|
Cameroon's Leading Hotel 2012
and the winner is:
Le Meridien Douala
The following were nominated for
Cameroon's Leading Hotel 2012
HILTON YAOUNDE
HOTEL AKWA PALACE
Yaounde,
Cameroon's Visitor- friendly Capital with seven
hills
by
Jerry W. Bird
 After
spending several fun weeks in Yaounde. Cameroon's
capital city, the place really started to feel like
home. Almost everyone we encountered knew who we
were and made us welcome, and the local print and
broadcast media were anxious to record and publish
our views on the country and its potential for
trade and tourism. To say that I am yearning to
return at the drop of a hat is truly an
understatement - the Yaounde experience stands out
as one of the most uforgettable periods of my life.
Our book of memories is full to the brim with
images of Cameroon and its people, and our
magazine's photo library is loaded with great
scenes. Having a background in audio visual writing
and production, one facet I remember most vividly
about Yaounde was the endless number of superb
cinemascopic vistas, starting with the view from
the Hilton Yaounde's penthouse. Cruising the
winding road to the Mount Febé Hotel is
awesome, and the impressive route that leads to the
modern government complex makes you think you're on
the Riviera. After all, like Rome, this emerging
Africa capital incorporates seven charming hills,
and each offers a different set of perspectives.
.png) As
time marches on, say another decade or so, I can
envision the city growing even more attractive,
liveable and cosmopolitan. We stayed long enough to
pick some favorite places to dine, and one of mine
is simply called the "Cafe Yaounde." It's an
Italian style restaurant that resembles a Roman
villa, perched on a hillside and surrounded by lush
gardens - with a live monkey guarding the entrance.
As a matter of fact, a garden party was in progress
on our second visit. We spent several delightful
candlelit evenings there, taking our time learning
about Cameroon, gazing out over the city. Of course
the food and wines were superb. Before our next
edition of Africa Travel Magazine, I will add more
impressions of Yaounde and area, but for the
moment, here is some information on how we at ATA
presented our impressions of Cameroon to the world.
Another
highlight was the huge outdoor marketplace we
encountered on the way to a baptism ceremony, that
included everything from fresh pineapples to a
bustling lumber yard, where individuals sell
building product direct - one of the best examples
of free enterprise I've seen anywhere. Living in an
area of Canada that's dependent upon forestry, this
was of particular interest. The city offers a wide
variety of interesting shops, and we spent several
days going back and forth to the tailors having
purchased bolts of colorful fabric for custom made
African Clothing. It's really a buyers'
paradise.
ATA's
Cameroon message on BBC
Ever since returning from Cameroon, we've been
spreading the word that here's a country that's
truly ready to welcome visitors and doing
everything to pave the way. That's why we are so
pleased with response from other media, such as the
prestgious British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC).
The
Africa Travel Association was featured on BBC World
Service in London. A BBC World Service Radio
interview featured the ATA 5th Ecotourism, Commerce
& Investment Symposium in Yaounde, Cameroon in
December, 2001. Executive Director Mira Berman was
interviewed at BBC's New York studios prior to the
event. The second part of the program took included
a telephone interview with the Secretary General of
the Cameroon Ministry of Tourism during the
Ecotourism Symposium. Cameroon hosted a highly
successful Ecotourism, Commerce and Investment
Symposium in 2001, which we enjoyed to the fullest
as a learning experience and an example of African
hospitality at its best.
On
behalf of my ATA colleagues, I encourage you to
visit this fascinating country during 2003 - the
climate is
superb.
Editor's Comment: In addition to the Hon.
Minister Hele, we thank our tour supervisors
Ebenezer Elimbi, Jean Npombo and Boniface Piga.
They were great companions throughout my 30 days in
the country. Our travels in Cameroon will
eventually be compiled in a book that will help
future travelers from North America enjoy this
fascinating country to the fullest. It was a month
we will treasure forever, and even as time passes,
the images and voices of Cameroon have not faded
one iota - they've become even more vivid in the
theater of my mind. What I truly love about the
many Cameroonians whom I've come to know - is that
to a person, they "Accentuate the
Positive."
About
Cameroon
With a population comprising more than two
hundred and fifty ethnic groups having traditions
dating a thousand years back, a biodiversity
characterized by forest, savannah and mountains,
the richest and most diversified fauna, Cameroon
has an enormous ecotourist potential. There are
four sites which are really worth mentioning : the
Dja Forest Reserve, the Korup National Park, the
Limbe Botanic Garden and Ebodje.
 THE
DJA RESERVE
Situated in the South Province of Cameroon and
declared since 1987 a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO, the Dja Forest Reserve covers a surface
area of 5,260 km2. More than 1,500 plant species
have been identified there. With regard to fauna,
there are more than 107 mammals and some 320 bird
species found in and around the forest reserve.
This fauna comprises notably: Elephants, gorillas
and chimpanzees. Cameroon
THE
KORUP NATIONAL PARK
As for the Korup National Park, it is situated
in the South West Province of Cameroon. It has a
surface area of 1 259 km2 and is considered to be
one of the oldest and most beautiful tropical rain
forests in the world. Its rich flora and fauna
result from a unique fact :the site of the Korup
Park, in fact survived the ice age!
