Angola
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Travel Alert
If you're planning a leisure or business trip to Luanda, note that British Embassy advises against non-essential travel to the interior of the Cabinda Province because of the high risk of civil unrest. Contact your embassy or consulate in advance for up-to-date travel information and heed local advice on safety.
Background
Famous for its oil and diamonds, Angola sits on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. Heading away from its long coastline, mountains rise up to the Bié Plateau that dominates most of the country, and the Namib Desert encroaches in the south-west. The tiny, oil-rich Angolan enclave of Cabinda is further north along the Atlantic coast, surrounded by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo. The ceasefire ending Angola's long civil war has been in place since 2002 but travel away from capital Luanda can be difficult and dangerous.
Urban
Make the most of Luanda's former Portuguese influence in its restaurants and bars, colonial architecture and local markets. Seek out Angolan music, famous for its Caribbean, Brazilian and Afro fusion, and savour Portuguese-inspired spicy seafood. Further south along the coast there are sandy beaches and deep blue waters near the major port of Benguela and by the lighthouse on Cape Ledo.
Rural
Visitors can take guided trips to Kissama National Park south of Luanda, known for its ocean, river and savannah habitats. In central Malanje province lie the majestic Calandula Waterfalls and its Milando Reserve, which protect herds of rare black palanca antelope. The central plateau's forests are filled with monkeys and birds and merge into coffee plantations in the coastal Cuanza Sol province, renowned for its surfing. Further inland there are the diamond-rich provinces of Lunda Sol and Lunda Norte, as well as waterfalls and the Bicuari National Park in Huila province.
Fast Facts - Angola
- Language
- Portuguese
- Currency
- Kwanza. US dollars are also widely accepted
- GMT
- GMT +1
- Electricity
- 220V AC, 50 Hz, two-pin plugs are standard
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