Cabinda: Maiombe Forest and Bakama Culture

Explore Cabinda through two distinct highlights: the natural landscape of the Maiombe Forest and cultural traditions such as Bakama performances at historic festivals. The following features of the area and its landscape can help you clarify what you are looking for when searching for hotels in Cabinda.

Maiombe Forest: Rainforest and River Landscape

Maiombe National Park, also called Floresta do Maiombe, is located in Cabinda Province. The Maiombe Forest is considered the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world. Dense vegetation and trees up to 50 metres tall shape the forest; tree species include Pau-Rosa and Ngulo Mazi. The forest has a humid climate.

The three largest rivers in the Maiombe Forest include the Shiloango, Lukula and Lubizi. There are waterfalls and caves along the Lubizi River in the Maiombe Forest. The Maiombe Forest also includes several mountain elevations: Monte Foungout is 930 metres high and Monte Bamba is 810 metres high. The difference in elevation between them is 120 metres.

The Maiombe Forest extends beyond Angola into the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon. Both Maiombe National Park and the Cacongo Forest Reserve are located in Cabinda. The fauna of Maiombe National Park includes rhinoceroses, elephants, Pacaças, sloths, gorillas, chimpanzees, small monkeys and grey parrots.

Bakama Culture and Accommodation

The Bakama are cultural groups in Cabinda. At historic festivals, they perform wearing painted masks and clothing made from dry banana leaves, and use a broom made from palm-leaf ribs. These details bring together mask, clothing and object in a distinctive festival performance. If a particular festival is relevant to your trip, check the event dates before planning.

The Miconji tourist resort opened on 17 September 2016 and was described as a tourist highlight of Maiombe National Park. If Miconji is an option for your accommodation plans, check in advance whether the resort is currently operating.

Angola in a Broader Historical Context

Within the broader destination of Angola, Mbanza Kongo is a distinct historical highlight. The city lies on a plateau at an altitude of 570 metres, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the former capital of the Kingdom of Kongo. The Portuguese added stone buildings to the existing structures made from local materials, and also replaced such buildings with stone structures in European architectural styles; these included several churches. The city’s built structure and archaeological remains preserve traces of its traditional, colonial and religious past. Christianity spread; local elites adopted Western influences without giving up their culture.

Luanda offers another urban highlight within the broader destination of Angola: visitors can stroll along the Marginal waterfront boulevard and explore the colonial character of the historic Baixa.

Discover more destinations: Cabinda, Lucola, Luanda, Benguela, Lunda Sul Province, Malanje Province, Zaire Province, Cuanza Sul Province.

For the broader travel overview: Angola.