|
News
Fea ture
ANGOLA‚"GETTING
BACK ON THE TOURISM PATH"
by
Helen C. Broadus
Angola
is rapidly becoming a must see tourism destination
with the advent of peace and stability returning to
this African country. This beautiful country
is located on the west coast of sub-Saharan Africa,
between the Equator and the Tropic of
Cancer. Its neighbors are the Democratic
Republic of the Congo to the north, Zambia to the
east and Namibia to the south. Angola is
believed to have derived its current name from the
kingdom of Ndongo which was ruled by chiefs known
as ‚"úngola‚". Since its
independence from Portuguese in 1975 it had
suffered severe social and political unrest as a
result of a prolonged civil war. Despite its
past history, it is very good to know that Angola
has managed to regroup and is well on its way
towards getting back on the tourism
trail.
|
Photo Captions - Top:
Cliffs north of the fishing village of
Porto Amboim
Left column: Coastal foothills: Hotel Le
Presidente, Luanda;International airlines
serve Angola; Benguela Bay; Nature's
Wonder; Oil and Gas fuel Angola's economy;
Angola lifestyle; Keve River
Waterfalls;
Right column: South of Sumbe, traditional
fishing boats on beach near the mouth of
the Cubal River; Sunrise on Luanda Bay;
Luanda by day; Luanda by night; Boys
fishing in Luanda Bay; Beach at Porto
Amboim; Wildlife- elephants; Wildlife-
giraffes; Harbor scene; Birding is popular
here; Another view of the falls.Photos
courtesy Infotur, Angola Miistry of
Tourism.
|
 In
fact, Angola will be hosting the Africa Travel
Association's (ATA) Ninth Eco-Tourism Symposium
from October 30th through November 4th,
2005. This will be the first time that such a
major travel and tourism event will be held in
Angola, and there will be daily seminars and
workshops on the travel and tourism industry; gala
luncheons and evening banquets with cultural
entertainment; and plenty of sightseeing and
shopping opportunities.
The
ATA is an international, nonprofit, nonpolitical
and educational organization established in 1975 to
promote the travel and tourism industry of the
Continent of Africa. Its membership is
comprised of African government tourist offices,
international airlines, hotels and resorts, cruise
lines, tour operators, travel agents, tourism
educators and public relations/marketing
firms. For more information about the Africa
Travel Association or the Ninth Eco-Tourism
Symposium in Angola, please visit their website at
www.africa-ata.org.
Rich
in oil and diamonds and other natural resources,
Angola is a sparsely populated country roughly the
combined size of Texas and California. Most of
the country is bisected with heavily-wooded hilly
and mountainous terrain situated in the north and
dry bush and desert terrain situated in the
south. The country has a tropical climate, a
rich and varied wildlife and most of all warm and
friendly people.
Portuguese
is the official business language as well as
international language. There are an
additional six other national languages spoken:
Kikongo, Kimbundo, Umbundu, Chokwe, Mbunda and
Oxikuanyama. The population of Angola is an
estimated ten million of which the Bantu-speaking
people are in the majority with fifty-three percent
of the population Christians (mostly Roman
Catholics) and the remainder adhering to indigenous
beliefs.
Accordingly,
the ‚"Ten Best Reasons to Visit Angola‚"
are: (
a)
the capital city of Luanda which is a vibrant
tourist venue;
(b)
historic reminders of the colonial past;
(c)
a thriving tribal culture with many traditions;
(d)
a tropical climate with year-round pleasant
weather; (
e)
the opportunity to view wildlife in unique and
unfrequented national parks;
(f)
splendid landscapes including rivers, jungles and
mountains;
(g)
a unique heritage of traditional art;
(h)
plenty of water sports in Luanda and nearby towns;
(
i)
the erotic, Angolan "masemba‚" dance performed
by local dancers; and
(j)
traditional Angolan cuisine with a strong
Portuguese influence.
In
addition, local arts and crafts can be purchased in
many marketplaces in Angola. Items made from
ebony, rosewood, straw, malachite, bronze and
pottery are all available. A wide variety of
wooden masks and traditional instruments such as
marimbas kissanges, xingufos, ankle rattles and
drums can also be purchased.
 ....... 
Interesting
Places to Visit while in Angola include the
following:
Luanda
the capital city of Angola, which was founded in
1575 by the Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de
Novais, retains its heritage as a Portuguese
colonial city and there are several interesting
buildings of historical significance and a number
of churches that date back to the 17th
century. Luanda is divided into two parts, the
‚"baxia‚" or old part and the
‚"cidade alta‚" or new
part.
One
of the city's most famous landmarks is the Armed
Forces Museum, which is housed in the St. Miguel
Fort. The National Bank of Angola building, a
large pink colonial building overlooking the palm
fringed bay, which is another example of the legacy
of Portuguese architecture as is the Kinaxixi
market building. Ilha de Luanda, originally an
island, has been joined to the mainland by a
causeway. There, one will find many
discotheques, bars and casinos, as well as
restaurants where national dishes such as palm oil
beans, fish calulu, dried meat, corn funge, chicken
muamba and mufete de cacuso (tilapia) farofa can be
truly savored.
Other
attractions include the Mussulo Peninsula with its
three islets, the largest of which is called the
Island of Priest. Further south, tourist can
visit the Slavery Museum, housed at the site where
slaves were kept while waiting to be taken to
Brazil in the Americas. The Kwanza River mouth
nearby is a beautiful spot for picnics and
fishing.
