Africa

Dschang

This sleepy Bamileke village is set among some lovely mountains. Dschang has a market where a few interesting statuettes, copper masks and other locally produced items are for sale, but there’s better shopping elsewhere. There’s really not much reason to go to Dschang, but some travelers pass through on their way to Buea and other places. 30 mi/50 km north of Douala.

Douala

This used to be our favorite city in the region. While Douala (pop. 1,030,000) still is the port of entry for most international flights and continues to offer wonderful scenery and fascinating sights, its high crime rate and steady dilapidation make it considerably less attractive than it once was.

Large, busy and fairly hilly, Douala lies within the equatorial forest region of the country – Mt. Cameroon is usually visible before the afternoon storm clouds gather. The Wouri River, laden with oceangoing cargo and passenger ships, winds through the town, and a mixture of cars, cattle and people vie for space on the streets and bridge.

While you’re in Douala, be sure to see the Centenary Temple (allow about an hour) and the Manga Bell (designed to look like a Chinese pagoda). To get an idea of how the city looked during the colonial period, take a daytime or early evening walk in the neighborhood of the Meridien Hotel and the U.S. consulate. Many of the buildings date from before World War II. Houses there often have high ceilings, large verandas, shutters, wooden French doors and corrugated-iron roofs.

Douala can be seen in one day, but if at all possible, be there on a Sunday. Even though all the stores are closed, the highlight of your trip will be listening to the choir at services in the city’s main cathedral. We were drawn into the cathedral by the choir’s hypnotic voices and stayed through four masses and a funeral. The musicians and singers are screened from view, but the tinkling, clanking sound of the instruments combined with rhythmic singing keeps listeners enthralled.

Day trips are possible to Buea and Limbe. 125 mi/200 km west of Yaounde.

Bangem

Nestled among mountainous coffee plantations, near the town of Melong, Bangem is the jumping-off point for hikes to Mt. Manengouba. This extinct volcano has beautiful twin lakes in its crater that are referred to by the local Bakossi people as Man Lake and Woman Lake. An intriguing set of myths surrounds them, so make sure you hire a guide versed in local lore. Allow a full day for the hike. Don’t even think about attempting the three-hour drive from Melong to Bangem without a sturdy four-wheel-drive vehicle. 60 mi/90 km north of Douala.

Bamenda

This town (pop. 63,000) in the country’s English-speaking region is a center for arts and crafts and has several handicraft shops. The surrounding area offers good mountain hikes, which are best undertaken during the dry season, when there is less chance of mud, fewer insects and better views. The nearby town of Bafut has a nice castle.

Before you go to Bamenda, check to see whether there have been any political demonstrations or violence in the area recently. In the past, Bamenda has been the center of opposition to President Biya – and thus subject to government crackdowns. 170 mi/275 km northwest of Yaounde.

Bafoussam

Bafoussam, city in western Cameroon, the capital of West Province, 286 km (177 mi) northwest of the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé. The rich volcanic soils surrounding Bafoussam support a rural population, chiefly engaged in the cultivation of arabica coffee and cocoa, which is processed in the city. Linked to Yaoundé and Douala by air and paved roads, Bafoussam has markets, banks, courts, and administrative offices. Tourist activities include hiking and hunting. The principal ethnic group of the region is the Bamileke, Cameroon’s largest Bantu group. In nearby Bandjoun, the country’s most beautifully decorated chief’s compound, now a museum, provides an excellent example of Bamileke architecture, with square buildings with conical straw roofs, granaries, tall carved pillars resembling totem poles, carved doorways and woven bamboo walls with geometric designs. Between 1700 and 1800, the Mbum people established a confederation of chiefdoms, which included the Bamileke. The area was subjected to German colonization in the late 19th century and then came under French control after World War I (1914-1918). Today, many of the city’s inhabitants are French-speaking. With Cameroon gaining independence in 1960 under a government dominated by northern Muslims, Bafoussam became the center of an armed rebellion which was not fully suppressed until 1975. In 1991 the city was a center of the “ghost town” campaign, a series of protests and strikes against the government of President Paul Biya. Population (1992 estimate) 120,000.It’s a pity that most people visit this city of 130,000 only as a stopover on their way to Foumban. Bafoussam, a center of the Bamileke people, has its own attractions – notably its colorful markets offering beautiful Bamileke wood carvings.

The nearby town of Bandjoun is the home of one of Cameroon’s most powerful chiefs and the 100-year-old palace. South of Bafoussam, near the town of Melong, is Ekom Falls. Hire a driver in Melong to take you to the falls, which are spectacular during the rainy season (April-May). Bafoussam is 120 mi/195 km northeast of Douala.