Guinea-Bissau, a Portuguese colony until 1975, is located in West
Africa. Guinea-Bissau is a lesser-known tourist destination that
attracts with sights such as the Bijagos Islands, historical sites
such as the Fort of Cacheu, the relaxed Varela Beach, the culturally
rich Orango Island and the Nature Reserve of Cantanhez. However, the
low tourist infrastructure can make it difficult to travel.
Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world. Due to
this, it is almost not touristically developed. It is a country that
knows no prison and is one of the safest in Africa. Of course, there
is also crime, but either on a very large scale or with chicken
theft. The people are very hospitable and always interested in where
you come from and how it is there. A chat broke off quickly. But,
unlike other countries of the region, you do not have to constantly
stick a "curb pirate" on your heel. Even in the capital, as a
tourist you can walk through the streets in peace.
The only
real cash crop is cashew nuts (from the pulp of which an alcoholic
drink is brewed in the countryside). The rich fishing grounds are
mainly worked by Chinese factory ships. Since the change of
government in 2012, the country has hardly been a transit point for
Latin American cocaine to Europe. The UNIOGBIS and ECOWAS
peacekeeping missions were greatly reduced in 2017.
The
population consists of different tribes, the largest being the
Balanta, who make up about a quarter. In the western region of
Biombo, the pepel predominate. The bijagos live on the islands of
the same name, collective land ownership and matriarchy prevail
among them. They are also the only tribe that does not practice
foreskin amputation on boys.
The country is divided into eight regions in total. Located in the north are Cacheu, Oio, Bafatá and Gabú, in the west Bolama, Bissau and Biombo, in the south Quinara and Tombali.
1 Bissau - capital.
2 Buba
3 Bolama - Bolama, the capital of
the Bissagos Archipelago, is a small town on the island of the same
name. Boats go to São João. Administrative buildings have been preserved
from the colonial period, because it was the seat of the Portuguese
governor until 1941. There is the Hotel Samritana, another one in the
center as well as some more like the Casa de Hóspedes on the northern
outskirts of the village.
4 Cacheu - Cacheu is a small town in the
north of the country on the south bank of the river of the same name. In
addition to the small, old fortress, the nearby Parque Natural dos
Tarrafes is worth seeing, two thirds of the area of which consists of
mangroves. Here you will find almost 250 species of birds, hippos and
African manatees. In July 2016, the foundation stone was laid for an
EU-funded museum commemorating the slave trade. An adjacent hotel has
been renovated to luxury standards since 2017.
5 Farim
6 Gabú
7 Saltinho – Saltinho is a village in the south of the country. It is of
tourist interest mainly because of its former barracks, which has now
been converted into accommodation. The visitors of the place, which was
fiercely fought over during the War of Independence, mainly include
veterans. Worth seeing is the bridge from 1955, rapids and waterfall.
Not far away is the Dulombi-Boe National Park, primarily a wetland where
chimpanzees also live.
Only in the last twenty years have nature reserves been designated.
Bijagós Archipelago
The Bijagós Archipelago is a fascinating mix
of nature, culture and traditional lifestyle. Here visitors can get
acquainted with the rich cultural traditions of the Bijagós population,
explore nature reserves with a diverse wildlife, glide through
impressive mangrove forests, relax on picturesque beaches, experience
local fishing, enjoy fresh seafood and participate in traditional
festivals and rituals. Sustainable tourism in this underdeveloped region
allows for an authentic island experience, ideal for travelers who
appreciate unspoiled nature and cultural authenticity. However, it is
advisable to find out about the current conditions and possible travel
restrictions before starting your trip.
The starting point for
the Bijagós archipelago is the 'Ilha de Bubaque with a small village and
about 11000 inhabitants. For this, there is a tourist infrastructure
sufficient for local conditions. Casa Dora is a budget accommodation
with a restaurant near the ferry pier, operated by a Portuguese. From
Bissau there are open motor canoes that take about seven hours or a
tourist boat that takes four hours. Much more expensive, and also not
safer, are speedboats for four people, which only take 1½ hours. On the
islands you can also see the motorcycles known in China as a crocodile
with a loading area (and therefore 6-8 seats).
Safaris to the
saltwater hippos in the Orango National Park accessible via Anôr,
preferably from October to January, require an (expensive) licensed
guide.
The Orango Parque Hotel, the only house in the protected area,
has room for twenty guests with a big purse.
