{"id":17873,"date":"2024-01-16T15:46:49","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T14:46:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/itinerare\/guinea-bissau-travel-advice-tips-and-itinerary\/"},"modified":"2026-09-13T16:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T14:06:20","slug":"guinea-bissau-travel-advice-tips-and-itinerary","status":"publish","type":"itinerare","link":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/itinerare\/guinea-bissau-travel-advice-tips-and-itinerary\/","title":{"rendered":"Guinea-Bissau \u2013 travel advice, tips, and itinerary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you drawn to little-known countries? Would you dare travel to a country where the tourism industry barely functions and you have to arrange everything on the spot? If you are an adventurer, Guinea-Bissau is definitely for you.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A few words<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guinea-Bissau is the country that has experienced the most coups in Africa. Its political situation is highly unstable, and what was true yesterday may no longer apply today. Anyone traveling here needs to keep in mind that this is not Senegal, Thailand, or Peru. Everything is very complicated and constantly changing\u2014not only in politics. Nevertheless, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that people here are much friendlier than in other African countries.    <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_20231231_182230-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Guinea-Bissau &#x2013; travel advice\" class=\"wp-image-22995\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A brief history<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guinea-Bissau was once part of the Kingdom of Gabu, itself a part of the Mali Empire. Parts of this kingdom endured until the 18th century. The first accounts of Europeans arriving date back to the mid-15th century. The rivers and coast of this region were among the first areas colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, while the interior was not explored until the 19th century. The Portuguese made great efforts to retain control of their colony far longer than other European powers did elsewhere in Africa. An armed struggle for independence began in 1956, but it was not until 1974 that Portugal finally recognized Guinea-Bissau\u2019s independence.        <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Weather and when to go<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guinea-Bissau is warm year-round, with only minor temperature variations. The average temperature is 26.3\u00b0C. Annual rainfall averages 2,024 mm, although nearly all of it falls during the rainy season, which runs from June to September\/October. From December to April, the country experiences dry conditions, making this the best time to travel.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Visa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Slovak and Czech citizens need a visa to enter Guinea-Bissau. This is where the first challenge arises. Although embassies are also located in Europe\u2014Brussels, Lisbon, Madrid, and Paris\u2014they are often reluctant to issue visas. For this reason, most travellers prefer to arrive in Senegal, which borders Guinea-Bissau, and arrange their visa either in Dakar or Ziguinchor. At these embassies, visas should be issued within a few minutes. You will need a passport-sized photograph, confirmation of accommodation in Guinea-Bissau, a yellow-fever vaccination certificate, and payment of the visa fee, which can vary. Card payments are not accepted; payment is possible only in West African CFA francs, Senegal\u2019s official currency. When planning your visit, remember to arrive at the embassy during working hours\u2014Monday to Friday, as offices are closed on weekends\u2014and preferably in the morning.      <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those who would prefer to fly directly to the capital, visas are reportedly sometimes issued at the airport. However, other travelers have reported significant problems with this option.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"O\u010dkovanie do zahrani\u010dia a mal\u00e1ria\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/w26D7rzFWP8?start=22&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How to get there<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can reach the capital, Bissau, either from Europe\u2014fastest with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flytap.com\/en-pt\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">TAP<\/a> Air Portugal from Lisbon\u2014or from Senegal, via Dakar. However, flights to Bissau itself are extremely expensive, costing up to \u20ac1,300. For this reason, 99% of travellers fly to Dakar instead, where round-trip flights can be found from around \u20ac500, and then travel the approximately 430-kilometre distance to the Guinea-Bissau border via The Gambia. This journey can take up to 10 hours (see below). <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Gambia is a country bordered only by Senegal, and Slovak citizens do not need a visa to enter. However, it is worth noting that police officers on the Gambian side may ask for a \u201ctip\u201d or bribe of between 1,000 and 10,000 West African CFA francs (\u20ac1 = approximately 650 CFA francs).  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How does the journey from Dakar to Guinea-Bissau work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You have two options:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can either fly from Dakar to the Senegalese city of Ziguinchor with <a href=\"https:\/\/flyairsenegal.com\/en\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Air Senegal<\/a> (tickets start at \u20ac50 and the flight takes 40 minutes).<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By local transport from Dakar. You need to arrive at the bus station in the Pikine district early in the morning\u2014around 5:30 a.m.