Luanda Sightseeing
The capital and the largest city of Angola lies on Angola’s Atlantic coast. Sightseeing in Luanda can be a charming affair with its various attractions, shopping destinations, crafts markets with large collections of traditional and beautiful handicrafts, pubs, restaurants and cinema houses. Also there are several opportunities to take adventurous excursions in the Game parks, tours to the monuments and historical structures in Luanda. Some of Luanda’s great sightseeing places includes the following tourist attractions.
i) Kissama Game Park- This game park is located on Luanda’s south. It is one of the best place to get glimpses of a variety of famous African animals in their splendour. You can take exciting safaris inside this park. Comfortable accommodations are also available in this park for the visitors. This park can be easily accessed from Luanda through the Kwanza River. The Kissama Game Park generally remains closed between the months of October to March due to the rainy season.
ii) The Angolan National Bank- It is one of the landmark buildings in Luanda city and was built in the colonial times. It is located in the region of waterfront at the city’s junction.
iii) National Monument- Located on the southwest of Luanda near the Presidential Palace, it is quite an impressive monument. One side of the monument bears the symbol present at the Angolan flag’s center and the other side bears the stars of the MPLA. This monument is visible from quite a distance.
iv) U.S Embassy- It is a fortress located on a hill top which took eight years for completion. This spectacular building located at the Serpentine Lane is appointed with the latest electronic equipments and hi-tech communication devices. Also located on the Serpentine Lane is the building of the U.S consulate called ‘Casa Inglesa’.
v) Church-Ingreza Nossa Senhora dos Remedios de Praia- This is a beautiful church built in the seventeenth century. The church has coloured glass towers and pre-fabricated domes which are made of steel.
vi) Museu Nacional de Antropologia- This museum in Luanda has excellent displays of rare crafts of Angola and information on the city’s history.
vii) Ilha do Massula- This beach in Luanda is beautiful with its white sands and spectacular stretch of coconut palms. Also several bars and restaurants are present on the beach where you can sit back and relax while watching the sunset.
viii) Palmeirinhas and Santiago Beach- The Palmeirinhas beach is located 45 kms south and the Santiago beach 45 kms north of Luanda. Both these beaches are great places for fishing.
Some of the other great places of sightseeing in Luanda includes the Slavery Museum, The Museo Escraviao and the Roque Santeiro. The Roque Santeiro is the liveliest attraction of Luanda with its sprawling outdoor market. It houses 6000 vendors and can be a wonderful experience for you to do shopping and sightseeing.
You can also catch a glimpse of the colourful nightlife of Luanda city by visiting its various night clubs and bars.