The Ilha João Vieira
is the center of a national park protected for its sea turtles. Eggs are
laid on the beach from October to November.
Consulmar Bissau operates ferries between Bissau and Bubaque or Bolama. The tariff for foreigners is four times the price for natives.
Germans require a visa to be applied for in advance for entry. The
Berlin Embassy of Guinea-Bissau has been closed. The service provider
Bridge Corporation, which was previously responsible for issuing visas,
is also no longer active. The website for registering for an eVisa also
does not work (as of Sep 2022)
A yellow fever vaccination certificate
is also required upon entry.
The Embassy of the Republic of
Guinea-Bissau, Bd Brand Whitlock 114, 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium
is responsible for Austrians and Swiss citizens. Tel.: +3227332206.
Open: 10.00-12.00, 13.00-15.00.last change: Sep. 2022edit
For those
arriving via Senegal, it may be useful to obtain an entry permit in
Dakar or at the consulate in Ziguinchor (8.00-14.00; ☎ (+221) 77 556
0960 at the roundabout to get John Paul II). There is also a
representative office in Conakry, the capital of Guinea.
eVisum
Since the end of 2015, it has been possible to apply for a visa online
(does not work (as of Jul 2022). The prices are about the same as those
of the embassies, but the processing fee is low at € 2.50. Payable only
by Visa or MasterCard.
See also: List of diplomatic missions of
Guinea-Bissau
Aircraft
Connecting flights from Frankfurt am
Main or Munich with Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca or with TAP Portugal
via Lisbon to Bissau (BXO). There are more frequent flights to Dakar in
Senegal at much cheaper prices.
Subway
There is no railway
line in the country.
Bus
There is a bus from the capital of
Senegal (Dakar) to Bissau. The journey is very exhausting, but also very
adventurous. You can find out departure times and prices in Dakar. But
he only goes once or twice a week.
It's easier from Ziguinchor,
the buses to Bissau take 3-4 hours.
Senegal
Entry from the north is usually from Senegal. The first
stop is the border crossing on the N 4 (12°27'03.6" N, 16°13'35.8" W)
between M'pack (Senegal) and Jegue (Guinea-Bissau). Getting out of
Senegal is easy. A valid visa must be presented upon entry (to be
obtained in Ziguinchor - 15 km before the border). Customs control is
picky. A road use fee will then be charged for a vehicle at the border.
A passport will then be issued in São Domingo, 10 km from the border.
This entitles you to drive for 14 days. Until then, either the country
has to be left again, the car has to be sold or you try to get an
extension (not always easy).
Minor transitions are:
between
Tanaf and Farim (12°35'44.9" N, 15°20'59.7" W)
between Kolda and
Coutima (12°41'00,3"N, 14°56'20,6" W)
Guinea
From/to Guinea
you can get to its capital Conakry from Gabú, the border crossing is
between the towns of Burunduma (Guinea-Bissau) and Kandika (Guinea) at
12 °25'48.6" N, 13 °38'10.9" W.
Ship
There is a ferry
connection from Dakar to Ziguinchor. The ferries run almost daily and
overnight. An early reservation is recommended. Also it is recommended
to take a cabin place. The seats are far from comfortable. Ziguinchor is
15 km from the border, where you can also get a visa for Guinea-Bissau
if necessary. There are shared taxis to Bissau and Sao Domingos (the
first city in Guinea-Bissau).
If you are traveling with a rental car, you should know that the road
conditions are extremely bad. An hour quickly passes for a 10-kilometer
route. There are hardly any street signs. In the rainy season, slopes
can be completely flooded and getting further is hardly possible. Night
crossings should be avoided.
Taxis, mostly old Mercedes 190, are
in Bissau blue with a white roof. The buses are far from the European
standard, but who wants that anyway, and also have no bus schedules and
no stops. As a rule, you wave to the bus when you want to get on.
There are intercity buses that are not very expensive. Minibuses
(transportes misto) are also locally called toca-toca. In addition,
there is the possibility of traveling in so-called collective taxis sept
place (old Peugeot 504). They are not comfortable, of course, but they
are cheap. To get to the islands off Guinea Bissau, there are ferries or
canoe trips. Departure from the port of Bissau.
Portuguese, which is the most widely spoken. In some cases, it is also possible to communicate in French, among other things due to the proximity to the French-speaking neighboring countries Senegal and Guinea. Much more widespread is a Creole based on Portuguese, which is spoken almost everywhere.