Today,
Korup can be compared to a museum which is more
than 60 million years old. Studies carried out
there have led to the discovery of more than 400
tree species, many of which are medicinal. The
park's present popularity stems from the fact that
a creeper has been discovered there. This plant
(aucistroclaudus Korupensis) is believed to have
constituents useful in the cure of some forms of
cancer and HIV, Aids. As for the fauna, there are
more than 300 bird species inside the park and 100
others in the neighboring zones, 174 reptiles and
amphibians and 140 fish species living in several
streams which flow across the park.
A
VISIT TO KORUP
The Korup National Park is developed as a
natural fauna reserve where one can still find
elephants, buffalos, antelopes, leopards,
chimpanzees, drills and a variety of other small
animals.
Visitors
to the park who generally leave Douala arrive
Mundemba, the headquarters of the park, by passing
through Kumba and Ekondo Titi, through a distance
of 250 km of which 115 (Kumba-Mundemba) is untarred
one could also get to Korup by boat from Limbe
through the Rio del Rey into the Ndian
river.
USEFUL
INFORMATION: A tourist attraction center known
as 'jungle village' has been developed. Tourists
are advised to carry equipment, (appropriate
clothes and shoes) in order to protect themselves
notably from insect bites and ants. Entry fees are
paid to the Park Officials who provide tourist
guides on hire basis.
Shelter
is provided inside the park for tourists who wish
to spend the night. Tourists are advised to bring
along mosquito tents and insecticides. Mundemba,
the headquarters of the Korup project is the
departure point for all excursions into the
mangrove forest, the park, the river Ndian and
neighboring Nigeria. The town has a few lodging
facilities.
ADDRESS: The Conservator, Korup National Park
P.O Box 303 Buea, WWF Cameroon
P.O Box 2417 Douala, Tel/Fax : (237) 343 21
71
THE
LIMBE BOTANIC GARDEN
Created in 1892 by German horticulturists to
acclimatize economic and medicinal plants such as
quinine, coffee, rubber, cocoa and banana, the
botanic garden in Limbe also served as a training
center for Cameroonians in the field of
agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Today, it
has become the greatest tourist attraction in the
South West Province after Mount Cameroon. It is
also an international research center in the area
of bio-diversity.
A
tourist attraction center known as "jungle
village" has been developed in the garden.
Here, popular cultural activities take place during
certain events or simply for the pleasure of
tourists. Several routes have been mapped out to
enable tourists to visit the garden such as
:
-
the coastal trail, which enables tourists to have a
good view of the western part of the garden
;
-
the biodiversity trail, which enables the tourist
to get a picture of the biodiversity found in the
garden ;
-
the Bota adventure trail, where big trees and some
wild animals can be seen;
-
the riverside trail, where trees and creepers more
than 100 years old etc. are found.
ADDRESS:
Limbe Botanic Garden
P.O Box 437, Limbe, Cameroon
Tel. (237) 333 26 20
Tel / Fax : (237) 343 18 76/343 18 72
E-mail : mcplbg @iccnet.cm
EBODJE
VILLAGE
Ebodje village is found on the banks of the
Atlantic Ocean, some 50 km from Kribi, on the road
to Campo : This village, whose inhabitants have as
their main occupation fishing, has beautiful
beaches propitious to walks and
swimming.
Excursions
by boat on the sea or the river Likodo are also
possible. You can also take a walk to the "Rocher
du Loup" or go by car and be accompanied by a guide
to tell the myth of the village. Ebodje was
recently chosen as the site for the protection of
sea tortoises by a regional project, Protomac.
Tortoises usually come to the beach from
November-January to lay eggs.
Tourists
visiting Ebodje are advised to take along:
- a pair of additional bed sheets
- a mosquito tent and anti-mosquito products
- bottles of mineral water.
ADDRESS:
Campo-Ma'an Project
SNV eco-development section,
BP. 219 Kribi, Tel/Fax : (237) 346 21 37
Cel : (237) 990 90 38, E-mail Campo-maan@
genet.cm
Masks
are a key part of the Cameroon Culture
Whether they are of wood, beads or animal
skins, masks perpetuate over all the country;
shapes and ideas that have come down from the dawn
of time. In the area of ecotourism, one may also
mention: - the site of the dinosaur in Manangia,
North Province (Mayo Rey). This site which dates
back to 120 million years was first discovered in
1988. Two hundred and fifty footprints and some
fifty tracks of the dinosaur have been
fossilized.
.png)
Jerry W. Bird is President of ATA Canada Chapter,
Editor and Publisher of Africa Travel Magazine, and
Webmaster for the ATA site www.africa-ata.org. He
is also Publisher of Air Highways Magazine, the
Journal of Open Skies, featuring aviation, tourism,
transportation and business worldwide. His career
began with the Edmonton Journal Daily Newspaper,
and expanded into the full spectrum of media -
radio, television, magazines and Internet. He has
won international awards for creativity in audio
visual and print production.
More
coverage of Africa on our World
Scene
and Air
Highways
sites.
|
.
.
