Don't confuse Congo with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC is different country than the Republic of Congo (ROC), also known as Congo-Brazzaville.
Parlez Francais. The official language in the Republic of Congo is French.
Visit between June and October, which are the drier, cooler months. Overall, the weather in Brazzaville is warm and extremely humid. In accommodations without air conditioning, you will find that the bedding is always slightly damp.
Change dollars to the Congolese franc at your hotel. Exchanges are not easy to find.
Fly to the MayaMaya airport in Brazzaville from major airports in Gabon, Cameroon, and Angola.
Ride with the locals (and potentially their chickens) in one of the shared buses and taxis that run within central Brazzaville and nearby villages.
Walk between almost all the tourist attractions, including the zoo and museums. Most accommodations are also within walking distance to attractions.
To book accommodations, contact Ministère du Tourisme et de l'Environnement at 011 (+242) 81 40 31.
Find a hotel near the city center to experience great shopping by day and lively clubbing by night.
Consider volunteering to teach English or help aid workers in exchange for free accommodations. If you have the time, this is the best way to experience the culture of the city.
Check out the Brazzaville Catholic Cathedral, which offers inexpensive rooms and is one of Brazzaville's biggest tourist attractions.
Look across the river towards Kinshasha, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire. Stay in one city and visit the other.
Visit Brazzaville's markets to find everything from peanut butter to aphrodisiacs. Marche Total, named after the Total gas station marking the entrance, is the largest market and offers great people-watching.
