Two distinct themes shape the picture of Cabinda: the Maiombe Forest and Bakama culture. The natural landscape is defined by rivers, dense vegetation, mountain ranges and a diverse wildlife; culturally, the focus is on Bakama groups and their performances at historical festivals. This distinction can help with your travel planning: you can first consider whether landscapes or cultural traditions should shape your stay more strongly.
Maiombe Forest: Rivers, Trees and Mountains
Mayombe National Park, also called Floresta do Maiombe, is located in Cabinda Province. Maiombe Forest is considered the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world. It has a humid climate, and its dense vegetation includes trees that grow up to 50 metres tall. Tree species include Pau-Rosa and Ngulo Mazi. The forest can therefore be described in terms of both its size and specific named species.
The three largest rivers in Maiombe Forest include the Shiloango, Lukula and Lubizi. There are waterfalls and caves along the Lubizi River in Maiombe Forest. These waterways and rock formations add further striking landscape features to the dense forest area.
Maiombe Forest includes several mountain peaks. Monte Foungout is 930 metres high, and Monte Bamba is 810 metres high. At 930 metres, Monte Foungout is 120 metres higher than Monte Bamba; these two elevations offer a concrete comparison within the forest area. Maiombe Forest extends beyond Angola into the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon.
The fauna of Mayombe National Park includes rhinoceroses, elephants, Pacaças, sloths, gorillas, chimpanzees, small monkeys and grey parrots. Cacongo Forest Reserve is also located in Cabinda.
Bakama and Cultural Tradition
The Bakama are cultural groups in Cabinda. At historical festivals, they perform wearing painted masks and clothes made from dry banana leaves, and using a broom made from palm-leaf ribs. The mask, clothing and broom together make up this distinctive attire. For travellers interested in culture, the Bakama tradition offers a separate way to explore the region alongside the landscapes of Maiombe Forest.
If you would like to include a Bakama performance in your travel plans, check the event dates in advance. This lets you distinguish the tradition in general from a specific wish to attend a performance and plan accordingly.
Tourism and Accommodation Search
The Miconji tourist resort opened on 17 September 2016 and is described as a tourist highlight of Mayombe National Park.
If you are looking for a holiday rental in Cabinda, first decide which aspect interests you most: Maiombe Forest and its wildlife, or Bakama culture. This question of personal interest gives your further travel planning a clear framework without prescribing a set order for your visits.
Discover more destinations: Cabinda, Lucola, Malanje Province, Benguela Province, Kwanza-Sul, Zaire Province, Bengo Province and Lunda Sul Province.
Back to the main travel overview: Angola.
