Fascinating Liberia

Liberia a country in West Africa is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Cote d’Ivoire. It sits on the Atlantic coast and offers many beaches and nature reserves.

Taking a Look at the Capital, Monrovia

Hotel Ducor was originally built by Pan Am Airlines. It was once a luxury hotel and the site of key political meetings. Today even though it is a ruin it is well worth taking a look at. It has become one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations. You can roam the once lovely grounds and get a peek at the large swimming pool.

Head for the vibrantly active Waterside Market which offers most everything for sale, from colorful textiles to shoes and leather goods and so much more.

The Liberia National Museum offers visitors photo and art exhibitions. There are also fine ethnic and historical displays. You can see founding father J.J. Roberts’ dining table which was a gift from Queen Victoria of England. There are also paintings and items that represent Liberian tribal cultures. The museum has found a home in the building that was once the former legislature.

Silver Beach is a lovely beach for sunbathing, walking, and relaxing. It is home to the best beach snack place in the area. Located just 15 km southeast of Monrovia.

Visitors like to admire the architecture of the First United Methodist Church.

A popular beach is Thinker’s Beach. It is a well-known party beach and gets crowded on weekends. Located 17 km from Monrovia.

Providence Island is the spot where freed American slaves first came ashore. In the future, the government is planning to turn the island into a historical attraction. It is just a short drive across the Gabriel Tucker Bridge from Waterside Market.

The Executive Mansion is a sprawling eight-story semicircular structure. It is home to the Liberian president and holds the offices of the executive staff and other political staff. It is closed to the public.

Monument to JJ Roberts, who was Liberia’s first president. It is a tall rectangle with Roberts statue in front.

Even though the Masonic Temple isn’t open to the public it is worth strolling past this Freemason building to see the impressive architectural details.

Rivoli Cinema is an interesting building showing mainly Bollywood movies.

Taking a Look at Liberia

Sapo National Park is the most famous of Liberia’s duo of national parks. It stretches for 1,804 square kilometers in the Upper Guinean Rainforest. It has one of the highest mammal biodiversity of anywhere in the world.

In the old-growth woods, you can see pygmy hippos and white-crested Diana monkeys, crocodiles, leopards, speckled-throated otters, and chimpanzees.

For those who love surfing, Robertsport is the top of all of Liberia’s surfing spots. Here you can see long-haired wave riders hitting the rolling Atlantic swells. There are many surf schools. Visitors enjoy hiking along the coast of Cape Mount Bay to see the trademark timber and stone churches along the shore.

The sprawling town of Gbarnga is surrounded by sweeping mud plains and the forests of inland Liberia. This is the regional capital of Bong County. This town is also home to the over 100-year-old Cuttington University which is one of the most prestigious in the country. You’ll also see some dramatic waterfalls and earthy guesthouses.

Harbel on the Farmington River lies close to the Atlantic coast. Here you can find monkey-dotted beaches in resort towns south of Monrovia. The town is home to the largest rubber plantation in the world and it is surrounded by rubber tree forests. It is also home to Roberts International Airport, the main access point to the northwest of the nation.

The Gola National Forest is the new name for the Lofa-Mano National Park. The amazing primeval rainforest that sprawls along the northern border of Sierra Leone. Here you can see verdant canopies and endless stretches of colossal tree trunks and boughs. It is home to exotic dragonflies, chimpanzees, rare pygmy hippos, and much more.

Visitors enjoy the small archipelago named Monkey Island where chimps inhabit the jungles.

East Nimba Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here visitors delight in highland savannahs, lowland rainforests, and rare animals like the West African lion.