Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sierra Leone
232 / POP 5.4 MILLION
Why Go?
West Africa's secret beach destination rises from the soft waters of the Atlantic, dressed in
sun-stained hues, rainforest green and the red, red roads of the north. Sierra Leone: the land
so-named because it's shaped like a mountain lion. Sweet Salone, the locals say.
In Freetown, colourful stilted houses remember the days when freed slaves from the
Caribbean were resettled upon these shores. Some landed on the peninsula, blanketed with
sands as white and soft as cotton wool.
In the north, the Loma Mountains form the highest point west of Cameroon. Further east,
streams cut national parks and mangrove swamp water swathes rainforest that shelter en-
dangered species like the shy, waddling pygmy hippo.
The curtains have been drawn on the painful past, and it's time for a new act in Sierra
Leone. Join the island-hoppers and sun-seekers, swim in the clear blue waters, explore the
archipelagos and crack open fresh lobster in the shade of skinny palms and rope-strung
hammocks.
When to Go
Nov-Jun
The dry season is marked by mild, dusty harmattan winds from December until
February.
