Sports and leisure activities Gabon

Budget & Tips

Gabon offers a wide range of activities. First and foremost, fishing. Gabon's world-renowned reputation as a first-rate fishing site is well established, particularly for its prodigious catches of tarpon and many other species. A popular leisure activity, fishing attracts hundreds of tourists every year, especially to sites ranked among the best in the world. The lagoons of Iguéla, Ndogo (Sette Cama) and Fernan Vaz are renowned for their captains, reds and the famous tarpon. Surf-casting, trolling, at sea or in the lagoons, sport fishing remains one of the country's flagship activities. Numerous agencies and tour operators offer holidays devoted exclusively to this activity. Prices are still high, but everything is included in the package. Among the water sports on offer, sailing (all types of craft) can be entered for a competition in Port-Gentil, in front of the Sogara club. Kitesurfing has been popular in Libreville for some years now, and often takes off from the Guégué bridge. With a bit of luck, you can even ride alongside dolphins. Surfing is practiced at the end of Pointe Denis, near the Gombé lighthouse or on the beaches of Cap, in Port-Gentil. However, weather conditions are rarely excellent. Finally, more and more private quad and jet ski owners are organizing raids along the coast of Gabon. In Libreville and Port-Gentil, you'll find enthusiasts offering their services.

São Tomé's seabed is particularly beautiful, especially around Santana and Rolas Island, as well as in Príncipe. The few diving centers on the island are run by professionals. Finally, in Gabon, many French-speaking Europeans are involved in organizing sports such as horse-riding at the Libreville equestrian center or golf in Libreville, Port-Gentil or Moanda. Followed by a privileged fringe of society, of all origins, and in particular by French cooperation workers, international meetings are held every year.

What's very local

From June to September, humpback whales, orcas and dolphins migrate southwards from Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé: this is an unforgettable opportunity to observe them off the coast of Gabon and São Tomé.

Main events

A few events punctuate the festive calendar. The Institut français is a great place to go for shows, lectures and film screenings.