Abidjan is the economic capital of Ivory Coast, built around the branching Ebrie Lagoon. A visit is about neighbourhoods: the skyscrapers of the Plateau, the embassies and university of Cocody, the markets and music of Treichville, and the rainforest of Banco National Park inside the city limits.
The central business district, sometimes called the Manhattan of West Africa, with the modernist St Paul's Cathedral, the pyramid-shaped La Pyramide building and the lagoon-front skyline.
The upscale residential district, the Hotel Ivoire complex, and pirogue or water-bus crossings of the lagoon between the peninsulas.
The crafts and fabric markets of Treichville and the sprawling market of Adjame, and Banco National Park, a patch of primary rainforest with its open-air fanico laundry.
Ivory Coast requires proof of yellow fever vaccination to enter, and most visitors need a visa or e-visa arranged in advance. Check your government's current travel advice for Abidjan, take normal city precautions and be cautious after dark. There is no single official city tourism office; Sublime Cote d'Ivoire is the national tourism brand.
There is no single must-see sight. A guide or a planned route through the Plateau, Cocody and Treichville shows how the city fits together.
Water buses and pirogues are part of daily life and a good way to see the city from the water between the peninsulas.
Grand-Bassam, the UNESCO-listed former colonial capital with its faded French quarter and beach, is about an hour east and makes a straightforward day trip.
Do I need a visa and vaccinations for Abidjan?
Most visitors need a visa or e-visa arranged before travel, and proof of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter Ivory Coast.
Is Abidjan safe for visitors?
It is a large city with the usual urban risks. Take care with valuables in markets and on transport, avoid quiet areas after dark, and follow current government travel advice.
What is the best way to get around?
Metered orange taxis for longer trips, shared woro-woro taxis and minibuses for short hops, and lagoon water buses between the districts.
When is the best time to visit?
The drier months, roughly December to April, are more comfortable. The main rains fall around May to July and again in October and November.
Abidjan is the largest city in Ivory Coast and its economic and cultural centre, though Yamoussoukro is the official political capital. It grew rapidly through the 20th century around the Ebrie Lagoon on the Gulf of Guinea.
The city is known for the high-rise Plateau district, the residential and diplomatic quarter of Cocody, the markets and nightlife of Treichville, and Banco National Park. Grand-Bassam, a former capital and World Heritage Site, lies just to the east.
This page is an independent guide for visitors, covering any government and tourism body.
