Estuaire Province · Gabon
Where to stay in Libreville
Libreville is a city in Estuaire Province, Gabon, home to about 899,000 people.
- Best months
- June to August
- Nearest airport
- LBV7 km · Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport
- Currency
- XAFCentral African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Libreville
- Language
- French
About
About Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, located on the Gabon Estuary. Libreville occupies 65 square kilometres (25 sq mi) of the northwestern province of Estuaire.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Libreville
See
Libreville's greatest asset is, probably, the seafront (bord de mer) where people gather daily to relax by the Atlantic Ocean. All along the seafront you will find some Gabonese sculptures (some are 20 feet tall!) looking over the beach. You could also go in Nzeng-ayong to see the Arboretum de Sibang which is a huge tree sanctuary inside Libreville which groups thousands of local species. (But make sure in advance that somebody will be there to open the gate. Once you are inside apply a huge amount of anti mosquito cream on your skin before entering the woods. The people there will remind you - they are very helpful).
- Cathédrale Sainte Marie
- Notre Dame de Lourdes
- Church of St. Michael Nkembo
- National Museum of Arts and Traditions
- Musée National du Gabon
- Presidential Palace
- Cour Constitutionnelle du Gabon
- Memorial Leon Mba
Do
Libreville is a place where people are very laid back and take things slowly. Don't worry about time and plans, and enjoy the city. There is not an exhaustive list of things to do. It is a true multicultural town; its people are very welcoming and will show you the true aspects of the city. The Centre Culturel Français (next to Mbolo, the main supermarket) has a cinema and also hosts occasional expositions and concerts. If you'd like to relax on a nice deserted beach, you could go to the Cap Esterias where there's a Arboretum de Reponda Walker or to Cap Santa Clara, about 30 minutes by car from Libreville. The latter place can be reached by car during the dry season.
- Casino Croisette
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Libreville to stay in
For a coastal city, there are surprisingly few hotels or guest houses next to the ocean. Most beaches are in front of private residences and are not accessible. Tropicana is on the beach (see below).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Libreville
8 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Adagio | 2.6 km | |
| Hotel Boulevard | 7.0 km | |
| Hotel Hibiscus Blvd Triomphal | 0.8 km | |
| Hotel Hibiscus Louis | 1.2 km | |
| Hotel le Cristal | 2.1 km | |
| Hotel Onomo Libreville | 9.7 km | |
| Park Inn by Radisson Libreville | 3.3 km | |
| Radisson Blu Okoume Palace Hotel, Libreville | 3.4 km |
All 8 hotels in Libreville, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Libreville
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Libreville are June to August. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; November is the wettest, with about 423 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 Libreville: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV), about 6.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Corisco International Airport (OCS, 57 km) and Port Gentil International Airport (POG, 146 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
The best way to get around in Libreville if you don't have a car are taxis. For a trip from point A to B the fare is negotiated with the driver depending on the distance. Fares will double after 21:00. From or to the airport 2000 FCFA, or 4000 FCFA after 21:00. (1000 FCFA = €1.5, 10 000 FCFA = €15). Taxis are less expensive when shared or for short distances (100 to 500 FCFA). You can usually pay 1000 FCFA in the day or 2000 FCFA to not share the taxi and travel a substantial distance (15-minute drive).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LBV · Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport
OCS · Corisco International Airport
POG · Port Gentil International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Libreville
Eat
Eating at any good restaurant ends up costing from US$24 for the meal and drinks. Not cheap but it is usually worth it! There are some high end restaurants that can be compared to the best restaurants in Western metropolises. The standard of quality in cheaper restaurants is high. Try one of the three Papa Union restaurants. The main road leading up into the Louis area (from the seafront near Jeanne Eboli Hospital) has a good range of restaurants and clubs. The good thing about Libreville is that you can eat salad in the restaurants, and there is no need to be afraid of the ice cubes in your drink. The tap water is absolutely ok. Do not try that in any other African city.
Drink
The local beer, the awarded Régab, is very good. Beaufort and Castel are OK, if you are not too demanding. The local soft drink brand, D'jino, has many artificial flavours. Imported goods (wine/spirits) are widely available, if you are prepared to pay. Clubs, restaurants and bars in the Louis area come to life at night.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Libreville: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Libreville?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Libreville are June to August. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; November is the wettest, with about 423 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Libreville?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV), about 6.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Corisco International Airport (OCS, 57 km) and Port Gentil International Airport (POG, 146 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Libreville?
Central African CFA franc (XAF).
Nearby
Destinations near Libreville
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.