Angola
Angola is a large country on the Atlantic coast of south-western Africa. It has long empty beaches, high plateaus, big waterfalls and the northern edge of the Namib Desert. Few tourists come here, so the famous sights are rarely crowded. The capital, Luanda, has a seafront promenade and the old Portuguese fortress. The south offers the most varied scenery, from the mountain roads around Lubango to the desert coast of Namibe (Moçâmedes).
Angola suits independent travelers who are comfortable with basic infrastructure, Portuguese and some planning. Check official advice before you go: the US government advises visitors to reconsider travel to the Luanda area because of crime, and the UK government advises against all but essential travel to parts of Cabinda and Lunda Norte provinces. See the safety section for details.
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Money & payments
Angola is still mostly a cash economy. Outside large hotels, supermarkets and better restaurants in Luanda, expect to pay in kwanzas. Local Multicaixa bank cards work widely, but foreign cards are often refused.
- ATMs: common in Luanda and provincial capitals, but they often run out of cash, and daily withdrawals are limited to about 100,000 kwanzas. Take enough cash before you travel to rural areas.
- Exchange: bring US dollars or euros in clean, recent notes and change them at banks or official exchange offices.
- Cash limits: declare foreign cash worth USD 5,000 or more on arrival. You cannot take more than USD 5,000 in foreign cash or 50,000 kwanzas out of the country.
- Costs: Luanda is expensive for hotels, imported goods and restaurants aimed at foreigners. Local food, minibus taxis and fuel are cheap. Outside the capital, hotels are simpler and cheaper.
Tours & Activities
Angola — Map
Tipping
Tipping is appreciated but not strongly expected in everyday life. In restaurants, leave about 10 % for good service if the bill does not include a service charge. Round up for drivers and give a small tip to hotel porters. Guides and drivers on a tour expect a cash tip at the end of the trip.
about 10 % if no service charge
small tip for porters
round up
cash tip at the end of a tour
Electricity
Angola uses European two-pin sockets. Older buildings may have other types, so a universal adapter is useful. Power cuts happen in many areas, so carry a power bank.
Language
Portuguese is the official language, and almost everyone in the cities speaks it. Many Angolans also speak a national language such as Umbundu, Kimbundu or Kikongo. English is spoken in some hotels and oil-industry offices in Luanda, but rarely elsewhere. A few words of Portuguese help a lot, and a translation app is useful for menus and directions.
Staying connected
- SIM cards: Unitel is the largest network, followed by Africell and Movicel. Buy a SIM at an official operator shop and bring your passport to register it.
- Coverage: 4G works in Luanda and the main towns. Coverage is weak or absent in rural areas and national parks.
Safety & emergencies
Check official travel advice before you book and again before you leave. The US government rates Angola at Level 2 ("Exercise increased caution") because of crime, health, unrest and landmines. It rates the Luanda Greater Metropolitan Area at Level 3 ("Reconsider travel"), where armed robbery and assaults are common. The UK government advises against all but essential travel to:
- Cabinda Province, except Cabinda city, because separatist groups have carried out targeted attacks on foreigners and there is a risk of kidnap.
- Areas within 1 km of the DRC border in Lunda Norte province, except official border crossings and their access roads, because of insecurity and banditry.
Take these risks seriously:
- Crime in Luanda: muggers can be armed, and some attacks have been fatal. Do not walk alone or after dark. Arrange secure transport before you withdraw cash, and keep valuables out of sight.
- Landmines: mines and unexploded weapons remain on roads, verges and bridges in rural areas, especially in Bié, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Sul, Moxico and Huíla. Floods in the rainy season (November to April) can move them. Stay on paved roads and well-used paths, and never walk into bush or abandoned buildings.
- Roads: driving at night outside towns is dangerous. Keep doors locked and windows closed in traffic.
- Police checks: checkpoints are frequent. Always carry ID; a certified copy of your passport photo page is safest in Luanda, but carry the original outside the big cities.
- Photography: do not photograph government buildings, military sites, bridges or infrastructure. You can be fined or detained.
- Protests: demonstrations can start quickly and turn violent. Avoid crowds.
Health
- Yellow fever: Angola requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate from all travelers aged 9 months or older. The eVisa application also asks for it. Get the vaccine at least 10 days before you travel and carry the certificate.
- Malaria: malaria is present across the country. Ask a travel clinic about antimalarial tablets, and use repellent and a mosquito net.
- Other risks: dengue, cholera and Zika also occur. See a travel clinic about 8 weeks before the trip.
- Ebola: an Ebola outbreak in the neighbouring DRC can lead to extra health checks at borders.
- Water: tap water is not safe to drink. Drink bottled or treated water.
- Medical care: Luanda has good private clinics, but they are expensive and often want payment in advance. Care outside Luanda is very limited, so buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.
Visas & entry
Angola allows visa-free tourist visits for citizens of many countries. They include the UK, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Namibia, China, Japan, India and Australia.
- Visa-free stay: up to 30 days per visit and 90 days in total per calendar year, for tourism only. Business, work and study need a visa in advance.
- eVisa: other travelers, and those who plan a longer stay, can apply online through the Angola Migration Service eVisa portal. Apply well before you travel.
