Kribi and the Lobé Falls

Kribi, on Cameroon's southern Atlantic coast, is the country's most popular beach resort, a relaxed town fringed by golden and white-sand beaches, swaying palms and warm ocean water, popular with locals and a gateway to the coast and rainforest. Just south of the town lies its most remarkable natural sight, the Lobé Falls, where the Lobé River tumbles in a wide, picturesque cascade directly into the Atlantic Ocean, one of the very few waterfalls in the world to fall straight into the sea. The area is also home to Indigenous forest communities, and boat trips upriver into the surrounding rainforest can be arranged.

What you actually see

• The Lobé Falls - the rare waterfall cascading into the ocean.
• The beaches - the golden and white-sand beaches of Kribi.
• The river trips - the boat journeys into the rainforest.
• The fresh seafood - the beachside grilled fish and prawns.

When to go

November to February, the drier season, for the best beach weather and conditions, as the coast is very wet in the rainy months; the falls flow year-round but are fullest after rain. Kribi is reached by road from Douala or the capital Yaoundé, and its beaches and the falls make a relaxing coastal escape.

Honest expectations

Kribi is a developing, workaday beach town rather than a polished resort, and tourist infrastructure across Cameroon is basic, so it suits adventurous travellers rather than those seeking comfort; roads can be rough. For golden beaches, fresh seafood and the genuinely rare and striking sight of a waterfall tumbling into the sea, though, Kribi is a rewarding coastal highlight.

Nearby

The economic hub of Douala and the southern rainforest are within reach.