Guiriko · Burkina Faso
Bobo-Dioulasso travel guide
Bobo-Dioulasso is a city in Guiriko, Burkina Faso, home to about 904,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- BOY6 km · Bobo Dioulasso Airport
- Currency
- XOFWest African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Ouagadougou
- Language
- Bissa, Dioula, Mooré
About
About Bobo-Dioulasso
Bobo-Dioulasso (Dyula: Bɔbɔjulaso N'Ko script: ߓߐ߬ߓߐߖߎ߬ߟߊ߬ߛߏ߫, Mossi: Sɩa) (often colloquially called Bobo) is a city in Burkina Faso with a population of 1,129,000 (as of 2023); it is the second-largest city in the country, after Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital. The name means "home of the Bobo-Dioula".
Somebody once said that “Bobos,” or those Burkinabe who have spent a significant amount of time in Bobo, and have adopted some of the “Bobolaise” mannerisms are the most hospitable Burkinabe, and perhaps one of the most hospitable groups of people, in the world. Strangers are welcome in general, and just about anyone from strangers to neighbours are always invited to drink tea or some bissap and eat food. In every neighbourhood, you will see small parties of tea drinkers, old ladies out walking, children in groups to a degree not found in many other towns and villages. Bobo is social.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Bobo-Dioulasso
See
- Grande Mosquée
- Place de la Nation Musee Provincial
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Bobo-Dioulasso
1 hotel 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hôtel L'Auberge | 2.1 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Bobo-Dioulasso
Bobo-Dioulasso has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 39 °C; August is the wettest, with about 290 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 Bobo-Dioulasso: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Bobo Dioulasso Airport (BOY), about 5.8 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
There are several bus companies with daily services to Bobo-Dioulasso from Ouagadougou and other regional cities as well as a few international destinations. Rahimo (+226 76643860), STMB (+226 50314472), TCV (+226 50301303), SOGEBAF (+226 50344255), TSR (+226 50342524) and Rakieta amongst others. Also, the twice weekly train between Abidjan and Ouagadougou makes a stopover here. Although a scenic and rather comfortable ride, the train is slower the bus services and delays are common.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
BOY · Bobo Dioulasso Airport
Questions
Bobo-Dioulasso: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Bobo-Dioulasso?
Bobo-Dioulasso has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 39 °C; August is the wettest, with about 290 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Bobo-Dioulasso?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Bobo Dioulasso Airport (BOY), about 5.8 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Bobo-Dioulasso?
West African CFA franc (XOF).
Nearby
Destinations near Bobo-Dioulasso
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; 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.