Mbini

Mbini sits where the Benito river meets the Atlantic south of Bata, a town of a few thousand people with a long beach running away from the river mouth and the remains of the colonial settlement, when it was called Rio Benito, among the newer building. Fishing pirogues work the river and the surf. The road south from Bata runs along the coast and is one of the better drives in the country.

What you actually see

• The river mouth - the Benito meeting the Atlantic at the town.
• The long beach - the sand running south from the estuary.
• The colonial remains - what survives of the Rio Benito settlement.
• The pirogues - fishing boats worked on the river and through the surf.

When to go

December to February is the drier season. The long rains run March to May and September to November. The coast road is best in the dry months.

Honest expectations

There is little arranged for visitors and facilities are basic. Currents at the river mouth are dangerous. Photography needs care and permits are required for many subjects.

Nearby

Bata is north, and Utonde is south.