Bad officiating caused Côte d’Ivoire to be cheated out of the opportunity to be one of the African nations to advance in the World Cup. Political instability has also cheated this country along with the other African nations represented here.

Read any country’s official travel warnings and you will likely find Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria on the no-go list. It is unfortunate that people miss out on all that these places have to offer and the locals miss out too on a much-needed boost to the economy from responsible tourism dollars.

Click on the links below to see what the Lonely Planet has to say about the attractions in:

Algeria
This North African nation shares the Sahara desert with its neighbouring countries. If you can’t get there anytime soon, check out Rai music to get a sense of life as seen through the eyes of the artists.
Cameroon
Formerly ruled by a succession of European powers (German, French and British) Cameroon offers beaches, wildlife and a rainforest as its natural attractions.
Côte d’Ivoire
This country in northwestern Africa is one of the world’s top producers of cacao (that’s chocolate to you and me). Make sure the source is certified fair-trade.
Nigeria
Sadly many people only know the name Nigeria as part of e-mail scams. This country is rich in history, culture and natural wonders.

 

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
~Maya Angelou~

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.”
~Aldous Huxley~