적도 기니

Spanish is the main official language and the language of government, schools and the media. French and Portuguese are also official, but few people speak them in daily life. Most people also speak an African language. Fang is the most common on the mainland, Bubi is spoken on Bioko, and people on Annobón speak Fa d'Ambô, a Portuguese-based creole. Pichi, an English-based creole, is common in Malabo.

English is not widely spoken outside international hotels and oil-company circles. Basic Spanish helps a lot with taxis, markets and checkpoints.

• SIM cards: local operators sell prepaid SIM cards in Malabo and Bata.
• Speed and cost: mobile data is slow and expensive by international standards, and coverage is patchy outside the cities and main roads.
• Roaming: roaming from abroad can be very expensive, so check your plan before you travel.

• Yellow fever: you need a vaccination certificate to enter. Get the vaccine at least 10 days before arrival.
• Malaria: malaria is a risk all year in the whole country. Take antimalarial tablets and use insect repellent and a mosquito net. Dengue also occurs.
• Water: do not drink tap water. Drink bottled water and avoid ice from unknown sources.
• Medical care: care is very limited, and there are no adequate trauma or ambulance services. Even a minor problem can require a costly evacuation. Buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.
• Pharmacies: you find pharmacies in Malabo and Bata, but supplies can be limited. Bring enough of any medicine you need.

Almost all visitors need a visa, including citizens of the US, the UK, Canada and the EU. Citizens of the other Central African (CEMAC) countries are the main exception.

• eVisa: apply online and print the approval letter. The visa is then placed in your passport at the border. Processing takes about 72 hours. The official portal is Equatorial Guinea eVisa. You can also apply at an embassy.
• Passport: it must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival, with at least one blank page.
• Stamp check: make sure the border officer places the visa and stamps your passport. Travellers without a proper stamp have been delayed or threatened with detention.
• Yellow fever: you must show a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
• Extra documents: some applicants, including Canadians, must also show a police clearance certificate.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

• Greetings: greet people before you ask anything. A handshake and "buenos días" or "buenas tardes" are normal. Use titles and polite forms with officials and older people.
• Photography: never photograph government buildings, soldiers, police, airports or harbours. Ask before you photograph people or markets.
• Politics: avoid discussing politics or the government in public.
• Dress: dress neatly in the cities. Cover your shoulders and knees in churches. Beachwear is for the beach.
• Officials: stay calm and polite at checkpoints and with officials, even when things are slow.
• Society: the country is mainly Catholic and socially conservative. Same-sex relationships are legal, but same-sex marriage is not recognised and there is no legal protection from discrimination.

On public holidays, government offices and banks close, and many shops close or open short hours. Around Independence Day in October, expect official events and some road closures in the cities.

Many shops and offices close for a long break in the middle of the day and reopen in the late afternoon. On Sundays most businesses are closed, except some supermarkets and restaurants.

Travel is easiest between the two main cities. Getting to the remote areas takes planning, a local driver or tour operator, and often a permit.

• By air: flights link Malabo and Bata daily. The flight is the quickest way between Bioko and the mainland. Flights to Annobón are infrequent.
• By road on Bioko: a paved road circles much of the island and climbs to Moka. Hire a car with a driver for trips to Luba, Moka and Ureca.
• By road on the mainland: paved roads link Bata with Mongomo, Ebebiyín and Ciudad de la Paz. Shared taxis and minibuses run between towns, but they are crowded and often driven fast.
• Taxis: shared taxis are cheap in Malabo and Bata. For safety, use a taxi arranged by your hotel or a driver you know, and do not take taxis alone at night.

Food here mixes Central African cooking with some Spanish habits. Meals are built around starchy staples such as cassava, plantain, malanga (cocoyam) and rice, served with a sauce of fish, chicken or meat. Fresh fish is the highlight on the coast and on Bioko, often grilled whole and served with fried plantain. Pepper soup, a spicy broth of fish or meat, is a favourite, and peanut (groundnut) sauces are common.

Locals eat in small family eateries and at market stalls, and Malabo and Bata also have Spanish-style cafés and restaurants. Street snacks include grilled fish, skewered meat and fried plantain. Palm wine is the traditional drink, and imported and regional beers are sold everywhere. Bushmeat is sold in some markets; avoid it, as many species are protected.

Bioko

• Bioko is the easiest part of the country to visit, with rainforest, volcanic peaks and black- and white-sand beaches.
• Malabo has Spanish colonial buildings and Catedral de Santa Isabel, a neo-Gothic cathedral with two tall towers.
• Pico Basilé is the country's highest point and needs a permit to visit.
• In the south, the highland village of Moka has crater lakes and a wildlife centre. The beaches near Ureca are a nesting site for sea turtles from November to March.
• Luba is a quiet port town on the west coast.

Río Muni (mainland)

• Bata is the largest city, with a long seafront promenade.
• Monte Alén National Park is the country's largest national park, a rainforest home to gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants. Altos de Nsork National Park protects forest in the south-east.
• Mongomo is known for the huge Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Mongomo. Nearby, Ciudad de la Paz is a planned city in the forest, officially the capital since January 2026 and still under construction. Most ministries and all embassies are still in Malabo.
• Ebebiyín is a busy trading town near the borders with Gabon and Cameroon.
• Mbini sits at the mouth of the Benito River, south of Bata.

Islands

• Corisco and Elobey Grande are small islands off the southern mainland coast, with quiet beaches.
• Annobón is a remote volcanic island far to the south-west, with its own creole language and culture. Flights are rare and access is difficult.