In Guinea-Bissau you pay with CFA franc BCEAO. Its price is fixed at
1 € = 655,957.
Banks usually open Mon.-Early. 8.00-12.00 and
14.00-17.00, shops an hour longer, even on Saturdays and without lunch
break.
ATMs, if they exist, rarely accept foreign cards.
Exceptions are those of the hotels Malaika and Ledger Plaza (formerly
Lybia) of Bissau, as well as in the arrival hall of the airport. Credit
cards are only accepted at luxury hotels.
Guinea-Bissau is one of
the poorest countries in the world, but by no means a cheap travel
country due to the CFA's fixed exchange rate to the euro for tourist
services.
There are plenty of fruits and vegetables to buy
everywhere. For the fast hunger there are women who sell sandwiches on
the streets with fish, spaghetti, beans, etc. There are few real
souvenirs. Most of the time, it's everyday objects that are worth it.
Just like bowls made of pumpkin, or clay, fabrics or the really great
tools. They look like they are from the Stone Age. A stroll through the
markets is certainly always worthwhile. Do not forget to act. You will
always pay a little more than the locals, but where is this not so.
Guinean cuisine is similar to Senegalese. A lot of rice and fish.
Very tasty and if you are not going to eat in a restaurant / restaurant
visited by Europeans, also very cheap. A really big plate full of rice,
fish and vegetables with sauce 2-3 €.
The only brewery and soda
factory is the Moroccan-owned Africa Bottling Company Lda., which
distributes a beer under the Pampa brand. This brewery has not existed
for a long time, but for a few years now there has been DJUMBAI, a beer
produced in Bissau in cask and bottle filling. A tapped one costs 250cfa
(about 32 Euro cents).
There are actually only in the capital. Although almost every village
has its own "disco", but there is usually more party in front of it than
inside. There are no laws restricting prostitution, it is not considered
reprehensible, but it is practiced less publicly than in the back room,
with women over 30 in particular working in this field. The HIV rate
among adults was 3.1% in 2016.
In Bissau and Bubaque, things are
going up during the last days of the carnival.
There are smaller hotels or hostels in almost all villages and small
towns.
Many hotels certainly charge Western prices, you don't
need to expect functioning showers with running water or electricity for
this.
Petty crime, especially against supposedly "rich" whites, is to be
expected, especially in the capital. Security forces, as everywhere in
Africa, are corrupt and open in their desire for bribes, but in
Guinea-Bissau they are more modest than in the countries to the north.
According to the United Nations Development Programme, Guinea-Bissau
has been largely cleared of anti-personnel mines since the end of
December 2011.
Drinking water should only be used boiled, otherwise there is a risk
of contracting cholera! Be sure to get vaccinated against yellow fever,
tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, rabies, typhoid and
meningococcus before entering the country!
The risk of malaria is
extremely high in Guinea-Bissau. Therefore, it is recommended to take
chemoprophylaxis without fail. Even if the region is hot, short clothes
should not be worn all year round, as dengue fever is also a big
problem. Bathing in fresh water is absolutely not recommended, as there
is a risk of getting infected with the worm infection schistosomiasis.
Although the HIV rate is very low at 2%, it is also important to protect
yourself during sexual contacts. There are hardly any medical care
facilities and they are almost limited to the capital. Meanwhile, there
is also an ambulance station in many smaller towns and villages. It is
recommended to take out a foreign insurance policy with air rescue
insurance before the trip.
Tropical-hot all year round. The rainy season is from May to November, the dry season with harmattan desert winds is from December - April. Hot winds are blowing from the interior of the country. The average temperature is 24 °C, the rainiest months are July and August.
The country is predominantly Muslim (about 50% of the population). Therefore, care should be taken not to photograph and/or touch women.
There is Internet access for smartphones almost everywhere. Cybercafes only in the cities. The post is not working.
Electricity is often available on the land only from private generators about 20.00-23.00 Clock.
Neither Switzerland nor the Federal Republic of Germany maintains
embassies in Bissau, in both cases the respective embassy in Dakar,
Senegal, is responsible. The Federal Republic of Germany has a "liaison
office" with a limited function (☎ +245 95 570 00 15 , just Mo., Diet.,
Thu., Early. 9.00-11.00). EU citizens turn to the embassy of
Portugal, Av. Cidade de Lisboa. Tel.: +(245) 96 699 00 00, E-Mail:
sconsular.bissau@mne.pt .
