Things to see and do Pointe Noire

The Republic of Congo's coastline is home to year-round populations of leatherback, olive ridley, green and hawksbill sea turtles. Its beaches are ideal for egg-laying by these endangered animals, and some sites offer feeding and nursery areas. The Rénatura Congo association monitors and protects turtles at sea and on land. It has integrated a "responsible tourism" component into its activities, to enable visitors to discover its actions, but also to finance projects aimed at local communities.

This is Pointe-Noire's very first museum, inaugurated at the end of 2018. The Art Deco building, steeped in history, had been abandoned since the late 90s, having housed various circles, a court of justice, a political headquarters, and finally a goods depot. The museum houses a fine collection of masks and statuettes, mainly from the Vili ethnic group, donated by Luca Cosentino, former CEO of oil company Eni Congo. A gallery hosts temporary exhibitions of paintings and photographs. Not to be missed.

Having toured Central Africa for over 15 years and settled in Dimonika over 10 years ago, Jan Limbourg of Auberge Vigoureux knows the country well. In addition to the guided tours he organizes in Dimonika, he offers a variety of multi-day guided tours of all regions of the Congo. For the more adventurous, he organizes treks to the Gabonese border, Cabinda or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Programs are tailor-made to suit travelers' desires and budgets. With Jan, you'll be in very good hands!

Nearly 40 km northeast of Pointe-Noire, the Makota salt glacier is an impressive site that grew out of potash mining by the CPC (Compagnie des Potasses du Congo), abruptly halted in 1977 following a flood caused by groundwater. Although the visit is breathtaking, the glacier is a disaster for the environment, as nothing grows there any more and salt water has invaded the freshwater streams. Today, the village's families make a living from the salt they gather in the traditional way.

This private gallery-museum, which aims to become a national reference for Congolese heritage in the near future, houses a rich collection of over 3,000 antique art objects, ranging from masks to statuettes, from raffia loincloths to colonial earthenware. The exhibition is the work of Felix Makouiza (1941-2022), a career doctor who collected African art for almost 50 years. The gallery-museum is very active, offering educational activities, art restoration and student support.

Art Brazza's little sister opened its doors in Pointe-Noire in 2022, a few blocks from the town hall on the way to avenue Charles de Gaulle. As in Brazzaville, it exhibits contemporary artists from all over Africa, mainly from the two Congos. The owner, a Frenchwoman with a passion for art who has lived in the Congo for over 10 years, shares with us her favorites from the exhibitions she organizes. A good place to stop and discover new African talent.