Bioko Norte

Code:BN
Type:province
Population:410,541 (2013)
Area:776 km²
Capital:Malabo

Introduction

Bioko Norte is the northern of the two provinces of Bioko, the volcanic island in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of Cameroon, that holds the country's capital. Malabo lies on its north coast, with the international airport a short way west of the city and the smaller town of Baney to the east. Behind them the land rises steadily to the summit of Pico Basilé, the highest mountain in Equatorial Guinea. Villages and farms of the Bubi, the island's original people, cover the lower slopes, and forest the upper ones.

Overview

For most visitors, Bioko Norte is the land around Malabo: the capital fills its north coast, and beyond the city the province is above all one mountain. Pico Basilé stands over the town, its forested cone often hidden in cloud. Little outside the capital is built for visitors, so the province is seen on day trips from a base in Malabo.

Discover Bioko Norte

Pico Basilé, the island's volcano

Pico Basilé is the volcano that forms the northern half of Bioko, a broad cone rising from the sea to a summit of 3,011 metres. It belongs to the same chain of volcanoes as Mount Cameroon, which stands across the water on the mainland. Its upper slopes are protected as Pico Basilé National Park, a belt of damp, moss-hung mountain forest that thins out towards the top.

Going up the mountain

A mountain road climbs from near Malabo up through the forest towards the summit. A visit is arranged in advance through a hotel or a local guide, with a car and a driver who knows the road and the roadblocks along it. The height comes quickly by car, and altitude sickness is a risk on the upper slopes, which are damp and far colder than the coast, so a warm layer and a rain jacket go along. The drive back is timed to end before dark, as every road journey in the country is.

The coast and the lower slopes

Below the forest, the lower slopes are farmland, where cocoa has been grown since the nineteenth century. Roads run from Malabo into these foothills and along the coast, west past the airport and east to Baney. They pass villages and smallholdings rather than sights, and a drive through them is the way this side of the province is seen.

Ways to Experience This Destination

Mountain day trip

A day up Pico Basilé from Malabo, by car with a driver, into the forest and the cool air of the island's highest slopes.

Mountain forest

The damp, moss-hung forest of Pico Basilé National Park on the upper slopes of the volcano.

Foothill farms and villages

The cocoa farms and villages along the roads that climb from the north coast into the foothills.

Frequently asked questions

How much time does Bioko Norte need beyond Malabo?

A single day, for Pico Basilé: out from the capital in the morning and back in the afternoon. The foothills and the farms of the lower slopes are seen on the way up and down, so the mountain day covers most of what the province holds beyond the city.

When is the weather clearest on Pico Basilé?

In the drier months around the turn of the year, roughly December to February, which bring the best chance of a clear view from the upper slopes. For the rest of the year rain is frequent and the mountain spends long spells in cloud. In any season the morning is usually the clearest time, before cloud builds over the slopes, so the drive up starts early.

Where are Bioko's turtle beaches, crater lakes and monkeys?

In the south of the island, which is the neighbouring province of Bioko Sur: the highland village of Moka with its crater lakes, the black-sand beaches of Ureka where sea turtles nest, and the forested Gran Caldera de Luba. The road to the south of Bioko starts in Malabo, and its beaches and forests mean nights away from the capital, with a local guide.

Cities in Bioko Norte

Malabo

This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.