Monrovia
The capital of Liberia, the busy and dirty Monrovia, doesn’t have the best reputation. In fact, a foreigner employed there told me before I arrived that I should get a bodyguard. My worries were not allayed by the massive coils of razor wire that were placed atop each structure in the metropolis. But Monrovia ended up being a wonderful experience.
Where can I go in Monrovia to have fun? Take a stroll along Broad Street to the impressive Masonic Temple and fascinating Ducor Hotel ruins. Explore Waterside Market and haggle ferociously. Follow Tubman Street through the University of Liberia campus and the former headquarters of the UN Peacekeeping Mission (removed in 2018). It’s a bustling city that’s interesting to explore.
There are plenty of places to stay in Monrovia, although most visitors are not tourists but rather foreign employees on corporate stipends. As a result, costs increase, making it difficult for travelers on a tight budget to discover really inexpensive options. St. Theresa’s Convent and Miss Emily’s Place have had wonderful reviews, in my opinion.
Robertsport
The expat community enjoys weekend getaways to Robertsport, a beach town a few hours west of Monrovia. There are several lovely beaches and a minor surfing culture. Additionally, it’s a beautiful, laid-back town to just stroll through.
If you’re searching for a place to stay in Robertsport, I strongly recommend Nana’s Lodge, especially for backpackers seeking for a secure location to set up camp. Nana’s boasts a great on-site restaurant and bar, pleasant staff, and is located directly on the beach. If memory serves, their cottages were roughly $100, but for $5 a night, they let me to set up my tent on their beach and use their restrooms and showers. Amazing offer!
Robertsport may be reached after a short drive on a paved route from Monrovia and then on well-maintained dirt. If you chance to be travelling overland from Sierra Leone, Robertsport is on the road to Monrovia and makes an excellent stop. You may be left off at the intersection of the main highway, from which point you must board another shared taxi or find other transportation. Even though all the local women at the bus station tried frantically to wave down a car for me, I waited for a few hours before they finally located one.
Ganta
Ganta is a bustling, colorful commercial town close to the Guinean border. It’s a nice place to halt whether you’re heading up to Yekepa or heading east toward Zwedru. Ganta lacks a one must-see attraction like so many other towns in the area. Instead, there are a number of streets, eateries, and market stalls to explore as well as interested inhabitants with whom to strike up talks.
In Ganta, there are a few inexpensive guesthouses, but I suggest the Traveller’s Motel. It is operated by an industrious family who also runs the neighborhood pharmacy and small medical clinic. It is inexpensive and pleasant. The electricity was quite dependable, which is rare for motels in this price category in tiny Liberian towns. They boiled water for me to wash with and operated the generator even throughout the day.
Due to a recently paved road, it takes just around three hours to get from Monrovia to Ganta. In a nation where dirt and mud are the norm, it’s unfortunate that people drive too quickly on these smooth roads. I would strongly advise against using this section of road after dark, when poor visibility and negligent drivers frequently result in accidents.
The Red Light market area, which is not the greatest part of town, is where the cabs for Ganta depart from in Monrovia. For further information, see the safety warnings for Monrovia above.
Yekepa
Yekepa is a drinking town with a mining issue, as some bored and amusing expats described to me over drinks. The steel and mining corporation ArcelorMittal created, owned, and ran almost everything in it. The cookie-cutter white container homes that stand out in weird contrast to the typical shanties are reason enough to visit on their own.
The Company,” as everyone refers to it, is renowned for offering much-needed jobs and top-notch educational opportunities. Still, it’s a little startling to see all the foreign expatriates living in their little container homes with hot running water and washing machines while the natives live in shanties with corrugated roofs, like they do everywhere else. However, not all of the foreigners at this remote outpost are content. If you linger long enough close to the “supermarket” or the hotel, a bunch of them will undoubtedly ask you over for some beers and conversation.
The Company,” as everyone refers to it, is renowned for offering much-needed jobs and top-notch educational opportunities. Still, it’s a little startling to see all the foreign expatriates living in their little container homes with hot running water and washing machines while the natives live in shanties with corrugated roofs, like they do everywhere else. However, not all of the foreigners at this remote outpost are content. If you linger long enough close to the “supermarket” or the hotel, a bunch of them will undoubtedly ask you over for some beers and conversation.
Zwedru
The logical spot to stop on the way from Ganta to Harper is Zwedru. There isn’t a particular tourist site here, like many of these locations to visit in Liberia. However, there is a town to explore, a market to peruse, and several eateries where you can have a meal and a beverage together. Additionally, it serves as a launching pad for excursions to see the animals in Sapo National Park.
There’s a good small guesthouse right across the street from the taxi park. I don’t think it’s on Google Maps, but the locals can point you to it. In the little maze of stalls behind the taxi park there’s a small shop run by a nice Fulani Guinean-Liberian man selling egg sandwiches, among other things. If you can track him down, it’s a great place to sit and chat while waiting for your shared taxi to fill.
Travel Between Ganta and Zwedru
Right across the street from the taxi park is a nice little hostel. The locals can direct you there even though I don’t believe it is on Google Maps. Among other things, an egg sandwich is sold in a little shop managed by a friendly Fulani Guinean-Liberian amid the small maze of kiosks behind the taxi park. It’s a fantastic spot to relax and chat while you wait for your shared cab to fill, if you can find him.
My advice: get to the taxi park in Ganta early in the morning. Choose a car with 4wd, if you have an option. The ride to Zwedru will likely take all day and night, so if you don’t want to be on the road after dark (not recommended due to hazardous driving and road conditions), buy a ticket only to Tapeta.
Fish Town
My other cab riders had introduced me to a Fish Town Peace Corps member who was shocked to see me. Over an extra-large bottle of Club Beer in the neighborhood bar, he told me, “There hasn’t been a visitor in Fish Town since I arrived here.
It’s true that Fish Town doesn’t provide a lot of activities. On top of that, I also had dinner with a local English instructor, met the town’s superintendent, and became good friends with two Liberian UN personnel. There are a few inexpensive hotels and eateries in the city. That’s truly all you need, especially when combined with the natives’ kindness.
Keep in mind that Harper is close to Fishtown Beach as well. Supposedly, that’s a lovely locat ion.
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