Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE CENTRE
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Yamoussoukro
Yamoussoukro (or Yamkro, as it's affectionately dubbed) isn't exactly its country's cultural
epicentre, but it is worth a stop here, if only to marvel at the oddity of the capital that was
built on the site of former President Félix Houphouët-Boigny's ancestral village.
Sights
Yamoussoukro's spectacular
basilica
(Rte de Daloa; admission CFA2000; 8am-noon & 2-5.30pm Mon-Sat,
2-5pm Sun)
will leave you wide-eyed. It remains in tip-top shape, with English-speaking
guides on duty. Don't forget to take your passport, which the guard holds until you leave.
The
presidential palace
, where Houphouët-Boigny is now buried, can only be seen from afar.
Sacred crocodiles live in the lake on its southern side and the keeper tosses them some
meat around 5pm. In 2012, a veteran keeper was killed by one of the creatures during a
photo op staged for UN peacekeepers.
The
tourist office
(
8am-noon & 3-6pm Mon-Fri)
arranges
30-640814; Ave Houphouët-Boigny;
Baoulé dancing performances in nearby villages.
Sleeping & Eating
You'll find
maquis
all over town, concentrated at the
gare routière
and by the lake. The
French-owned
Bouclier de Brennus
behind SIB bank serves upmarket Gallic fare with occa-
sional helpings of televised rugby.
Residence Berah
HOTEL
$
( 30 64 17 80; r from CFA20,000; )
Over in
le quartier des millionaires
(yes, such a
thing exists), Residence Berah isn't as swish as its address. But the rooms are clean and
modern, with wi-fi and television, and there's a pool and restaurant.
Hôtel Président
HOTEL
$$$
