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Municipality in Angola
Photo: Abanul, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Huambo is a city in Central Angola, and capital of the Huambo Province. It is one of the largest provincial cities in Angola, comparable in size with Lubango and Lobito/Benguela. Once called Nova Lisboa, it was designed in 1912 to be the new capital of Angola, and the beauty of that era is still apparent. Angola's civil war took a massive toll on Huambo and its surrounding areas, leaving most buildings in the city full of bullet holes. Reconstruction efforts have changed the face of the city, and the economy is booming as businesses reinvest.
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Praça da Independencia, Praça 11 de Novembro
This large and beautiful rotunda is surrounded by the governor's palace, the principal government edifices (easily recognized by their pink color), and the central post office. In the middle of the rotunda is a large monument to the nation's first president, Agostinho Neto. Neto was both a soldier and a poet; the statue pays tribute to both sides of the man - he is dressed in military uniform, but seated on the ground writing. Take the time to read the inscription at his feet. Feel free to take pictures of the monument, but try not to point your camera obviously at the surrounding government buildings, so as not to attract unwanted suspicion. Also, make sure to revisit the Praça at night, when it is (usually) attractively lit.
A 5-minute walk south-east from the Praça de Agostinho Neto is the Jardim da Cultura. This is Huambo's central park, gorgeously redone in 2008/9. With some luck, you'll find the water fountains spraying, the music playing, and at night, the lights dancing. On the weekend you'll find the park full of locals enjoying the evening. You'll probably also encounter newlyweds taking their wedding photos here. Congratulate them by saying parabens! (pronounced: pah-rah-baynsh).
White and blue cathedral
Ruins of the house of Jonas Savimbi, former leader of UNITA during the civil war. Walls are ridden with bullet holes. Next to the house is the provincial UNITA party office.
Parish church
Café with slow service but good cheap local food and fresh fruit juices.
Luxury 4-star hotel. Free pool, free parking. The water in the bathrooms is lukewarm but not hot. The Internet connection is sporadic both in the bedrooms and in the lounge.
Market with fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, electronic repairs.
By train
Passenger trains on the CFB (Caminho de Ferro Benguela) arrive from Kuito twice a week, and probably from Benguela too.
By bus
By car
If you have your own vehicle, you can get to Huambo on the main highways in the following (roughly estimated) time frames:
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Huambo · Regional · NOV
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