According to computerannals, Gabon is a country in Africa bordering Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville. Gabon has been independent from France since 1960. The capital of Gabon is Libreville. A number of major cities in Gabon are: Franceville, Mouila, Makokou and Oyem.

Gabon is known for its pristine nature. About 60% of the country consists of rainforest and rivers. 10% of this is a protected nature reserve, spread over 13 National Parks. There are also many animal species in the wild. Some examples are: chimpanzees, gorillas, mandrills, snakes, crocodiles, hippos and elephants. Gabon also has a long coastline that is characterized by the many mangroves. Gabon is also known for its wood carvings, mainly of traditional masks.

Where is Gabon located?

Travel information of Gabon

Official name: Republic of Gabon
Continent: Africa
Area: 267,668 km²
Capital: Libreville
Country code: GA, GAB
Population: 2,230,908 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 1,070 m (Mont Bengoué)
Distance (Amsterdam – Libreville): 5,775 km
Flight time: approximately 7 hours and 15 minutes

Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.

Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Gabon that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Gabon, please visit Countryaah.

Travel offer
At the moment there are no travel organizations that offer travel to Gabon. If you want to put together your own trip or are looking for separate travel components such as hotels, airline tickets and a rental car, please visit our travel offer page.

Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Gabon?

Weather and climate
Gabon has a tropical climate. The temperatures are between 25 and 35 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Gabon can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Gabon can be found at Climate info.

Best time
June, July and August are the best months to travel to Gabon. This avoids the two rainy seasons.

Language
French is the official language in Gabon. In addition, different dialects are spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into French for free? Use the Google translator for this.

Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months when applying for a visa.
A visa is required. You can apply for this in person at the embassy of Gabon in Brussels.

Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Benin (also for Gabon):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Gabon:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Gabon in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): rijksoverheid.nl.
Consulates of Gabon in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.

Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Gabon, it is mandatory to get vaccinated against yellow fever.
In addition, there are one or more vaccinations that are recommended.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).

Malaria
Malaria occurs in Gabon. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.

Money and Currency
In Gabon, payment is made with the CFA franc (XAF).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Gabon can be found on our ATMs page.

Price level
Prices in Gabon are slightly lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -2% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (23% cheaper), food (26% more expensive), imported beer in catering (47% cheaper), cigarettes (75% cheaper) and public transport (92% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.

Time difference
During our summer time it is 1 hour earlier in Gabon.
During our winter time there is no time difference.
Gabon has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Gabon can be found on our time difference page.

Traffic and route
In Gabon you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Gabon.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Gabon.

Electricity
In Gabon the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in Gabon can be found on our electricity page.

Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: Local numbers
– Fire: Local numbers
– Ambulance: Local numbers

Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.

News and newspapers
The latest news related to Gabon can be found on Google news.
An overview of Gabon newspapers can be found on Abyznewslinks.

Internet
Websites from Gabon end in.ga.
Official website of Gabon: tourisme-gabon.com.

Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Gabon is 00241 or +241.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Gabon? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in the Gabon Yellow Pages.

Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Gabon.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Gabon.

Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Gabon can be found on Beleven.org.

Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotel), restaurants and destinations in Gabon, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.

Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Gabon?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Gabon. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.

Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Gabon can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Gabon can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Gabon? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.

Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Gabon.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18. Forbidden for Muslims.
– Alcohol and traffic: No maximum permitted alcohol content.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Allowed

Did you know that…
…Gabon is known for its woodcarving?
… One can eat roasted monkey on the market in Gabon?
…80% of the African gorillas live in Gabon?
…Gabon is exactly on the equator?