During the colonial period, the country was part of Portuguese Guinea. After independence was declared in 1973, the country became known as Guinea-Bissau. This toponym consists of the components Guinea - the name of the geographical area where the country is located, and, to distinguish it from the neighboring state of the same name, Bissau - the name of its own capital.
The ancient history of Guinea-Bissau is not well understood. According to archaeologists, hunter-gatherers lived in this area around 1000 AD, later they mastered agriculture using iron tools, millet and legumes. They lived in a primitive communal system, moving to slavery.
In 1446, a Portuguese expedition led by Nuno
Trishtan, who landed on the coast of Africa, called the newly discovered
land Guinea. Nunu Trishtan and part of the members of this expedition
were killed by local residents. For the next 20 years, the Portuguese
did not land on the coast. In 1466, the King of Portugal granted his
subjects, who were developing the nearby Cape Verde Islands (now the
state of Cape Verde), the right to develop Guinea.
The Portuguese
from the Cape Verde Islands began to actively explore the territory of
Guinea in 1471-1475 and build fortified trading posts there to defend
against the natives. Later, French, English and Dutch corsairs
established their bases on this coast. By the 17th century, there were
several European settlements on the coast of Guinea. The most
significant of them were Farin, Cacheu, Bissau, where Europeans bought
slaves from local tribal leaders in exchange for metal products
(household utensils, tools, jewelry). Purchased slaves were sent to the
sugar and tobacco plantations of Brazil.
Despite the established
trade, the natives repeatedly made attempts to capture the settlements
of Europeans in order to take possession of their property. So, only
during the 1840s, the natives tried three times to capture the largest
base of the Portuguese - Bissau, and even the natives who converted to
Christianity ("grumetash") participated in this.
The territory of
Guinea was governed by the Governor of the Cape Verde Islands. In 1879,
Guinea was transformed into a separate colony of Portuguese Guinea.
Under the Franco-Portuguese Treaty of 1886, a significant part of the
territory was ceded to France (modern Guinea).
From the beginning
of the 20th century, the Portuguese colonialists began to create cities
on the territory of present-day Guinea-Bissau (Bisoran, Mansaba,
Fulakunda, etc.). Portuguese trading companies bought agricultural
products from the natives (mainly peanuts, palm fruits), selling
industrial products in return.
In 1951, the colonial status was
abolished, the territory became an overseas province of Portugal. Part
of the natives received the rights of citizens of the metropolis
(“asimilados” - who can write in Portuguese, profess Catholicism and
wear European clothes).
Since the early 1960s, in Portuguese
Guinea, as well as in two other large Portuguese overseas provinces in
Africa, Angola and Mozambique, an insurrectionary war has unfolded
against Portugal under the leadership of the Marxist PAIGC party,
ideologically close to the MPLA and FRELIMO.
The hostilities
launched on the orders of the PAIGC in January 1963 proceeded in general
with the advantage of the rebels. Even the assassination of PAIGC leader
Amilcar Cabral on 20 January 1973 did not change this situation.
On September 24, 1973, in the territory under the control of the PAIGC,
by that time accounting for 50 to 70 percent of the territory of the
overseas province, in the liberated region of Madina do Boe, the
National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau proclaimed the independent
Republic of Guinea-Bissau. Luis Cabral was elected Chairman of the State
Council, and Francisco Mendes was elected Chairman of the Council of
State Commissioners (Prime Minister).
After a revolution took
place in Portugal in April 1974, the new government of the republic on
September 10, 1974 recognized the independence of Guinea-Bissau.
After the country gained independence, a
one-party political and command-planned economic system was established
in it, united with the Republic of Cape Verde, since PAIGC was the
common single ruling party in both states.
Guinea-Bissau adhered to a
generally pro-Soviet orientation in foreign policy, provided airfields
for the transit of Cuban troops to Angola, although it refused the
proposal of the Soviet side to create a naval base in the estuary of the
Zheba River. At the same time, Guinea-Bissau sent a military contingent
to Angola to support the government in the war with South Africa and the
armed opposition.
In 1977, PAIGC introduced a monopoly on the purchase and export
of palm oil, and established uniform purchase prices for rice and
peanuts. As a result, the economic and financial situation of
Guinea-Bissau has deteriorated sharply.
