| OGGOUE-MARITIME | |
Location Located on the Gabonese coast near the equator in the south-west of the country, Ogooué Maritime is Gabon's eighth province and covers an area of 22,890 km². The province is bordered to the north by Estuaire, to the north-east by Moyen-Ogooué, to the east by Ngounié and to the south by Nyanga. The native inhabitants are Nkomie. Environment : The region is relatively uninhabited and not easily accessible. The climate is sunny and temperate throughout the year in the north. However in September, the climate is cool and dry, and hot and humid the rest of the year. Activities revolve around avenue Savorgnan de Brazza in the town centre, the busiest areas being the Port-Môle zone and its new BAC Aviation district. Culture : On a cultural level, the province derives its rituals from the Ndjembè rites, an initiation dance reserved for women. However, the men often take part in the different initiatory steps for spiritual and traditional reasons. In some cases, there can be an equally good turnout for ceremonies for rejoicing and marking the end of mourning. Transport : In terms of travel, the province has a very busy airport with several flights every week. Air Gabon in particular offers several flights, as do some small airlines. Road travel in the region is catered for by the car hire companies Avis, Europcar and Hertz. Any travellers wishing to cross the lakes can enquire at Rivertour and the inland navigation company. Accommodation The hotels in and around the province are suited to everyone's budget. In other words, you will find several motels but also two major hotels in highly attractive specialised locations, offering European and African cooking epitomised by the local dish, Odika. |