Limbé
The town of black-sand beaches, at the foot of Mount Cameroon
South-West Region (capital: Buéa) · Fako department (capital: Limbé)
Limbe is a coastal town in the South-West region, in the Fako department. It lies at the foot of Mount Cameroon on Ambas Bay, about 70 kilometres west of Douala.
History and origin of the name
The town was founded in 1858 by the British Baptist missionary Alfred Saker under the name Victoria. A decree by President Ahidjo renamed it Limbe in 1982. Its botanic garden, created in 1892 by German horticulturists as the Victoria Botanic Garden, was used to acclimatise export crops.
What to see
- The black-sand beaches, a result of the coast's volcanic origins: Mount Cameroon is still an active volcano.
- The Limbe Wildlife Centre, a primate sanctuary founded in 1993, which cares for gorillas, chimpanzees and mandrills rescued from poaching.
- The botanic garden, one of the oldest in the country.
Economy and local life
Fishing is a mainstay of the town. Limbe is also home to SONARA, Cameroon's only oil refinery.
What to eat
Fish grilled on the beach is a classic. The South-West is also eru country, and the town's restaurants serve it.
Practical information
The climate is tropical with abundant rainfall: more than twenty rainy days a month in the wet season.