Reloj Clock Tower, a memorial statue to those who fought in the 1979 coup, and the entrance to the National Library, albeit not very well signposted. You don't need a huge amount of time here at the square, but definitely worth passing by.
Independence Tower
The "Torre de la Libertad" is the Independence Tower located in Bata close to the corniche waterfront area. The Tower was inaugurated in 2011 in celebration for the independence of the nation. It's not the tallest and certainly an unusual tower. The design seems more fitting for Ashgabat in Turkmenistan (those who've been will understand). The tower lights up at night and there's also a revolving restaurant on the upper level.
Accommodation Advice
There's not exactly a huge influx of hotels in Bata, but Ibis Hotel Bata was my chosen spot. It's within walking distance of many attractions. There's a year round outdoor pool, which is a nice spot to relax after a day of sightseeing, a good internet connection, and sea views. The restaurant in the lobby area is okay for a quick bite, but there are better restaurants along the waterfront.
Food Factor
I found decent food hard to come by during my time in Equatorial Guinea, but Restaurant La Ferme (Asador) in Bata was located in a nice beachfront spot. It was great to dine outside whilst watching the locals fish along the beach. The fresh vegetables and meat dish was the winner for me, but there's also plenty of fresh fish on the menu. I agree with the online reviews in regard to the unnecessary caged animals outside the front of the restaurant, although don't let that put you off the food.
Good Guide
Having covered both Malabo and Bata, I can recommend local guides on both. For Malabo, you can contact Miguel via Whatsapp on +240 222250572 and for Bata you can reach Eduardo on +240 22224612. Both are reliable, inexpensive, and know the area well. As a back-up, you can contact Agustine via Instagram at agustineyamiko.
