Off the Rio Muni estuary and the coast of Gabon, you will find a series of idyllic islands, ideal for enjoying unspoilt seas and deserted beaches, but also for discovering colonial remains and spotting humpback whales.
The Corisco island, known locally as Mandji, lies 44 kilometres off the coast of Cogo, with beautiful, secluded palm-fringed beaches, most notably Arena Blanca in the south-east. There are only two hotels on the entire island, the airport is partially operative (opened in 2011, it still lacks a control tower to start commercial flights), electricity is only available via a generator and there is virtually no telephone signal… ideal for those who want to relax away from it all!
The Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico islands are the closest to the Rio Muni estuary, about 10 kilometres from the coast. They are covered by dense tropical forest and are uninhabited, except for the fishermen who camp on their shores. These two islands have some interesting colonial ruins, both Spanish, English and Dutch.
More than 480 kilometres from Corisco, and south of Sao Tome and Principe, Annobon Island is an ancient extinct volcano, inhabited by a few hundred people who speak Fa’ d‘Ambo, a Portuguese creole. In addition to the magnificent beaches, including Playa de Amor, the island offers interesting treks up the volcanic slopes to Lake Mazafim, or, between July and August, boat trips out into the Atlantic to spot humpback whales, which are numerous in these waters.