Kuando
Kubango Province, situated in the far southeastern
area of Angola, bordering Zambia and Namibia, it is
the country's second largest province.
Blessed with two great rivers, the Kuando and
the Kubango, the province forms the gateway to the
rest of southern Africa and certainly has
tremendous potential to become the hub for
cross-border trade and tourism
opportunities. The climate is pleasantly
tropical and dry and the land is rich in many
untapped resources such as timber, diamonds, gold
and copper.
Namibe
Province: Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the
west and Namibia to the south, this province is the
land of the Welwitschia mirabilis, an astonishing
desert plant that resembles a giant
octopus! This plant, which spans 2m to 3m in
diameter, is unique to the region and is
carnivorous! The Namib Desert itself offers
excellent hunting and attracts game hunters from
southern Africa and overseas. With the third
largest port in the country, Namibe Province is one
of the main centers of fishing.
The
province also has very beautiful beaches, with
facilities for water sports and other
activities. One of the most attractive spots
is Bibala Beach, where the water is said to have
healing properties. Kwanza Norte
– which is well known for its
mighty rivers, it is covered by dense tropical
forest in the north and savannah in the
south. The Capanda Dam, situated in the middle
of the Kwanza River, is a hydro-electric power
source and one of the largest civil engineering
projects in the country.
Kwanza
Sul Province ‚ which is bordered by the Bengo,
Kwanza Norte and Malange Provinces in the north,
Brie to the east, Benguela and Huambo to the south
and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The main
tourist attractions in the province include the
waterfalls, thermal springs and caves. The
port, Porto Amboim, is the major access by
sea.
Lunda
Norte and Lunda Sul; this province is famous for
its art and vast reserves of diamonds and was once
part of a powerful ancient kingdom known as
Tchokwe. The kingdom straddled what are now
northeast Angola and the southwestern part of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Today,
Tchokwe sculptures are still popular with art
collectors; one of the most famous being O
Pensador, a graceful sculpture of a philosopher
resting his head in his hands. Bunguela
Province – whose main attraction
is the city of Benguela, known locally as Crimson
Acacia. The province has superb beaches,
including Kaota, Kaotinha, Baia, Azul and Baia
Farta. Scuba diving and deep sea fishing are
very popular pastimes.
Huambo
Province ‚ with its stunning colonial style
buildings has long been the center of Angolan
history. This province has a pleasant climate
and rich, fertile soil that lends itself to much
cultivation.
Zaire
Province; along with its neighboring province of
Uige, Zaire was once part of the Kongo
Kingdom. The heartland of the kingdom
encompassed Mbanza Kongo, the present day capital
of the province. The royal court was based in
the town, which was the center for trade and other
political and economic activities. The
province has vast offshore oil reserves and plays
host to a large number of oil
companies.
The
place where the Congo River meets the sea is one of
the most moving sights in the country and a trip to
the ‚"Point‚" will take one to the site
where the great explorer, Sir Henry Morton Stanley
started his historic trip into the heart of Africa
in search of the famous Dr. David
Livingstone.
Cabinda
Province; the Cabindans have a very rich cultural
tradition and still practice Bantu rituals, such as
initiation ceremonies. The province's most
impressive attraction is the Maiombe Rainforest,
which is especially famous for its
butterflies. There are hundreds of species of
butterflies to be found in the forest, many of
which are unique to the area. Prized by
collectors, specimens of these butterflies can be
found in natural history museums throughout the
world.
Travel
Details:
The
climate in Angola varies depending on the
altitude. The dry season is between May and
October with the rain beginning from November and
December until April. The warmest months are
September and October, while July and August are
the coolest. Lightweight casual
wear is appropriate throughout the year, although
jackets and jerseys are advisable for the evenings
as it can get cold at night. Rainwear is
definitely recommended during the rainy
season. It is generally advisable to consult
with your health care practitioner for
precautionary measures against tropical disease
before traveling to Angola. Medication against
malaria is strongly recommended and it is also
advisable to have a yellow fever
vaccination.
The
local currency is the Kwanza (Kzr) which is named
after one of the larger rivers in Angola and U.S.
dollars are widely accepted. Visas are
required for American citizens and all visitors
must have a valid passport and proof of return
tickets. While most European airlines provide
transport to Angola you should always consult with
your travel agent for specific travel and tourism
assistance as many hotels have recently undergone
refurbishments in Luanda.
For
more information about visiting Angola, please
contact the Embassy of Angola in Washington, D.C.
at telephone: (202) 785-1156 or facsimile at (202)
822-9049 and the mailing address is 2108 Sixteenth
Street, Washington, D.C. 20009. You can also
visit the following website: http://www.angola.org.
About
the author: Helen C. Broadus is the President
of Venue International Professionals, Inc. (VIP)
which is an African-American owned, full-service
travel and tourism company based in the Washington
Metropolitan Area specializing in travel and
tourism destinations to the Continent of
Africa.
For
more information about VIP or to discuss travel and
tour arrangements for visiting Angola, please
contact VIP at 1-877-TO-VENUE [TOLL FREE];
(301) 856-9188 [VOICE]; (301) 868-2218
[FAX]; vipinc@erols.com
[E-MAIL]; and also visit VIP's website at
www.venuetravel.com.
|