- Passport: it must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival and have 2 blank pages.
- Yellow fever: you need a yellow fever vaccination certificate. See the health section.
- Overstaying: the fine is 15,000 kwanzas per day.
Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.
Etiquette
- Greetings: greet people before you start a conversation or ask a question. A handshake is normal. Use "Senhor" or "Senhora" with older people and officials.
- Dress: Angolans dress neatly in towns, especially in offices and churches. Beachwear is for the beach.
- Photography: ask before you photograph people. Never photograph government buildings, soldiers, police, bridges or airports.
- Police and officials: stay calm and polite at checkpoints, and show your documents when asked.
- Markets: bargaining is normal at markets and with street sellers, but not in shops with fixed prices.
- Language: an attempt at Portuguese is always welcome. Speaking only English can make simple tasks slow.
Holidays & opening hours
On public holidays, banks, government offices and many shops close. When a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the Monday or Friday in between often becomes a bridge day off. Carnival, in February or March, brings parades to Luanda and other cities.
Shops usually open from about 8:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, and many close early on Saturday. Supermarkets and malls in Luanda open longer hours and on Sundays.
Getting around
Angola is large, and distances between the main sights are long. Most visitors combine domestic flights with a car and driver.
- By air: TAAG and other airlines fly from Luanda to Benguela (Catumbela), Lubango, Namibe and other provincial capitals. Flights save a full day of driving on longer routes.
- By car with driver: the most practical way to reach waterfalls, parks and viewpoints. Many roads outside the main routes are rough, and some need a 4x4.
- By bus: long-distance coaches link Luanda with Benguela, Lobito, Lubango, Huambo and Malanje. They are cheap but slow. Buy tickets at the company office a day ahead.
- By train: passenger trains run on three lines: from Luanda to Malanje, from Lobito through Huambo to the east, and from Namibe to Lubango and Menongue. Services are slow and infrequent.
- In cities: blue-and-white minibus taxis (candongueiros) are cheap but crowded and not recommended for visitors in Luanda. Use a ride-hailing app or a taxi booked through your hotel.
Driving
- Licence: carry your national licence and an International Driving Permit.
- Road conditions: main roads between the big cities are paved, but potholes are common. Rural roads can be very poor, especially in the rainy season, so a 4x4 is often needed.
- Landmines: never leave the road or drive onto verges and tracks in rural areas.
- Night driving: avoid it outside towns. Roads are unlit, and livestock, pedestrians and broken-down trucks are common.
- Checkpoints: police checks are frequent. Keep your passport, licence and car papers ready.
- Security: keep doors locked and windows closed, especially in Luanda traffic.
- Fuel: stations are attended. Pay in cash, as foreign cards rarely work. Fill up whenever you can on long trips.
- Electric vehicles: public charging is almost non-existent.
Food & drink
Angolan food combines African staples with Portuguese and Brazilian influences. Funge, a thick porridge of cassava or maize flour, is served with most meals. Try muamba de galinha, chicken stewed in palm oil with okra, and calulu, dried fish or meat cooked with vegetables. Mufete is a coastal favourite of grilled fish with beans, sweet potato and cassava. Kizaka, a dish of cassava leaves, is common too. Lunch is the main meal, and dinner is usually late.
On the coast, grilled fish and seafood are fresh and cheap. In Luanda and Benguela, many people eat at beach restaurants on weekends. Street food includes grilled corn, peanuts and doughnut-like fried snacks. Cocada amarela is a sweet coconut and egg dessert. Cuca is the classic Angolan beer, and imported Portuguese wine is common in restaurants.
Where to explore
Luanda and the north
- Luanda: the capital, with the Luanda Saint Miguel Fortress, the Iron Palace and the National Slavery Museum. The Level 3 US warning covers the whole metropolitan area.
- Mussulo: a long sandy peninsula south of Luanda with calm lagoon beaches, reached by boat.
- Quiçama National Park: a national park south of Luanda, with savannah, baobabs and the Cuanza River. Game drives show antelopes, and sometimes elephants and giraffes. The cliffs of Miradouro da Lua are on the coast road from Luanda.
- Malanje: the base for the huge Quedas de Calandula and the giant rock towers of Pedras Negras de Pungo Andongo.
Benguela and the coast
- Benguela: a relaxed colonial city with beaches and seafood restaurants.
- Lobito: a port city next to Benguela, with the Restinga, a long sandbar lined with beaches and restaurants.
The south
- Lubango: a highland city with a Cristo Rei statue and cool weather. The cliffs of Fenda da Tundavala/Tundavala Gap are nearby.
- Serra da Chela: the escarpment west of Lubango, crossed by the famous hairpin road of the Serra da Leba pass.
- Namibe (Moçâmedes): a coastal town at the edge of the Namib Desert and the gateway to desert trips.
- Iona National Park: a large desert national park on the southern coast, with, dunes and the rare Welwitschia mirabilis plant. Visit only with an experienced guide and a 4x4.
Central highlands
- Morro de Môco: Angola's highest mountain, in Huambo province, with rare mountain forest. Hike only with a local guide.
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