Sassandra Information

Summers in Côte d'Ivoire call for a surfing trip to Sassandra, one of the country's 58 departments lying at the Bas-Sassandra Region of the Western Coast. A century-old lighthouse and a long strip of solemn coast make Sassandra a popular jump-off point for beach hopping. While approaching Sassandra, bush taxis and minibuses from Abidjan encounter a highway lined with shanties and dilapidated houses on both sides. Upon arrival, visitors are immediately flanked by African vendors carrying basins full of root crops and giant crustaceans atop their heads. Some tourists buy shrimps to be barbecued for a picnic on the beach, while others follow and watch little children as they hunt for a crabe poilu (small red crab) hiding in holes on the sand.

On the way to the beach, travelers cross in paved alleys between plantations, watching for falling coconuts as if crossing a minefield. Surfers glue their eyes on an exposed reef break, while hikers survey the dense jungles just across a lagoon. For a safer trail, some trekkers prefer the guided tours in the nearby Gaoulou National Park, although wildlife there is not as copious as in the country's bigger natural reserves.

There are tourists politely taking pictures of fishermen fixing their nets, while there are others who get more actively involved in action by arranging boat tours or hiring canoes for a chance to see the manatees and hippos on the way to Île du 7ème Art, a small museum of African masks, 12 kilometers to the north. Simple rooms and bungalows are just around the corner to offer privacy. Most of these have a beachfront maqui (small, open-air restaurant) that serves snacks like papayas and cabosse de cacao and full meals like spiced seafood and cheap fish dishes.

Sassandra has its own airport for domestic flights, but bush taxis and minibuses are also present for tracking other resort destinations like San Pedro, a port town with a swimming area safe from sharks and rocks. Though they are usually present, Sassandra continues to attract tourists in large numbers.