How to get a Gabon visa from Angola

Although Gabon is, by and large, a safe country in which few travellers experience any problems, it doesn't hurt to remain cautious and be prepared for potential dangers. Contrary to what you might expect, tropical disease, most notably malaria, poses the biggest safety threat, at any time of year.

Gabon's medical facilities are generally considered one of the best in West Africa, with 90 per cent of the population having access to health care.

This spicy chicken dish (Poulet Nyembwe) is the national dish of Gabon. The word Nyembwe means palm oil in the Myene language which is spoken in Gabon. Essentially, Poulet Nyembwe is chicken cooked and flavoured with palm oil. Smoked chicken is usually used to prepare it.

To be on the safe side, it is better not to drink the tap water in Gabon unless you have water-purifying tablets. Bottled water is widely available, as are soft drinks (usually referred to as jus) like Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta, beers, wines and spirits.