\u2014and choose either a shared car or a bus. We strongly recommend a seven-seater shared car, with a ticket costing approximately 15,000 West African CFA francs, rather than the bus. Why? All transport departs only once it is full. There is no fixed timetable for departures or arrivals, so do not be persuaded by claims that you are \u201cleaving soon.\u201d You will leave only when the vehicle is full. The journey through The Gambia takes at least 10 hours, and you will arrive in Ziguinchor in the early evening.       <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The border between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., so you will need to stay overnight in Ziguinchor. The border is approximately 15 kilometres from Ziguinchor, and a taxi costs around 5,000 West African CFA francs. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Senegal alebo ako vyzer\u00e1 doprava medzi mestami\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xMnkKS6mPT8?start=6&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>This is what transportation looks like, too<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Traveling around the country<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Bissau, local transport is provided by minibuses known as toca-tocas. Regular taxis are also available. For intercity travel, there are <em>sept<\/em>-places\u2014seven-seat Peugeot shared taxis\u2014and candongas, large utility vehicles carrying between 10 and 20 passengers.Choose a <em>sept-place<\/em> whenever possible, or at least try to get seats in the front. You can also hire taxis for trips to other towns and villages. Road conditions vary, but to put it simply, a 250-kilometre journey can take approximately 6 to 9 hours.     <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_20240106_095405-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Guinea-Bissau &#x2013; travel advice\" class=\"wp-image-22996\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is what regular transportation looks like<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Language<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Portuguese is the official language. However, fewer than one in seven residents speak it fluently. The <em>lingua franca<\/em> is Upper Guinea Creole\u2014a Portuguese-based creole language spoken among local people. Around 15% of the population speak it as their first language, while roughly 50% list it as a second language. <em>In practice<\/em>, it serves as a language of national identity. Other languages include Balanta, Fula, Manjak, Mandinka, and Papel. Some people also speak English and French, which are taught in schools because Guinea-Bissau is surrounded by English- and French-speaking countries. In short, if you do not speak Portuguese, you are likely to get by better in English here than in Senegal.     <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_20231229_114033-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Guinea-Bissau &#x2013; travel advice\" class=\"wp-image-22997\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Money, currency, ATMs<\/strong>, and <strong>SIM cards<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The West African CFA franc (XOF) is used in Guinea-Bissau, as well as in its neighbouring countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. More precisely, it is a currency separate from the Central African CFA franc (XAF). The banknotes are different, but the two currencies are interchangeable at a one-to-one rate.<br\/>Both CFA franc currencies are state-guaranteed and pegged to the euro at a fixed exchange rate of \u20ac1 = 655.957 CFA francs.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bank cards can only be used in the capital, and every ATM withdrawal comes with a fee. Even if you have a Revolut card, you will still be charged. African ATMs rely on withdrawal fees, so it is better to bring euros in cash. US dollars receive a much less favourable exchange rate here.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you need to stay online and do not want to rely on hotel Wi\u2011Fi\u2014which is more or less available only in the capital, Bissau\u2014we recommend getting an <a aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/tripsim.sk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">eSIM card before leaving Slovakia; see TripSim.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Food<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most people in Guinea-Bissau eat rice with fish, as the country is rich in fish and rice\u2014either locally grown or imported from Thailand\u2014is relatively inexpensive. More expensive dishes contain beef, goat, chicken, or pork. Food is also prepared with palm oil, peanut sauces, and various vegetables. Guineans also eat bushmeat, such as monkey and wild boar, among other animals. However, these species are threatened with extinction, so supporting their consumption is not recommended.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Available fruit depends on the season, but mangoes, papayas, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, cashews, and peanuts are plentiful. You should also try the tart fole fruit and baobab fruit juice <em>(sumo de cabaceira).<\/em><br\/>Imported fruit can be bought at the <em>Fera de Prasa <\/em>market in central Bissau\u2014such as apples, pears, pineapples, and watermelons\u2014but it is more expensive than in Europe.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Street food usually includes sandwiches with hard-boiled eggs, omelettes, fish, or beef, as well as doughnuts, cake, and hard-boiled eggs. Frozen juice served in small plastic bags or glass water bottles is also popular among locals.  <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_20231228_101120-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Guinea-Bissau &#x2013; travel advice\" class=\"wp-image-22998\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Which places are the most interesting?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hlavn\u00e9 mesto Bissau<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Presidential Palace<\/strong> \u2013 bombed during the civil war, then rebuilt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bissau Velho <\/strong>\u2013 the old Portuguese colonial centre. It is a pleasant area for walking, but the nightlife is very limited. Do not miss the former prison, now converted into the <em>Casa dos Direitos<\/em> (House of Human Rights). It is located on the corner by the fortress, close to the port.   <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Porto Pidjiguiti <\/strong>\u2013 Pidjiguiti Port was the site of the Pidjiguiti Massacre on 3 August 1959, when police shot and killed around 50 striking dockworkers. This event marked the beginning of active resistance against Portuguese colonial rule. A monument in the shape of a giant black fist commemorates the massacre.    <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mercado de Bandim<\/strong> \u2013 the main market in Bissau.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fortaleza d&#8217;Amura <\/strong>\u2013 hlavn\u00e1 pevnos\u0165, ktor\u00e1 je v\u0161ak zavret\u00e1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Guinea - Bissau alebo prehliadka hlavn\u00e9 mesta Bissau\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rKzNQLThISw?start=81&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Bijag\u00f3s Archipelago<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Bissagos Islands, also spelled Bijag\u00f3s (Portuguese: Arquip\u00e9lago dos Bijag\u00f3s), are a group of around 88 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. The archipelago was formed from the ancient delta of the Geba and Grande de Buba rivers and covers an area of 12,958 km\u00b2. Twenty of its islands are inhabited year-round, including the most populous island, Bubaque, where the administrative capital is located.  <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bubaque \u2013 the most populous island in the archipelago<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Orango Grande \u2013 known for its saltwater hippos<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jo\u00e3o Vieira and Poil\u00e3o \u2013 the best islands for turtle watching!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>How to get there:<\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once a week, a boat departs from the port of Bissau for Bubaque Island. Departure times largely depend on the tides, but the service often runs on Friday or Saturday. You can buy tickets at the port in Bissau before departure.<br\/>The vessel is an old Russian or Eastern European ferry originally designed to carry vehicles.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vessel\u2019s lower deck is used for cargo storage, with third-class passengers having to find space among the goods. Second-class passengers can sit on the open upper deck (covered with tarpaulins) above the wheelhouse, which offers excellent views of the ocean and the islands along the route. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Guinea - Bissau alebo n\u00e1v\u0161teva s\u00faostrovia Bijagos\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hVJ04DOiq7g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cantanhez National Park<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cantanhez National Park in Guinea-Bissau is located in the Tombali region in the south of the country, around 250 kilometres from the capital, Bissau. The road there is in good condition except for the final 60 kilometres, which are a terrible and difficult-to-access forest track. Cantanhez Forest is the largest remaining forest in Guinea-Bissau and is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cantanhez National Park is home to various <em>tabancas<\/em>, or local communities. Farmers live in close proximity to chimpanzees. This coexistence and interaction between people and chimpanzees sharing the same space is not always easy; in fact, the consumption of primates and chimpanzees has been reported in these areas.<br\/>Undoubtedly, one of the things that makes Cantanhez such a unique and special destination is the opportunity to see a variety of animal species around local villages.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chimpanzee tracking is done with a local guide in the morning and afternoon. Chimpanzees are very shy animals, so you will probably see them from a distance of around 100 metres\u2014and only for a few seconds or minutes. Compared with gorilla trekking, the encounter is brief, but beautiful.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Plan on three days in total, including the journey to and from Cantanhez. You cannot realistically get there by public transport, so you will need to hire a car with a driver. For the three-day trip, we paid approximately \u20ac500, which is a normal price for this part of the world.   <\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What is the budget?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you travel on a low budget (using the cheapest local transport and staying in guesthouses) you can manage a one-week trip for up to \u20ac700, excluding the main international flight.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you travel in a more comfortable way\u2014taking domestic flights and staying in three-star hotels\u2014the trip will cost around \u20ac1,300.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you drawn to little-known countries? Would you travel to a country without a tourism industry? If you are an adventurer, Guinea-Bissau travel advice is for you.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":16104,"menu_order":0,"template":"","kontinenty":[322],"krajina":[99],"class_list":["post-17873","itinerare","type-itinerare","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","kontinenty-africa","krajina-guinea-bissau"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/itinerare\/17873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/itinerare"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/itinerare"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"kontinenty","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kontinenty?post=17873"},{"taxonomy":"krajina","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navratil.travel\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/krajina?post=17873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}