Overview
Malabo is the second-largest city in, and the former capital of, Equatorial Guinea and is located on the island of Bioko. Notable buildings in Malabo include Malabo Cathedral, Malabo Government Building and the Malabo Court Building. Ciudad de la Paz became the new capital on 2 January 2026.
Understand
History The city was founded by the British in 1827, who leased the island from Spain during the colonial period. Named Port Clarence, it was used as a naval station in the effort to suppress the slave trade. Many newly freed slaves were also settled there, prior to the establishment of Sierra Leone as a colony for freed slaves. While many of them later relocated to Sierra Leone, some of their descendants, called Fernandinos, can still be found in Malabo and the surrounding area, where they constitute a distinct ethnic group, speaking their own Afro-Portuguese pidgin dialect.
When the island reverted to complete Spanish control, Malabo was renamed Santa Isabel. It was chosen to replace the mainland town of Bata as the capital of the country in 1969, and was renamed Malabo in 1973 as part of President Francisco Macías Nguema's campaign to replace European place names with "authentic" African ones.
During his "reign of terror," Macías Nguema led a near-genocide of the country's Bubi minority, which formed the majority on Bioko Island, and brought many of his own tribespeople, the Fang, to Malabo. In the final years of his rule, when Equatorial Guinea was sometimes known as the "Auschwitz of Africa," much of the city's population fled as, indeed, did about one-third of the country's population. Malabo has yet to recover from the scars of that period.
Orientation Despite its status as the capital of Equatorial Guinea for several decades, Malabo's street network was poorly developed. Because of money from the country's rich natural resources, Malabo now has streets and a 6-lane motorway. Many of the street names reflect an African nationalist or anti-colonial theme, with names such as "Independence Avenue" or "Patrice Lumumba Road" being major roads. The few large roads not named for an African nationalist ideal or person are named for cities in Equatorial Guinea or other places or countries in Africa, as is the road leading to the presidential palace.
The palace and grounds consume a substantial part of the eastern side of Malabo, and are off-limits. The heart of the city is the colonial cathedral at Independence Place. Many buildings in the city from the Spanish colonial era are still standing. The south of Malabo is bordered by the Rio Consul. Across this lies the hospital to the southeast. To the west is the renovated airport. The coastal northern region of the city is pierced by headlands and bays. The largest headland is the crescent-shaped Tip of African Unity behind the presidential palace. Encompassing the entire eastern side of Malabo Bay, it is almost as long as Malabo is tall. Malabo is part of a wider bay that represents most of the northern coast of Bioko; it stretches from Europe Point in the west (home to the airport), to the luxury hotels and gated communities of Sipopo in the east.
Get in
By boat Ferries sail from Douala and Bata to Malabo port.
Get around
Malabo is quite walkable. Taxis are cheap. 500 FCFA during the day should get you anywhere within the city. 3,000 FCFA should get you from the city to the Marathon Oil compound. Be prepared to pay more at night or when the police are out enforcing traffic laws.
See
Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program. Visitors, including tourists and school children, are welcome to stop in for educational programs. A striking series of 4 backlit posters, designed by BBPP’s Outreach Coordinator Jessica Weinberg and funded by a grant from the International Primate Protection League illustrate the importance of controlling the bushmeat trade. Post cards featuring Bioko Island wildlife, also the work of Jessica Weinberg, are for sale.Research Centre staff can arrange for guides to the local attractions (the Cascades of the Ilyadi River and the Pico Biao Crater Lake). Because of its cool climate and central location, Moka is the ideal place from which to explore and study Bioko Island's rich flora and fauna.
Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial. UNGE’s campus surrounds a common grass covered area with a statue of Teodoro Obiang, the current president of Equatorial Guinea. The original buildings on the UNGE campus were built by the Spanish when the Spanish governed the island. The original buildings reflect a Spanish colonial architectural style with frequent use of arches and low sprawling buildings. The classrooms in the older part of the university are arranged in a semi-circle around the lawn. There is a new building on the south side of the university built in a more modern style. The walls are light coloured and reflective, reducing the amount of passive solar heat produced in the building. The rooms are large and have large windows, which take advantage of natural lighting. The building is square and glossy. There is a small library at the university.
St. Elizabeth's Cathedral. A neo-Gothic cathedral completed in 1916 with twin 40-m towers.
Ilachi Waterfall. This waterfall is the longest one in the country, more than 250 m-tall. The route would last around an hour to the waterfalls. It will include trekking across the jungle and crossing some rivers. Sometimes the fog blocks the views.
Old Town. The historic quarter of Malabo, with a Catholic church and splendid Spanish colonial-style buildings. It also provides a gorgeous view of the harbour.
Malabo National Park covers an area of 870,000 m², and offers sports and entertainment areas, and a giant statue of President Macías Nguema. It was built by China in 2016.
Casa de Kristalysky-boy-gastaho, hiking.
Buy
ATMs are not common. Local bank SGBGE has some machines (there is one at the Ibis Hotel) that work with international Visa cards at least.
Eat
L'Attelier. Local ingredients and tasteful dishes like prawns and creme brulee.
Aviator Pub & Café. Eat and take-away.
Sleep
Bisila Palace Hotel. Formerly the Malabo Hilton.
Mango Suites. 5-star luxury, small design hotel for business travellers, close to town in a peaceful neighbourhood.
Make Malabo your own.
Before committing, pick one main reason for this visit and two nearby experiences that support it. Check the guide’s transport sections against current operator information. A convenient base can save more time than adding another attraction.
- Choose your arrival point and one base. Write down the real transfer time, not just the map distance.
- Build a first-day plan with room to settle in. Cluster the places you want to see rather than crossing the city repeatedly.
- Use actual accommodation and transport quotes in your budget. Add fees to the quote before comparing it.
- Keep one uncommitted block. Weather, energy and a good local recommendation can all change your plan.
Source transparency
This guide adapts licensed text by Wikivoyage contributors. It is not a claim that Lakhou has visited or independently verified every listing. We converted the source to plain text, selected practical sections and removed price sentences and private contact information. The planning framework and any related-business booking recommendations above are Lakhou editorial additions.
Original revision 5353355 · Contributor history · CC BY-SA 4.0. Reused text and adaptations on this page are available under that license. Source revision date: 2026-09-12. This is not a date of field verification.
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