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When it comes to obvious tourist destinations, few would put the west African nation of Liberia high on the list. The brutal but long-ended civil war of the 1990s still casts a dark shadow over the country. Internationally, it’s difficult for anyone to forget the images they witnessed. Within the country, everyday life is still affected by those years, and it’s not hard to find signs of the continued peacekeeping missions. However, travellers with a sense of the curious will find an intriguing nation rising out of the ashes. These are the best 9 things to do in Liberia, Africa.
1. National Museum, Monrovia
Occupying a relatively humble building right in the heart of the nation’s capital, the National Museum is an excellent way in which to begin exploring the history of the nation.
A great team are keen to explain the origins of the country as an area for freed slaves to return to Africa, hence ‘Liberia’ and the national motto of ‘a love of liberty brought us here’.
Staff members are also not afraid to shy away from the realities of the civil war years. They even saw the museum looted and much of its display collection stolen. Even so, there are some fine examples of tribal carvings and furniture from the country’s earliest days.
On the upper floor you’ll find a fascinating series of images taken by Associated Press (AP) journalists during the war. These provide a huge contrast to the quiet streets of Monrovia on a Sunday morning.
2. Lake Piso
Separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow strip of land, Lake Piso lies beside the town of Robertsport. This is the first settlement of any significant size if crossing the border from Sierra Leone.
Accommodation around the lake is humble, but the vistas magnificent. It would be very easy to lose a day gazing out across the lake with a sweaty beer in hand.
If you fancy a little more action, Lake Piso also offers the chance for some Old Man and the Sea style fishing.
Keep an eye out on the surface of the water. You might well see smaller fish plaining across the water. They do this to escape the larger predatory fish that make a huge amount of noise when they breach the surface.
3. Sapo National Park
The country’s first national park, Sapo National Park is its largest area of protected rainforest. It is one of the most important areas of jungle in this part of west Africa.
It’s claimed by the charity Conservation International to have the greatest diversity of mammals in the world. One hundred and twenty five different species of mammal have been recorded within the park’s limits.
These include the very rare pygmy hippo, chimpanzees, pangolins and river otters. This makes it the home of some of the most endangered species anywhere in Africa.
While facilities may still be in their infancy, as one of the best 9 things to do in Liberia, it would be hard to turn down the chance to explore this area of jungle.
4. Harper
At the southern end of the country, the town of Harper can feel a world away from the slightly edgy streets of Monrovia.
It’s wide yet largely traffic-free streets are lined with some impressive structures dating to Liberia’s heyday before the civil war. This makes it for me one of the best 9 things to do in Liberia.
Many stand semi-derelict, including one with masonic iconography on its exterior walls. Another was the holiday home of a former Liberian president.
While light on specific things to do, Harper is a great place to soak up the atmosphere and imagine what this small town near the southernmost point in west Africa must have once been like.
5. Mount Nimba
Also known by some as Mount Richard-Molard, there’s no doubting Mount Nimba is the more evocative name.
Situated on the border with both Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), it’s the highest peak in all three countries, at 1,752 meters above sea level.
Hiking routes are best accessed via the town on Yekepa (in Liberia). The hike to the summit allows walkers to explore the montane grasslands that form another important ecosystem within the country.
Although threatened, the mountain’s slopes comprise a strict nature reserve, meaning hunting isn’t permitted, providing a safe home for all manner of smaller creatures.
6. Rubber Plantations
Travel out of Monrovia, or even from the international airport at Robertsfield to the capital, and it’s likely you’ll come across Liberia’s forest of rubber trees.
Their straight, silver bodies stand in neat rows across the country’s lowland regions. Rubber has been an important – and controversial – part of the economy for at least a century now.
Though these plantations are generally off-limits to visitors on an official capacity (and you shouldn’t enter without someone knowing you’re there), it is sometimes possible to visit on an unofficial capacity.
The Firestone plantation in Marshall is one such location. The exact access you’ll be given pretty much depends on who’s around that day, but may include the processing plant as well as the weeping rubber trees themselves.
7. Waterside Market
Back in the capital, Waterside Market is undoubtedly the most phrenetic of markets in the country. Perhaps not for the faint hearted (but then little in Liberia is), you’ll feel much less out of place if you come with the intention of buying.
And though the stalls may look ramshackle in appearance, there is order to them. The traders are as savvy as any I’ve met, so you’ll need to haggle hard, but that’s part of the fun.
The vegetables might not be of much interest, but you’ll also find everything from everyday kitchen ceramics to leatherwork and imported second-hand clothing.
8. Lofa-Mano National Park
This national park follows the growing trend for transfrontier parks in Africa, joining up with Gola Rainforest National Park on the other side of the international frontier in Sierra Leone.
Another important area of primary tree cover belonging to the Upper Guinean Tropical Rainforest habitat, much of the park remains unexplored.
Edged to the east by the Lofa River, accessing the forest by means of a small boat is one of the most glorious ways in which to begin any tour.
It’s also one of the best places to witness some of the 330 different bird species that call the park their home.
9. Buchanan
Drift south along the coast from Monrovia and you’ll probably end up in the port town of Buchanan.
Named after the second governor of the country, Buchanan was founded by black Quakers from the United States.
A major port (though still small by international standards), it’s worth the sea voyage or rough roads to get here to enjoy the blend of quiet beaches and warm lagoons.
Buchanan is also a place to see the bounty lurking beneath the waves, with fishermen regularly bringing vast tuna and other giant species to shore in the mornings.
The best 9 things to do in Liberia, Africa
Liberia has its troubles. And tourism doesn’t yet exist even as it does in neighbouring countries. However, make the effort, and Liberia can provide you with a range of colourful experiences it will be difficult to forget. So short of struggling to find a list of the best 9 things to do in Liberia, Africa, the nation has a steadily growing gambit of attractions.
