Bong Mine Town

Bong Mine Town was built from the 1960s by a German consortium to work the iron ore at Bong Range, and the settlement they laid out was substantial: housing, a hospital, schools, a swimming pool and a railway to the coast, all planned as a complete town. The mine closed and much of it emptied. What survives is the plan, the buildings in varying repair and the railway line.

What you actually see

• The company plan - a complete town laid out for the mine.
• The German-era buildings - the housing and facilities of the 1960s.
• The railway - the line built to carry ore to the coast.
• The emptying - a town that lost its reason to exist.

When to go

November to April is the dry season and the roads are best. The heavy rains from May make travel difficult. Mornings are cooler.

Honest expectations

Much of the town is derelict and some buildings are unsafe. There is nothing arranged for visitors. Mining operations have restarted in places and access to those areas is restricted.

Nearby

Kakata is south, and Gbarnga is northeast.