West · Cameroon
Where to stay in Bafoussam
Bafoussam is a city in West, Cameroon, home to about 480,000 people.
- Best months
- November to February
- Currency
- XAFCentral African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Douala
- Language
- English, French
About
About Bafoussam
Bafoussam is the capital and largest city of the West Region of Cameroon, in the Bamboutos Mountains. It is the 3rd most important (financially) city in Cameroon, after Yaoundé and Douala.
Bafoussam isn't the most clean, picturesque, or polite city in Cameroon, but because of Cameroon's hierarchical organization, it has a central location in the Grand West. It is a major hub for Bamiléké culture, especially French Bamiléké culture.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Bafoussam
See
- Chutes de la Métché
- Chefferie Bandjoun
Do
- Grotte Fovu
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Bafoussam
10 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Altitel Hotel | 3.7 km | |
| Aurore Hotel | 1.8 km | |
| Carrefour Le Maire Hotel | 1.1 km | |
| Hôtel Le Continental, Bafoussam | 2.0 km | |
| L'Arène Hotel | 0.9 km | |
| Le Manoir Hotel | 0.8 km | |
| Mbatkam Palace Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| PESSI Hotel | 1.8 km | |
| Talotel | 1.1 km | |
| Zingana Hotel | 0.8 km |
All 10 hotels in Bafoussam, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Bafoussam
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Bafoussam are November to February. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; August is the wettest, with about 401 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Bafoussam
Getting in
Bafoussam is located at the intersection of roads going to Douala, Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Foumban (and from there, the West Adamawa), and the road to Dschang is only a short ways away. Most cities have cars going to Bafoussam. In Yaoundé, Binam ("the setting sun" in the local mother tongue) is well-reputed, but you can also try Merveilles, General, or any random car that seems to be going to Bafoussam. Most agences hire "loaders" to find passengers and to load their baggage, and that these loaders can be very aggressive!
Getting around
All within-Bafoussam travel is provided by taxis or moto-taxis. Most destinations will tell you "what to say" to a taxi. Taxis are cheap; you can get halfway across Bafoussam for 100 FCFA.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Bafoussam
Eat
Like most Cameroonian cities, there are vendors walking around selling munchies like peanuts ("ground nuts"), slices of coconut, beignets, or cookies. There are also some vendors with "carts" selling fresh fruit like slices of pineapple or papaya. Keep an eye out for spaghetti omelette carts (visible because of their stack of egg crates). They're cheap (500 FCFA for three eggs and spaghetti in bread) and nutritious. If none of those options appeal to you, you can also check out the supermarkets/bakeries, which sometimes have "sandwiches" or other pre-made food. In particular the Boulangerie du Peuple has a pretty good (no-cheese, no-meat) "pizza" for 400 FCFA per "slice".
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Bafoussam: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Bafoussam?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Bafoussam are November to February. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; August is the wettest, with about 401 mm of rain.
What currency is used in Bafoussam?
Central African CFA franc (XAF).
Nearby
Destinations near Bafoussam
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.