BEST FOR… Wildlife, bragging rights

WHY GO? Hippos on the beach! Loango National Park’s 100km of uninhabited coast offers the chance to see ‘surfing’ hippos, forest elephants, red forest buffalos and even leopards dabbling in the Atlantic. October to February is turtle nesting season too.

WHAT TO DO: Game drives are great for wildlife. Take a boat trip from Point St Catherine (Jun-Sept) for a chance to spot migrating humpbacks.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Explore – Loango NP’s 1,550 sq km comprises savannah, forest and mangroves, and is home almost 200 mammal species, including western lowland gorillas.

GET THERE: Loango Lodge, briefly the park’s flagship stay, closed in 2010, but is mooted to be reopened. If transportation is available, the quickest access is to fly Libreville-Port-Gentil (40mins), followed by a 3.5 hour boat trip to Omboue.