Kribi

15 APRIL 2023

Kribi is home to Cameroon's best beaches; fine sand, crystal water and fresh fish. I decided to take a trip to this southern town on the coast to sample a different scenery and see the Cameroonian holiday destination.

I travelled in a VIP AC minibus for 3000CFA from Transcamp depot in Douala. The journey was long due to the road works in Douala. Once on the Kribi road you are immediately aware of the natural forest and coastal vegetation. This area has a distinct culture shared with the Caribbean.

I got a room at Les Gites de Kribi, with kitchen facilities and a restaurant across the road on the beach. Its perfect. 29,500CFA on Booking.com. Yes - and with a beer and fresh fish to finish off the day overlooking the ocean.

There are a few touristy things to do around Kribi but you need to be careful about the ethical nature of them. I decided not to take the trip to Le Campement Des Pygmees.

The main attraction in the area are the Chutes de la Lobe, a set of waterfalls that empty directly into the sea. I walked through to the last restaurant and from their veranda you can get a very good view of the falls.

Further south is a small beach called Grand Batanga. Here I met Professor Bouelet who has retired to this village. He showed me round his collection of art and books, proudly stating that the reason he had a number of paintings of women with exposed breasts was because he liked these, especially on his wife. He was a little surprised that I didn't give him a hefty tip for the visit.... I think he normally hosts large French tour groups in the dry season.

It's possible to walk along the road side and experience the life of this area. Doing this enables you to see the homesteads, interact with the villagers and see something of their livelihood as many are selling goods by the road side. Motorbike taxi drivers ply this route too.

In Kribi, I went in search of the old colonial buildings; the governor's house, the cathedral and the naval port. All have a distinct Germanic architecture, maintained by the French during their governance of the country at a later date.

At 17:30 the skies darkened and the rain came down heavily. I sheltered in a bar where men were enjoying palm wine drunk in plastic cups and topped up from a huge water container. Others were well into their second / third beer. I've seen more drinking ging on here than in most of my trip. Eventually I stopped a motorbike driver with a canopy and we drove through the rain to the hotel. A great first day in this town.

The fish market was in full swing when I arrived. Boats were arriving into the harbour and being unloaded. Their catch was then laid out on the slabs in the market. It appeared that people then bartered for the amount they wanted and the totals were collated by one person sat close by. The array of fish was amazing; snapper, prawns, lobsters and various types of fish large and small.

Close by there was a boat making area where repairs were also taking place.

I decided to stay an extra day in Kribi in order to walk along the expanse of beach from the hotel to the town at low tide, discover the old Germanic lighthouse (brought from Germany and reconstructed in the Cameroon) and then to visit the fish market which takes place twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The beach is clean and fairly undeveloped. The trees come down to the beach and huge rocks are embedded in the sand. There are a few old villa style properties which are usually run down. The whole walk had a feeling of natural beauty and an abandoned era.

Next to the market were food stalls. It seems to be a regular thing to do on a Saturday - come here for a fresh fish lunch.