Central African Republic

Get around

thumbnail|Travelling by ferry in CAR Getting around in the capital is easy with taxis, which make large parts of the city accessible. The fare must be negotiated before departure, there are no taximeters. To get to the provinces, you have to stick to buses that offer appropriate tours. You will need to plan a lot of time and some difficulties, especially during the rainy season. It is advisable to have an off-road vehicle and an experienced tour guide.

You have to organize rides in minibuses yourself and negotiate prices.

See

thumb|Chutes de Boali The Musée Ethnograhique Barthélémy Boganda in Bangui is the country's national museum and has a decent collection of local instruments, weapons, tools, and displays about local traditions, religion, and architecture.

Prehistoric rock paintings can be found in several locations, but some of the best can be found in Bambari.

The Chutes de Boali, 2 hours from the capital, are a rather picturesque series of waterfalls, which are even more impressive in the rainy season. Taxi drivers will charge XAF 70,000 for the half-day trip. There is an entrance fee of XAF 5000.

Megaliths near the town of Bouar are positioned in concentric circles and are remnants of the CAR's ancient peoples.

As with most of Africa, local markets can be a feast for the eyes, offering a wide arrangement of crafts. Just be vigilant, as markets in the CAR are rife with petty and violent theft.

The country is made up of vast swathes of tropical rainforest that make it popular for exploring.

Do

Visits and stays with the Pygmy communities are probably the biggest attraction for the country's few tourists. Possible activities include: hunting with traditional weapons/devices, gathering medicinal plants with the women of the village, participating in a night of music & dance.

thumb|200px|Forest elephants in Dzangha-Sangha Special Reserve. Visit the Dzanga Sangha Special Reserve to trek through the jungle in search of gorillas, elusive forest elephants, chimpanzees, & more. A visit to the reserve is often combined with a stay in a Pygmy village. The reserve is part of larger protected area, with Dzanga-Ndoki National Park (which consists of two noncontinuous parts: "Dzanga Park" & "Ndoki Park") flanking Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve on two sides and which in turn is part of a larger, tri-national protected area including Lobéké National Park in Cameroon & Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in Congo-Brazzaville.

Should the CAR ever emerge from the grip of conflict & dysfunctional government, the country would be an appealing ecotourism destination similar to Gabon. Bamingui-Bangoran National Park and Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park are promising wildlife reserves that are in insecure regions and without facilities.

Eat

thumbnail|Vegetable seller in CAR

There is a wide diversity of food in Bangui, including Chinese, Lebanese, French, local food and so forth. Food in restaurants owned by foreigners are very expensive and can be US$10–20 per dish (or more). Local food, however, may also be expensive depending upon the restaurant and its location. There are abundant French bakeries in the downtown area in the centre of Bangui with moderate prices for baked goods as well as meals. Food in supermarkets is very expensive, although cheaper food can be purchased at local markets and from sellers in the street.

Drink

Local beer ("33", Mocaf, Crystal) and soft drink (Mocaf is a major producer) is similarly priced to products in Europe and the United States. Wine is available in some French wine shops but can be very expensive. Palm wine is common. Water is produced in Cameroon and Central African Republic and can be purchased in all of the local supermarkets. Imported products such as Coca-Cola and Fanta are also available.

Sleep

Outside the capital and the Dzanga-Sangha nature reserve, there is almost no tourist infrastructure.

Stay safe

The Central African Republic is a volatile country. Since the early 2000s, recurrent civil conflicts and political unrest have adversely affected the country's overall state of security.

Hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas. Floods are common.

Police manning checkpoints will demand bribes; expect no less than US$5. There are many reports that a trip from the Cameroon border to Bangui will cost hundreds of US dollars or euros in bribes. Police will often confiscate an item (passport, camera, watch) and demand money for it. Armed robberies on roads in the country are common. Violent crime in the capital is common even in daylight, particularly around the "kilometre 5" bus station. Alcoholism is a major problem with city-dwellers, so be wary of drunks and do not even think about drinking with locals (you will be out-drunk).

Stay healthy

Some areas of Bangui have clean and filtered drinking water, so it is safe to drink water served at some restaurants and bars. However, the purity of the water is not reliable and thus it is safer to buy bottled water, or boil or filter water. Outside the capital there is no guarantee of water purity. All food should be cooked or peeled prior to being served, particularly food purchased at local markets, where hygiene is a concern. If illness should arise, it is better to seek counsel with one of the doctors at an embassy (the French embassy and US embassy both have fine doctors) or at a clinic at an organisation like Institut Pasteur. The local clinics and hospitals sometimes have a limited supply of necessary resources such as syringes, medicine, etc.

Respect

The locals often eat with their hands. If you are eating with them, and using your hands as well, eat with your right hand. The left is generally used for lavatory purposes, and therefore it is rude or unappealing to them if you eat with your left hand.