Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau🇬🇼

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Traveling to Guinea-Bissau? Land Connected.

Guinea-Bissau is West Africa at its most laid-back — the Bijagós islands, Creole-speaking Bissau and a coastline that still feels undiscovered. Install your CGOO eSIM before you fly and you connect at Bissau airport without hunting for a SIM shop, and your own number stays reachable for calls and texts back home.

Choose the Plan That Fits Your Trip

  • Fixed data or unlimited: pick from the plan grid above by trip length and data use — fixed-data plans for maps, messaging and light browsing, unlimited plans for heavy use and hotspotting.
  • Instant delivery: your QR code and installation link are emailed within minutes of checkout. Install before your flight; validity starts on the day you activate.
  • Coverage note: coverage is strongest in Bissau and the main towns and thins fast on the islands and rural roads — download offline maps before you leave the city.

Travel Highlights

  • Bijagós Archipelago: the island chain off the coast — Bubaque, Orango and the smaller islands, with beaches, fishing villages and hippos on Orango.
  • Bissau: the old town, the fort area and the markets around Praça dos Heróis Nacionais, best on foot in the cooler hours.
  • Cacheu: the historic river town and its fort, a reminder of the region's trading past.
  • Varela: the long Atlantic beach near the Senegalese border, a quiet escape from the capital.
  • Orango National Park: island wildlife and saltwater hippos, reached by boat from Bubaque.

Getting Around

  • Airport: Osvaldo Vieira International Airport (OXB) sits about 9 km north-east of central Bissau — toca-toca minibuses and shared taxis run from the main road outside the terminal, and hotel cars meet most flights.
  • Ride-hailing: no established ride-apps like Uber, Bolt or Lyft operate in Bissau — yellow taxis with white roofs are unmetered, so agree the fare before you set off, and use hotel-arranged cars at night.
  • To the islands: the public boat from Bissau Velho to Bubaque runs a few times a week, takes 4 to 6 hours and shifts with the tides — buy your ticket at the port the day before.
  • Minibuses: toca-tocas run fixed routes in Bissau and sept-places shared taxis link the main towns, both leaving when full.

Safety and Practical Tips

Petty crime happens in Bissau's markets and crowded areas, and political demonstrations can flare up, so keep valuables out of sight, avoid demonstrations and use hotel-arranged transport after dark.

Portuguese and Kriol are the languages of daily life; medical facilities are limited, so carry any medication you need and comprehensive travel insurance.

Entry and Visa

Entry rules depend on your passport: many visitors need a visa, available as an eVisa or on arrival, while citizens of 14 West African countries enter visa-free. Check the current visa, passport-validity and onward-travel requirements for your passport before you fly.

Weather and Climate

  • Bissau and the coast: hot all year, broadly around 27–32°C, with a wet season from June to October and a dry season from November to May.
  • Wettest months: July to September bring the heaviest rain, when some rural roads become difficult.
  • Bijagós islands: the same wet-dry pattern, with boat schedules shifting around tides and weather.
  • Best window: November to May is the most comfortable time for most trips, with the least rain.

Money and Payments

  • Currency: the West African CFA franc (XOF) is the official currency; cash is the only accepted payment for taxis and minibuses.
  • Cards: cards are rarely accepted outside a few larger hotels in Bissau — cash is essential for most day-to-day spending.
  • Wise: Wise works wherever Visa or Mastercard is accepted; there is no local-currency balance claim here.
  • ATMs: ATMs in Bissau can be unreliable, especially after hours, so carry enough CFA cash and arrange airport pickup in advance for late arrivals.