As foreign and far as Angola may seem the country should be sounding just as familiar as home by now. Okay, well not quite, but it shouldn’t sound that strange. For starters their football team will be playing in this years World Cup and CNN had a piece on the call for tourists in capital city, Luanda some weeks back. Aside from sports and warm sandy beaches lining the coasts Angola is still a very happening spot in Southern Africa. To be more precise in the location, the country borders the South Atlantic Ocean and sits between Nambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For a picture view of what the country is like check out this photo gallery at Angola.org.uk. Outside of the official tourism website, they provide some of the most extensive information you’ll probably find on the web. Whether you’re out for some Kizomba dance, cultural entertainment, a trip to the slave museum, or soaking up Angola’s outdoors like Black Stones in Malanje, the Cuenne River, or Benguela Bay you’re bound to be impressed. Heck, I was, but I’m easy to please.
Luanda Welcomes Travelers
Well the war in Angola is over. In case you didn’t know. It has been done with for the last three years and while it may have left much of the country in shambles, officials hope to woo foreign tourists in with whatever they can. Like many African countries Angola is banking that a swing in tourism could help the economy in more ways than one. I’m sure. As for right now the country has planned the construction of six new four and five star hotels and with the little bit of long undeveloped Atlantic coastline, lush tropical forests, beautiful mountains, waterfalls, exotic birds, and other wildlife left they may be able to reel in a good number of tourists. All it takes is a little advertising to let the people know Luanda, Angola welcomes travelers! CNN provides some coverage on the country’s future plans.
In the meanwhile consider Angola on your next African adventure. Careful research and planning could surely give off-the-beaten path type travelers an unimaginable experience. Lonely Planet still notes the country as being a rather unsafe place to visit, but if you must go and would like to go to find out for yourself then they also recommend a visit to the Elinga Teatro art gallery. Personally I’d consider a trip to the country just to trace the connection of the capoeira done in Brazil to their roots in Angola. That’s just me.