Things to Do in Abidjan
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Abidjan. Lagoon on one side, rainforest creeping in on the other, and a proper skyline that a lot of first-timers aren't expecting. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Abidjan: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the taxi fare. Seven main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
Le Plateau
The business district, built up along the lagoon, and the reason Abidjan sometimes gets called the 'Manhattan of West Africa'. High-rises, wide boulevards, and towers reflected in the water, most people picture a lot of things when they think of a West African capital, and a cluster of skyscrapers quite like this usually isn't one of them.
St Paul's Cathedral anchors one end of Le Plateau, a striking modern building with a sweeping roofline unlike any traditional cathedral shape. Worth a wander through even if you're not particularly religious, the architecture alone is reason enough.
Best time Late afternoon, when the lagoon catches the light off the towers
Address Le Plateau district, central Abidjan
St Paul's Cathedral
Consecrated in 1985, and unlike almost any cathedral you'll have seen, a swooping, asymmetric concrete roofline that looks more like a sail catching wind than a traditional church spire. Designed by an Italian architect, it's become one of the most photographed buildings in the city.
The interior rewards a look too, stained glass and a proper sense of scale once you're inside. Mass times draw real crowds on Sundays, weekday visits are quieter if you just want to look around.
Hours Generally open during daylight hours outside of services
Address Le Plateau, Abidjan
Grand-Bassam
Ivory Coast's first colonial capital, about 40 minutes from Abidjan, and a proper change of pace once you're there, crumbling colonial buildings, a long sandy beach, and a UNESCO World Heritage-listed old quarter (N'zima) that tells the story of the country's colonial history without dressing it up.
It doubles as a good beach day out from Abidjan, restaurants along the sand, craft stalls in the old quarter, and considerably less traffic than the capital. A popular weekend spot for Abidjan residents, so weekends get busier than weekdays.
Getting there About 40 minutes by taxi or shared bus (gbaka) from central Abidjan
Best time Weekdays for quiet; weekends for the local atmosphere
Banco National Park
A patch of primary rainforest sitting right at the edge of the city, an unusual thing for a capital this size to still have on its doorstep. Walking trails wind through it, and it's a proper contrast to Le Plateau's towers just a few kilometres away.
It's also historically where much of Abidjan's laundry got washed by hand along the river, a practice you can sometimes still see. Go with a guide if you want to actually spot wildlife, the trails alone won't show you much without local knowledge of where to look.
Hours Daylight hours, best visited in the morning
Getting there A short taxi ride from Le Plateau
Treichville Market
A sprawling, properly chaotic market in one of Abidjan's oldest neighbourhoods, fabric, produce, spices, and a level of noise and colour that Le Plateau's towers don't prepare you for. This is the Abidjan most guidebooks skip past on the way to somewhere quieter.
Bargaining is expected and part of the experience, go with small notes and a sense of humour. Treichville is also known for its nightlife once the market stalls close up, a different rhythm to the city after dark.
Hours Daily, busiest mornings through early afternoon
Getting there Across the lagoon bridge from Le Plateau
Yamoussoukro
Officially Ivory Coast's capital since the 1980s, though most government functions stayed in Abidjan and most visitors treat it as a day trip rather than a base. The overwhelming reason to go is the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, a near-exact scale echo of St Peter's Basilica in Rome, and reportedly the largest church in the world by some measures.
It's a striking thing to see, an enormous European-style basilica rising out of a relatively modest city, built at huge cost in the late 1980s. Worth the trip if you have a spare day, less essential if you're tight on time in Abidjan itself.
Getting there About 2.5–3 hours from Abidjan by car or bus
Best time A full day trip; go early to avoid the midday heat
Cocody
Abidjan's more residential, leafy district, home to embassies, the university, and a noticeably calmer pace than Le Plateau or Treichville. Worth a visit for the botanical gardens and a general sense of how the city lives outside the business district.
You'll also find a good spread of restaurants and cafes here if you want a break from street food, a useful neighbourhood to know about if you're staying more than a couple of days.
Getting there A short taxi ride from Le Plateau, across the lagoon
Best time to visit Abidjan
November through March is the best window, the dry season, with less of the heavy rainfall that hits Abidjan hard between June and September. Temperatures stay warm and humid year-round, so the real variable is rain, not heat.
If you're planning the Grand-Bassam beach day or the Yamoussoukro trip, build them around dry-season visits specifically, unpaved stretches and rural roads get noticeably harder going during the wet months.
Getting around Abidjan
Taxis (and shared taxis called woro-woro) are the practical way to get around, agree a price before you get in since meters aren't standard practice. Le Plateau and Cocody are walkable in parts, but the lagoon crossings and longer distances between neighbourhoods really do need a taxi. For Grand-Bassam or Yamoussoukro, arrange a car and driver for the day rather than relying on public transport.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Abidjan worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly if you want a West African city that surprises people, a proper skyline, rainforest at the edge of town, and one of the region's more interesting colonial-era old towns a short trip away.
- How many days do you need in Abidjan?
- Two days covers the city itself comfortably; three lets you add Grand-Bassam or the Yamoussoukro day trip without rushing.
- Is Abidjan expensive?
- Moderate by regional standards, markets and street food are cheap, hotels and restaurants aimed at business travellers in Le Plateau cost noticeably more.
- What is Abidjan famous for?
- Its lagoon-side skyline, being the economic capital of Ivory Coast even after Yamoussoukro became the official capital, and its proximity to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, one of the largest churches in the world.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
