Report: Cameroon touts beaches, big game as it focuses on tourism

The notion of a single Africa would seem as absurd a notion as Cameroon’s branding campaign: “All Africa in one country.”

Yet in many ways, Cameroon does have it all: white-sand beaches and tropical rain forests; savannahs overrun with game; spectacular waterfalls and West Africa’s tallest peak, the 1,400-foot Mount Cameroon; tea plantations spread over the hills like a lush, green carpet; sprawling stands of palm and forests of rubber trees.

Moreover, tribal culture exists throughout the country, alongside palaces from the German occupation at the turn of the 20th century. Ecotourism is beginning to flourish. For those intent on tracing the slave trade, there is a moving trek through the jungle to one of West Africa’s most notorious ports.

Yet what might be Cameroon’s most compelling lure is something not yet in place: a fully integrated tourist infrastructure. Visitors will not find themselves whisked from place to place in the hands of Western guides nor deposited in luxury safari tents with all the amenities of home. Instead, they will experience an Africa in all its glorious color and chaos.

There is no shortage of hotels, though few that offer four-star comfort. Never mind; Cameroon affords the rare chance to visit a part of Africa that is on the cusp of emerging as a mecca for travelers.

Under the longtime presidency of Paul Biya and his Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement party, the country has enjoyed a rare measure of political stability by African standards, though many of its 20 million citizens continue to live in poverty. An infusion of capital into industries such as petroleum and timber has helped stir the economy, and Biya has decreed a new focus on tourism. EbogoVillageCabins

During my stay, the African Travel Association convened its annual four-day congress in Cameroon, at the Mountain Hotel in Buea, with some 100 delegates and dignitaries from around the continent.

I spent eight days in Cameroon in and around the two major cities, Duala and Yaounde.

In terms of sightseeing, Duala offered the most immediate excursions. A 90-minute drive south brought us to the Atlantic and miles of pristine white-sand beaches. We stayed in the Tullay Residence, a modest wing of rooms set in sprawling gardens with a gazebo restaurant just yards from the rolling surf.

Nearby is the Lobe waterfall, which spills directly into an ocean. Locals paddled us out in canoes for a close-up view followed by a feast of deliciously spiced, fresh prawns at the seaside restaurant. Farther down the coast is a hint of things to come: a massive deepwater seaport under construction by the Chinese.

Heading due west from Duala leads to the bustling seaside town of Limbe, one of two English-speaking regions in French-dominant Cameroon. The heart of the town radiates from Down Beach, a lively carnival of food stands, musicians and umbrella-shaded tables where locals eat, drink beer and wile away the afternoon.

Nearby, the Limbe Wildlife Centre offered a collection of no fewer than 300 primates — chimps, gorillas and drill monkeys — all frolicking in large enclosures. Tap one of the zookeepers for a guided tour and they will summon the apes and monkeys by name and detail their habits.

Across the road is the entrance to the Botanical Gardens, created in 1892 by German horticulturists to study the medicinal value of tropical plants. Miles of trails wind through a stunning variety of trees and other flora; there are unusual birds to admire and nests of herons along the oceanside path.

A very different experience awaits on a short drive south. Here, a rough trek through jungle overgrowth leads to the recently excavated village of Bimbia where tens of thousands of Africans were lured to nonexistent work, then chained and packed onto slave ships. Unlike Goree Island in Senegal, crowded with tourists and souvenir hawkers, this remote outpost and its scattering of grim relics were a moving reminder of the terrifying ordeal that sent so many to their deaths or servitude.

Accommodations in Limbe include two seaside establishments: the Fina Hotel, a full-service resort complete with restaurant and casino and popular with foreigners, and the Atlantic Beach Hotel, a few miles outside town on Seme Beach, more frequented by Africans. Cameroon-BimbiaSlaveSign

Another option is the Mountain Hotel, an upscale resort in the nearby city of Buea at the foot of Mount Cameroon. On my visit, the hotel had just reopened after an extensive renovation, with not all services up to snuff; best to check on status of the renovations before booking rooms.

Mount Cameroon itself is an active volcano that can be climbed in two- or three-day treks. No mountaineering skills are required, but this is an arduous hike that requires careful preparation.

Heading north from Limbe, the road traverses some of the most beautiful scenery in Cameroon, an ever-changing landscape of palm plantations, rubber tree forests, gorges and mountain vistas. A long dirt road leads to Mouanko Falls, a thundering cascade buried deep in the mountainous forest, which took our breath away. The main road continues north and leads to the town of Foumban with its famous crafts market and the striking Sultan’s Palace, a building of international renown.

It’s a four-hour drive east from Duala to Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Whereas Duala is the energized business hub, Yaounde is the country’s government center, an appealing city perched among seven hills. There are more modern buildings here and various places to visit: the National Museum and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Victories among many.

This is the so-called Central Region, dominated by tropical forests, rivers and rugged scenery. In the midst of it, 40 miles north of Yaounde, another wildlife sanctuary serves as an orphanage for primates rescued from a fate of bush meat.

Cameroon-NationalMuseumOfArt-YaoundeOn the same trip we stopped by the Ebogo ecotourism site, a picturesque setting on the banks of the Nyong River. It was the end of the rainy season, and we paddled canoes through swamps of trees to the accompaniment of bird songs, then had our best lunch in Cameroon: fresh-caught fish from the river and a tomato-and-avocado salad. Three cabins raised on stilts offer clean, modern options to extend travelers’ stay in paradise.

True to its claim of a one-stop pan-Africa experience, the country’s far north is where visitors will find savannahs and grasslands, home to giraffes, lions and elephants in the Waza National Park. Spiked rock formations in the Mount Mandara mountain range adorn many tourist brochures.

The best way to reach the region is via overnight train from Yaounde or a flight to Maroua, but time, unfortunately, precluded a tour. It remains the top priority for our next visit.