The former Portuguese colony, which gained independence recently (in 1975), is Angola. Sights of this country that attract tourists are mostly natural. Although there are interesting man-made monuments: lovers of architecture and history will surely like the ancient forts, preserved from colonial times.
The capital of country
Luanda was founded in 1575 and has been the capital of the country since colonial times. The sights of Luanda in Angola are both ancient buildings and sidewalks paved with magnificent mosaics, an original mixture of styles and eras in the development and layout of the city.
Tourists are happy to visit the capital's Museum of Angola with a magnificent ethnographic exhibition and the Dundu Museum, the colonial building of the University, the Portuguese fortress of San Miguel (XVII century).
County of Bibal
One hundred and fifty kilometers from the capital of Angola is a picturesque area - the county of Bibal. This area is known for numerous mineral springs. Water in them has a pronounced therapeutic effect.
Bengela
This ancient city, founded almost four centuries ago by the Portuguese colonialists, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful settlements in the country. It used to be called San Felipe de Benguela. For a long time the city served as a stronghold for the Portuguese sailors, who transported local residents to another continent, selling them into slavery.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was a small, inconspicuous village, which today has turned into a beautiful modern city, which attracts many tourists. In Bengel is one of the main attractions of Angola (we posted a photo in this article). This is a well-preserved, despite its venerable age, colonial fort, built in the XVI century.
Fort San Miguel
Built in the 16th century, the fortress was the center of the colonial settlement of the Portuguese. It was the first building that was erected for defense in the country. The fort has a polygonal shape and is partially embedded in Mount São Paulo. The walls of the citadel are made of stone and fortified with buttresses.
Later, the building lost its defensive function, and prison premises were placed in it, which contained rebels who fought against the colonialists. Today the fortress is in excellent condition. In its ancient walls is the Central Museum of the Army, and before entering it you can see sculptures of Portuguese kings.
Namib area
On this territory there are desert, sea and savannah, which create a stunning landscape and the best climatic conditions on the coast. Between Tombwa and Namibe there are places where an amazing plant grows - Velvichiya mirabilis, resembling a giant octopus.
The sights of Angola include the Namib Desert - a great place for hunting. And the nearby coast is known for its magnificent beaches surrounded by sand dunes. Lovers of sandy slalom relax here.
Tombwa
A large city located on the coast, in the Namib region. It is the country's second largest demographic center and the largest fishing port in the region. Every day, hundreds of ships depart from here to sea for fishing. Interestingly, the fishermen are very supportive of the desire of tourists to join them.
Given the fact that local waters are not inferior to the Caribbean Sea in the number of fish, and sometimes even surpass it, then off the coast of Namib, sport fishing is one of the most vivid impressions of tourists about the country. In most cases, for the first time they try this type of relaxation here.
Black stones Pungo Andongo
This is a unique natural attraction of Angola, the photo and description of which is often placed in advertising booklets by many travel agencies. This amazing natural monument has another name, which is often used by local residents - Black Stones Malange.
They appeared on this earth during the eruption of an ancient volcano from emissions of lava, which froze, forming giant boulders. These stones are covered with numerous legends that locals love to retell to tourists. For example, there is a stone, by touching which, men gain tremendous power. There are several cozy restaurants near the stones.
Epupa Waterfall
We continue to acquaint you with the sights of the country. Angola is famous for its amazing waterfalls. One of them is Epupa. It is located on the border of Angola and Namibia. The height of this water stream is about sixty meters. Due to the inaccessibility, this amazing place has retained its original appearance, not touched by civilization.
Epupa Waterfall, located next to the Namib Desert, is surrounded by fig trees, baobabs and palm trees. They give this place a special beauty.
Calandula
The second largest waterfall on the African continent, 105 meters high. Its width reaches a huge size - 400 meters. Situated between numerous boulders and crevices, Kalandula resembles a horseshoe in shape. Here tourists will not be able to swim - swimming is prohibited. This is due to the fact that water flows erode boulders lying on the bottom. Because of this, there are often landslides.
The area that surrounds the waterfall is covered with dense forest thickets. They consist of shrubs and tropical trees. This waterfall looks especially spectacular in the rainy season, when its powerful water flows fall at a tremendous speed.
Kisama National Park
You can not talk about the sights of Angola, without mentioning the magnificent park, located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Kisama Park covers an area of 900 thousand hectares. The park was founded about eighty years ago. Today it is recognized as the largest conservation area in the country.
The park is famous for its rich flora and fauna. Here elephants and hippos, cheetahs and jackals, antelopes and other representatives of the fauna feel comfortable. Many of them are listed in the Red Book. These include: red buffalo, sirens, black sables, warthogs.
Jonah National Park
A vast territory with a wide variety of landscapes: desert and mountain peaks, rocky surfaces and the sea coast with estuaries and bays. Rhino and brown hyenas, oryxes, which are a symbol of the park, and zebras, cheetahs and ostriches live here. The flora of the park is no less diverse : in the territory grows Salvador, acacia, mirabilis.
Cathedral of the Holy Savior
This temple presents in our review the iconic sights of Angola. It was built in 1679 on the site where two small chapels used to be. The temple is located in the center of Luanda. Its construction began several times, but for various reasons it stopped.
The shrine was originally called the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The temple received the status of the Cathedral in 1828. Half a century later, it was closed due to the deplorable state of the roof and walls of the structure. The temple got its present appearance in 1900, when restoration work was completed. In the middle of the 20th century, the temple was awarded the status of a national treasure.
Angola Attractions: Travel Reviews
Tourism in Angola is under active development. The infrastructure is not sufficiently developed, the living conditions in hotels are very modest, so tourists who are accustomed to luxury, usually remain unhappy. But if you are not confused by some domestic inconvenience, then you can see the stunning nature, almost untouched by civilization. Experienced tourists recommend that you make all the necessary vaccinations before the trip: there are many malaria mosquitoes and other dangerous insects in the forests.