Libreville is Gabon's largest city and capital. It is a port city of 703,904 (2013) that is home to one third of the country's population.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
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). The cars are not very secure (broken doors, no seatbelts), but if you insist on careful driving, the chauffeurs will try to oblige.
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.
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.
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.
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. 1 No Stress. 18:00-05:00 daily except Tu. Piano bar. (updated Sep 2020) 2 VIP, ☏ +241 07 89 24 62. Disco club. (updated Sep 2020) Elsewhere: 3 Hype Bar Lounge. 18:30-02:30. Another piano bar. (updated Sep 2020) 4 Code Bar. Lounge. (updated Sep 2020) The city is pretty lively at night so get out and enjoy.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Libreville typically sees ~28°C daytime highs and 3 rainy days.
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