Liberia travel guide

Described by international media as a "real world Planet of the Apes", and known locally as Monkey Island, is actually a small archipelago. When a US medical company left their test facilities here, more than sixty chimpanzees were abandoned. Having survived both Hepatitis testing and Liberia's civil wars, the primates rely on food delivery by canoe as they are unable to swim. Visitors can join these food runs if arrangements are made in advance and ought to bring an extra load of bananas to help the efforts. You might want to bring an umbrella too, if not for the intense sun then as protection from some pretty accurate poop-throwing.

One of West Africa's fanciest hotels when it was completed in 1959. As such, the Ducor fared poorly in Liberia's two civil wars. Looted numerous times, captured by rebels and all but destroyed only the hotel's concrete skeleton has been left standing. The former hotel, however, still holds a prime spot on Monrovia's highest point. A privileged it only shares with a monument to Liberia's first president and a few canons. On sunny day's the view of Monrovia and the ocean is unbeatable from what used to be the rooftop bar. Today the hotel is inhabited by squatters, but a five dollar tip to one of the security guards on duty will buy a guided tour of the rather sad landmark.

Liberia's bloody history is largely a result of inequalities and hostilities between an elite of freed slaves, who settled around Monrovia, and the poor indigenous population living upcountry. Things boiled over in 1980. A group of petty officers led by master-sergeant Samuel Doe entered the Executive Mansion under cover of darkness and found President Tolbert in his pyjamas. He was executed on the spot, shot in the head several times and disembowelled. Ten days later, thirteen senior members of Tolbert's government was tied to poles on the beach below the mansion and executed in brutal fashion. Once the firing party had done its job, bloodlust took over and soldiers fired hundreds of rounds into the lifeless bodies, while a crowd of thousands cheered them on. The Mansion's bloody history have lived on, with rumours of both Doe and later Charles Taylor participating in ritual killings and cannibalism while acting as presidents. Little evidence of the beach's bloody history is left, but it's a compulsorily stop for anyone seeking to understand Liberia's recent history.

The town of Harper is probably Liberia's most attractive tourist destination. Long term (1944 to 1971) President William Tubman's hometown, Harper is dotted with grandiose architecture, including Tubman's villa and a Masonic Lodge – Tubman a Freemason himself. Further, Harper spots a prime location on the ocean, with empty and pristine beaches. Sadly, the town would also be a strong contender in any World's "Most Inconveniently Located Tourist Site" competition. Located on Liberia's southern tip, the town is a cul-de-sac unless travelling on to Côté d'Ivoir. If the roads are dry, it's a two days journey from Monrovia and up to four days during the rainy season. Somewhat of a great adventure in itself. Any traveller who makes it here is then forced to go all the way back again. Just know it's worth every bumpy kilometre of hardship getting here.

The first thing a visitor to Liberia's capital notice is that it's more orderly designed than many other African capitals. Laid out in an easy to follow grid system, getting one's barrings is relatively easy. Something which is useful as Monrovia bears many other traits of the typical African capital. It's Liberia's best place for quality meals and nightlife, good if overpriced accommodation, and the hit-and-miss national museum. Waterside Market is an epicentre for local and traditional clothes and cloths bought by the metre. Otherwise just hang around anywhere in downtown at dusk when the city centre becomes a lively, if not chaotic, clothes market – most items sold directly out of wheelbarrows.

The Nimba Range is a mountain ridge right where the borders of Liberia, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire congregate. The range is also the highest point of all three countries, which Liberians living in the mountain range's vicinity will inevitably boast loud and proudly. They've even convinced the Lonely Planet. The only problem is that "Mount Nimba" refers to the entire range. Mount Nuon-Fa, the single Liberian peak, is either 1,362 m or 1,151 m high, depending on sources. Thus making it Liberia's second-highest peak after Mount Wuteve (1,440 m) in the north. Whether you dare to tell the locals, that's up to you – we didn't. Geographical bickering aside, the peak still makes a splendid outing; a full day's hike through pristine forest from the mining town Yekepa. Alternatively, approach the peak via the mining operation's roads. It's possible to drive almost all the way to the top with a 4x4. And try not to visit during the rainy season were the supposedly fantastic views out over Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and the higher peaks of Mount Nimba will be obscured by clouds.

Liberia's surfers are few and far between; however, they all seem to congregate on Robertsport a few hours north of Monrovia. The town itself is little more than a large fishing hamlet, located on the peninsula were Liberia's largest "lake", Lake Piso runs into the Atlantic Ocean. The surfing, the golden sand and jungle covered hills behind town make this an attractive setting for a few days. A couple of nice guesthouses make this a first class weekend getaway from Monrovia or a decent stop for anyone touring the country. However, don't expect anything in the form of facilities, so come equipped with enough dollars for your stay.

Located smack in the middle of the lush rainforest, the paved roads and concrete buildings comes as a profound surprise on entering Zwedru. More so, as getting here takes about a day's travel on some of Liberia's worst roads. Even more in the rains. The city's relatively high levels of development seem almost contradictory to the jungle that still grows vividly throughout the town. Zwedru was dictator-cum-cannibal Samuel Doe's hometown, and he invested heavily here until he was removed from office in 1990. Once, here was even working traffic lights, but the rainforest has begun fighting back. There's nothing much in town to go out of your way for. It is, however, a necessary overnight stop for trips to or from Sapo National Park or Harper.

Liberia's only national park is the second-largest area of primary tropical rainforest in West Africa. The 1800 square kilometres of wild rainforest host around 125 species of mammals, including chimpanzees, Diana monkeys, forest elephants, pygmy hippopotamus and duiker antelopes. Most of these are elusive and endangered, so any sightings require luck. Visitors will more likely enjoy the abundance of bird life present in the park. The national park is still mostly without facilities and not geared to visits from individual travellers – it's, therefore, essential to join up with one of the outfits in Monrovia arranging tours here.

Any traveller who enjoys challenges and hardship will find a prime location in Liberia's interior. Especially the south-east of the country, which finds itself cut off from the rest of Liberia for months at a time during the rains. Dense rainforest cover the region only broken by isolated villages and some very, very muddy roads. Here inhabitants and their strong traditional beliefs are mostly left to their own devices. With a good local guide and pair of sturdy hiking boots, it's possible to explore the rudiments of rural Africa to its fullest. Travellers with more sadomasochistic tendencies could simply have a go at the public transportation in these parts of the woods.