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City in Houet Province, Burkina Faso
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Semiliki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
With a population of more than half a million, Bobo-Dioulasso is the second largest city in Burkina Faso, and is a major center of culture and music. The city has many historic buildings reflecting its complex past.
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A fine example of Sahel-style mud architecture, the mosque was built by a local king to uphold his side of a bargain. Invaders from the Kenedougou Kingdom (in present-day Mali) were set to overtake the city, so the local king sought help to fend them off. The Islamic leader Almamy Sidiki Sanou agreed to help him provided he build a mosque in the city. After successfully fending off the invasion, the mosque was completed in 1832. It has undergone rennovations and expansions throughout the years since that time.
Burkinabè-inspired French food
All rooms have private bathroom and toilet.
Great because it is literally one block from the Bobo Peace Corps Bureau if you like to have a 3 minute commute to work (if you came to Bobo to work that is). PVCs have a 2000cfa a night discount (other prices can be from 3000 to 6000 cfa depending on the room). They have passable meals, coffee, bread. The rooms are OK but expect to smell a mouldy smell partout. Most bathrooms and showers are shared.
Mission Apostolique
Also on the cheaper side: 3500 cfa for one person (you get a room usually with two beds ) sharing bathroom and showers etc. Rooms for 10.000 cfa available with air conditioning.
On the more expensive side beginning around 15,000 – 30,000cfa. Has a pool.
A safe hotel but in need of renovation.
An extension of the Italian restaurant Da Giovanni, with ventilated or air-con rooms, each with a private hot water bathroom, free WiFi, and a garden. One of the cleanest and cheapest places.
The enormous central market. It has just about everything you need in it to live in Burkina from cloth to plastic buckets, jewellery and nailpolish remover, to sewing shears and gas lamps and a nice varied selection of veggies and fruits. It’s also fun to hang out in the meat stalls if you like to see your cut of fresh meat being chopped right there, and be splattered with bits of gristle and bones. As usual, take particular care of your valuables as pickpockets are always on the lookout for easy targets.
There are several bus companies with daily services to Bobo-Dioulasso from Ouagadougou and other regional cities as well as a few international destinations.
Read in the guideHowever, you are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to negotiation if you are white, and if you can afford to get to Burkina Faso XOF500 is hardly bank breaking.
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Bobo Dioulasso · International · BOY
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