Check out one of the hundreds of backyard restaurants quintais where the vast majority of Luandans have lunch on weekdays. I love taking friends from out of town to Kitanda da Esquina for Portuguese-Angolan small plates, or A Grelha, headed by a well-known Angolan chef, serving generous portions of unusual dishes, such as pineapple fried rice and a huge steak-chop for two.
Be ready for the mosquitos. Bring some serious insect repellant and get all your shots before you go. The last thing you need are malaria or yellow fever souvenirs from your expensive trip to Luanda. Avoid the rush hours—if you can. Luanda is a sprawling city, but it has two main zones: downtown centro and Luanda Sul, where most expats and well-to-do Angolans live.
The southern suburbs have gated condominiums, posh restaurants, and few pedestrians. Travel time from one to the other can vary from 20 minutes at night to two hours at rush hour am am and 4 pm-8 pm. Keep in mind that in the morning, most people travel from Luanda Sul to downtown—and then reverse the route in the afternoon. Make friends.
There are many reasons having a local contact makes a big difference in Luanda—which is not an easy city for visitors—and chief among these is getting around. Most streets have no names, or several one from before independence, one from the socialist era, a new one, plus a slang one. Traffic is chaotic and aggressive, and the roads are bad. Your best bet is to make friends, Angolan or foreign, who have a good feel for the city and are willing to show you around.
Most visitors need a car with a driver: and until you find friends, the usual rental car suspects—Avis, Hertz, Europcar—and local travel agencies will be happy to offer their services, drivers included. Know some landmarks. Travel cheap with a candongueiro. White and blue vans—mostly Toyota HiAces—zip furiously along every road, avenue and alley, carrying millions of people to and from work and everywhere in between.
These collective taxis are how most Luandans get around, at Kwanzas 90 cents per ride. If you want to catch one, study the routes in advance with an Angolan friend so that you know where to get on and off. Know your gasosa from your soda. On the other hand, straight cops have the right to detain you for attempting to bribe them. Always offer to pay the fine. Bring some cash with you to Luanda, and once you land, exchange it in banks anywhere from the airport to downtown.
Angola is having a foreign currency crisis, so your dollars and Euros are most welcome, and rates are favorable. Save money, drink beer. Luandans love their beer.
Angola imports more bottled Portuguese wine than the U. The Cold War was fought with guns in Angola. Its post-independence civil war was intensified by the foreign powers backing different warring factions Cuba and the Soviet Union behind the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, and the U. The city does not offer much in the way of museums and public parks.
A visit to one of the few remaining sobrados , homes built by slavers years ago, with their floors constructed with wood from slave ships that returned empty from Brazil. These dwellings give you a glimpse into the wealth the slave trade created for some. Or walk by the restored colonial building that houses the National Bank of Angola on the Marginale, the wide avenue that runs along Luanda Bay. On Marginale, you can catch a glimpse of the Fort of Saint Miguel, the old Portuguese fort that protected the city for hundreds of years.
Today it houses a museum to the violent recent past that Angola is shaking off. A landscape near Chila Tikita reveals the breathtaking beauty that is Angola. We went for a boat ride with the Kwanza eco-lodge. Another fun option is to rent a kayak and move around at your own pace. Angola is rapidly growing, so visiting its capital will always be filled with new discoveries and unique contrasts.
One of the most well-known ones is Benefica, in the south of Luanda. It sells everything from food and jewellery to art and clothes. If you want to hit up a classic mall, Belas Shopping, Shopping Avenida, Talatona Shopping and the Fortaleza Shopping all offer an international shopping experience.
Taxis are the best and safest way to get around in Luanda. You can also opt for candogueiros mini bus cabs for a more authentic experience, there are many and easy to spot thanks to their pale blue and white paint. Candogueiros are safe and convenient during the daytime and the same rule applies for walking: best when the sun is out! There are also several car rental services, hiring a driver is also recommended if the budget allows. If you would like to explore a luxury train experience, be sure to research the Rovos Rail train journey between Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and Lobito, Benguela.
This content is not available in your region. Text size Aa Aa. Loving Luanda the way the locals do. Kizomba Dance - an Angolan celebration! Angola's great map Euronews.
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