On November 14, 1980, a
bloodless coup d'état took place: the chairman of the Council of
State Commissioners (government) of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau,
Juan Bernardo Vieira, removed the chairman of the State Council
(parliament) of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Luis Cabral (who was
arrested), other PAIGC functionaries were also removed from power
from among the mulattos - immigrants from Cape Verde, who were
forced to leave Guinea-Bissau.
After 1986, the liberalization
of the economy began, in 1989 a new constitution was adopted, which
allowed the creation of alternative political parties. In the 1990
elections, the PAIGC won by an overwhelming number of votes, but the
1990s were marked by increasing instability. In June 1998, a
military coup attempt was made, clashes broke out between the rebels
and government forces. The government managed to stay in power
largely due to the presence in Guinea-Bissau of troops from
neighboring countries - Guinea and Senegal.
In May 1999, Vieira
resigned as president of the country.
In February 2000, the
interim government handed over power to opposition leader Kumba
Yala.
In September 2003, K. Yala was ousted in a bloodless
military coup, and businessman Enrique Rosa became interim
president.
In 2005, João Bernardo Vieira became president again.
After the March 1, 2009, explosion at the army headquarters
building, which mortally wounded the Chief of Staff, General Tagme
Na Waye, his supporters in the army stated that President Vieira
“was one of the main figures responsible for the death of Tagme ".
Street riots began, the military accused the president of the death
of the general. On the morning of March 2, soldiers loyal to the
deceased chief of staff attacked the presidential palace. João
Bernardo Vieira was killed by them when he tried to leave the
building of his residence.
Following these events, Malam
Bakai Sanya, representing the largest PAIGC in Parliament, won the
election of a new president.
On December 26, 2011, a new coup
was attempted: the military attacked the General Staff building and
a number of other facilities in order to seize weapons. Arrests were
made among senior officers who are suspected of being involved. The
head of the Navy, Admiral José Amerigo Bubo Na Chuto, who was
considered the main "think tank of past performances", was arrested.
In January 2012, the seriously ill President Sagna, who for many
personified a stabilizing force, died in a Paris hospital. With the
death of the incumbent president, the chronic domestic political
crisis and the struggle for power escalated with renewed vigor,
which led to a new crisis.
In the first round of the presidential
elections on March 18, the head of the ruling PAIGC, Carlos Gomes
Júnior, who at the time of voting held the post of prime minister,
received 49% of the vote and confidently went to victory. The second
place was taken by the oppositionist, the leader of the Social
Renewal Party, Mohamed Yalu Embalua, who had already held the
presidency since 2000, was replaced by the military in 2003, and in
2008 converted to Islam and a new name. Yalu announced massive fraud
and refused to participate in the second round of elections.
However, the second round, scheduled for April 29, did not take
place.
On April 13, 2012, a military coup took place in
Guinea-Bissau[17]. The military, led by Mamadou Toure Kuruma,
arrested the interim president of the country, Raymondo Pereira, and
former prime minister, presidential candidate Carlos Gomes Júnior,
who were subsequently released and transported to Côte d'Ivoire. The
junta announced the formation of the Transitional Council. Some
politicians in Guinea-Bissau and international organizations,
including the UN (on May 18, the UN Security Council adopted a
resolution banning all members of the Military Council from leaving
the country), the Commonwealth of Portuguese-speaking countries, the
European Union, the African Union, ECOWAS, condemned the actions of
the junta and called for the restoration the country has a
constitutional order.
An agreement was signed under which, from
May 11, the speaker of the National Assembly, Manuel Serif Namaggio,
became interim president, who took third place in the elections.
It was expected that new elections would be held in 2014, and before
them the country will be ruled by an interim government.
On
October 22, 2012, a new coup attempt was announced. 7 people were
killed, the government announced that Portugal and the Commonwealth
of Portuguese-speaking countries were behind the attack.
On
May 18, 2014, the candidate from the largest party, the African
Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), José
Mario Vash, became the winner of the presidential election in the
2nd round.
A week after taking the oath as president, Vash
appointed the leader of the PAIGC party that won the parliamentary
elections, Domingos Simões Pereira, as the new head of government.
However, the crisis continued to worsen in the country, and due to
increased disagreements with the Prime Minister on the issue of
crossing their duties after the transition to civilian rule, on
August 20, 2015, the Pereira government was dissolved. Basiro Dha
became the new prime minister, but his candidacy was met with
disapproval among some members of the ruling PAIGC party, who called
for protests in the capital. In this regard, on September 17, a new
prime minister was appointed - Carlos Correia, who had already held
this post three times before.