Luanda Angola
Angola
22
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Seabourn Cruise Line (10 Cruises)
Seabourn Quest
10 Cruises
Silversea Cruises (2 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
In the port of Luanda, the largest in the country. The terminal is functional, surrounded by commercial shipping facilities. The centre and the Marginal are within walking distance, but a taxi is more comfortable.
In theory yes, but heat, traffic and the lack of continuous sidewalks make a taxi the better choice, even for a short trip. Organized excursions remain the simplest way to cover the sights in one day.
The fortress of São Miguel and its history museum first : it is the stop that unlocks the rest of the day. Then the Marginal, the bay promenade, and the historic centre with its whitewashed churches and pastel buildings.
A stronghold built by the Portuguese in the 16th century to guard their trading post, above the southern end of the Marginal. Its ramparts give the best panorama over the bay and the port; inside, a museum traces African kingdoms, colony, independence, civil war and reconstruction.
It is what residents call the bay's seafront : several kilometres of promenade, palm trees, lawns and kiosks. In the evening the whole capital seems to gather there for the sea breeze.
Yes, and it gives the call a depth that goes beyond sightseeing. Housed south of the city in a former trading house, on the very site where captives were shipped to the Americas, it sheds light on a history that links Angola directly to Brazil and the Caribbean. The visit is plain and deeply moving.
Portuguese is the language of every exchange. A few words go a long way : bom dia, obrigado. English gets you by in hotels and with guides; French is rare.
The kwanza, though tourist services often accept US dollars. Bring small bills and water : this city has to be earned.
No. It is expensive, intense and at times disorienting. As in any large city, leave valuables on board and favour accompanied travel. With those ordinary precautions taken, your mind is free for the visit.
Because it is one of the few chances to reach Atlantic southern Africa by sea, in a capital few North American travellers know. The bay traces an almost perfect arc between glass towers and ochre hills.
