apply for Cote d'Ivoire visa? Because travel to Cote d'Ivoire will take you to a mix of modernity and the past. Lush with natural wonders and breath-taking landscape, Cote d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast in popular parlance, is one of the most Instagrammable places to be.
Where is Cote d'Ivoire?
Before you travel to Cote d'Ivoire, it is pertinent that you know
where is Cote d'Ivoire. It lies on the west coast of the continent of Africa. The country has borders with Guinea to the northwest, Liberia to the west, Mali to the northwest, Burkina Faso to the northeast, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) to the south. Ivory Coast has two capitals.
Yamoussoukro is the de jure capital, while Abidjan, the largest city of the country, is its economic capital. Being a former French colony, Ivory Coast has a persistent French influence, which reflects in their lifestyle and cuisine. However, there are local
Ivory Coast languages that are spoken too.
However, if
travel to Cote d'Ivoire is on the cards and French is not one of your strengths, there is no need to fret. The language of English is also widely spoken, and you can get by speaking it. It also helps that the people are genuinely friendly and more so to a visitor.
What is the capital of Cote d'Ivoire?
As mentioned above, the
capital of Cote d'Ivoire is Yamoussoukro. However, the country has two capitals. Abidjan is the largest city as well as the economic capital of the country. A travel to Cote d'Ivoire is incomplete without visiting its capitals.
Ivory Coast is a country teeming with
Instagrammable places. Nature has provided them with a bountiful of celestial sights that will shock and awe first-time travellers.
There are plenty of
places in Ivory Coast that will mesmerise the worldly traveller. Let us look at the 12 Instagrammable places in Cote d'Ivoire:
1. Grand Bassam
This was the crown of the French rule in the Ivory Coast. It also has a proud
UNESCO World Heritage tag. It is on the Ivorian coast and is filled with old and crumbling Parisian mansions. Though some of them have been restored and made to look like their past, many of them will soon be lost to time.
Visitors can have a look at Cathedrale Sacre Cœur and the fascinating Museum of Costume. One of the most
Instagrammable places in the country.
2. Abidjan
The economic capital of the country is also its largest city. The city is a modern city with wide roads and skyscrapers. With a burgeoning business district, Abidjan is the beating heart of the Ivory Coast. It is also one of the most popular
places in Cote d'Ivoire. The Central Plateau District is a frenzy of activity with different kinds of businesses jostling for space. The huge spire of the St. Paul’s Cathedral can be seen from afar, whilst the National Museum is a place to be. Abidjan is known to have plenty of restaurants and café, each serving delicious French and local cuisine. Being the centre of activity for the country, Abidjan makes it one of the Instagrammable places in the country.
3. Man
The town of Man is what heaven looks like. Deep into the countryside, amidst the Toura Mountains, the rustic settlement is a magnet for travellers. Surrounded by verdant plantations, Man is as Instagrammable as they come. It might also turn out to be the
most liked Instagram photo you have clicked. Tonkoui and Toura are the two highest peaks of the Ivory Coast. Man is also one of the best places to visit in Cote d'Ivoire.
4. Tai National Park
One of the most popular
places in Cote d'Ivoire, the national park is spread over a humongous 3000 square kilometre. Travel to Cote d'Ivoire does leave visitors with an out of the world experience. The Tai National Park plays an important part in it. Being a feral land, the huge area is interspersed with river valleys and mountain ranges. The rolling savannah adds to the celestial feel.
The fauna of the
national park is unmatched. Pygmy hippopotamuses and colobus monkeys find the Tai National Park their only habitat. For the intrepid wildlife photographer, the national park is a haven of opportunities.
5. Bini Lagoon
The Bini Lagoon is an ecotourism site near the economic
capital of Cote d'Ivoire, Abidjan. It is surrounded by rich vegetation, and visitors fall in love with its tranquillity. The village of Kofakai is nearby, and there are guided tours indulging in ecology that find great demand among foreign tourists.
6. Banco Hike
This natural forest has rightly been called the lungs of Abidjan.
The park is spread over 3474 hectares and has a host of sightseeing spots. There are a museum, a fishing farm and a school teaching the nuances of forestry. One can also find a host of chimpanzees swinging around.
7. Yamoussoukro
The cultural capital of the country also has the world’s largest cathedral. The grand presidential palace is also situated here and is one of the most popular places in Cote d'Ivoire. Most sight-seeing tours in Yamoussoukro make a stop at the cathedral, Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, which is an awe-inspiring structure. Instagrammers will surely want it to be amongst their clicks because it might just turn out to be the
most liked Instagram photo of their lives. Do not miss the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Foundation for Peace.
8. Tiassale
Tiassale is surrounded by agricultural land, and to get their one needs to cross the
Bandama River, the longest in the country. The plantations are spread over 4000 hectares, and organic
tourism is one of the most important sources of income. The beauty of the place is ensconced within its luxuriant flora, which emanates a sense of peace. Tiassalé is one of those Instagrammable places which will become the most liked Instagram photo.
9. San Pedro
The harbour juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, San Pedro is the second largest port city of Ivory Coats. It is also one of the most popular
places in Cote d'Ivoire. The Tai national park is nearby and so being the Bass – Sassandra. San Pedro is popular for its beer bars, and the city’s landscape is filled with low rise buildings.
10. Korhogo
This is the birthplace of the revolutionary Ivory Coast. This old city is famous for its cotton bazaars, and mud baked homes. It is also known for the spices that are farmed around it. If you
travel to Cote d’Ivoire, do not miss this sleepy town and, most importantly, the Woodcarver’s Quarter.
11. Bouake
Another one of those typical Ivorian towns with old bazaars and traditional industries,
Bouake has been at the crossroads of political instability and International intervention for some time now. Despite that, the
Ivory Coast markets and the art and culture of the dusty town have always made a mark for themselves all over the world. While it is best unstable at times, still there has always been a trickle of visitors. With peace at the horizon, it seems that the incessant strife will finally come to an end and a greater number of international travellers throng this wonderful town. Its earthy nature does make it one of the most popular places in Cote d’Ivoire and one of the most sought after Instagrammable places. Bouake is indeed one of the places to visit in Cote d’Ivoire.
12. The Atlantic Coast
Ivory Coast has a long oceanfront with beaches strewn intermittently. Most of them are usually thronged by foreign travellers and locals from the nearby towns. The setting sun among the waves is what makes this coastline of the most sought-after
places to visit in Cote d’Ivoire. Just lie and see the world move by. The pretensions of monotonicity will slowly dissolve into the infinite azure of the sky.
13. Comoe National Park
We did talk about the Tai National Park. Now let’s talk about another legend, the Comoe National Park. The national park is spread across the Ghana border and is a major attraction for outdoor lovers and Eco-tourists. The Savannah plains and the dense foliage is an ideal place for an abundance of fauna. Duikers, Mona monkeys, pangolins, you name it, and you will find them in plenty. The Comoe National Park is easily one of the most popular
places in Cote d’Ivoire. It is recommended as one of the priority places to visit in Cote d’Ivoire. The long and winding Comoe river snakes through the national park. This is a riparian area, and the entire habitat is dependent on the river.
Final Words
Once you have found out
where is Cote d’Ivoire, the rest becomes easy. Being a frontline African nation, Ivory Coast is developing rapidly. However, civil strife may have left its indelible scar on the psyche of the people. It is indeed heartening to see the country striving to move forward. Blessed with natural wonders and a modern society that dares to dream, it is indeed an Instagrammable place, not to be missed.