Central African Republic Tips - About - Guide

Like its name suggests, the Central African Republic lies in the center of the African continent. It has a population of about four million people and Bangui, with about 700,000 residents, is the capital city. The official language is Sango, however French is used in most businesses and there are about 70 other dialects and languages spoken in the country. The weather is basically hot all year round and there’s a rainy season between May and October. It used to be a French colony until it gained independence in 1960.

Central African Republic 

The large, landlocked country is filled with some attractive waterfalls, forests, tropical rainforest, desert, national parks, and game reserves that are home to some amazing wildlife. Some of the major towns are Boali, Bouar, Bangassou, and Berberati.

The capital of Bangui sits on the banks of the River Ubangi and is home to numerous modern buildings. Some of the most interesting sites are the bustling Central Market, the Boganda Museum, the cathedral, the Arts and


Crafts School, and the Saint Paul Mission, which overlooks the powerful river. If you head up to the Grande Corniche, you’ll be able to get an excellent view of the river and the fishermen’s canoes and huts.

Over in the Lobaye Region, you’ll come across local forest tribes that live in camps of small huts. There are a lot of similar villages in the region of M’Baiki Region and the Boali Waterfalls can be found about 50 miles from the capital, close to the picturesque an enchanting village of Boali. The falls offer a spectacular view from the top of them. In Bangassou, you can check out the River Kotto and the wonderful Kembe Falls.

The main airport is in Bangui and you can get to town by taxi and bus service. You can drive to the Central African Republic from the countries of Congo Democratic Republic, Cameroon, and Chad. However, you should check to see if the borders are open if you plan on driving.

Central African Republic people

Once in the country you can travel by ferry from Bangui to various towns that are located on the Ubangi River. You can drive to most major towns in the dry season and it’s a good idea to take a four-wheel-drive vehicle and a lot of extra gas as service stations are hard to find. There is a bus service between most large towns and you can rent vehicles. There is a bus service in Bangui as well as taxis, but they don’t have meters, so negotiate the fare first.

Bangui has quite a few excellent hotels and restaurants that serve international dishes. The rest of the country serves mainly local cuisine which often features bananas, rice, and cassava. Some of the best dishes are chicken with okra and palm oil, Chicken and cumin stew, Shrimps with sweet potatoes and yams, palm butter soup, and spinach stew. Most local residents like to drink banana wine and palm wine and they’re definitely worth a try.

Central African Republic  maps

There is also quite selection of bars in Bangui. Smoking and drinking aren’t encouraged in Muslim areas, but you can find bars everywhere else in the city. Most of the nightlife takes place in the Kilometre Cinq district.

The Central African Republic offers a simple and basic way of life wit