Travel Guide Mbalmayo

Mbalmayo, which is also served by a bypass of the Douala-Yaoundé railroad, lies some 50 km south of Yaoundé, on the road to Ebolowa.Although Mbalmayo, a major timber-processing center, isn't particularly interesting for tourists on the move, a visit to the black waters of the Nyong River, which supplies a delicious freshwater fish called kanga, and the impressive Vimli rock (which once gave the town its name) are not to be missed. The banks of the river give the town a certain charm, and women gather here to wash their clothes, armed with large blocks of Marseille soap. One of those eco-responsible practices that have always survived in Africa.The Italian art pottery factory is also a pleasant surprise.Located 7 km to the west of the town, its summit offers a panoramic view of the whole of Mbalmayo, and reminds us that at the start of the Second World War, a Frenchman, Mr. Paillasse, built a camp here.Other attractions in the region include the Akono cathedral, one of the very first in French-speaking Black Africa, some 20 km from Mbalmayo; the Ebogo site, where you can go by pirogue to hunt or fish; the Abouma and Okombé caves; and the more famous Akok Bekoé caves.