Think twice.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Cameroon
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Think twice.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Sharia law in Northern Cameroon
The terrorist group Boko Haram operates in Northern Cameroon and enforces a harsh form of sharia law.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Polio
- • Global Measles
Tap water safe to drink: No — bottled/filtered only
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Meningococcal disease, Polio, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Cameroon must obtain an e-Visa unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Cameroon. Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners such as: restaurants bars markets hotels shopping centres places of worship parks sporting venues The terrorist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) are mainly active in the Far-North Region but attacks could occur anywhere, including major towns and cities such as Yaoundé and Douala. There was an increase in the use of improvised explosive devices by violent extremist organisations in the Far-North Region in 2023. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex relationships are not widely accepted in central African society, and same-sex sexual acts are illegal in Cameroon. Same-sex partners have been arrested and prosecuted. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •As is the case in any developing country, you should do whatever you can to blend in with the local population.
- •As long as you apply a modicum of common sense, your visit to Cameroon will be hassle-free.
- •Crime: Cameroon's crime levels are high. Reports of carjackings, armed robberies, banditry, and the like are not unheard of.
- •Petty theft is common.
- •Taxis often operate like buses, picking up all sorts of people along the way.
- •Car theft and carjackings are serious problems.
Staying healthy
- •As Cameroon is a developing country, health care facilities are poor and are much below Western standards.
- •Yellow fever is prevalent in the country. You are required to get vaccinated against it before travelling to the country.
- •Malaria is prevalent. To lower your chances of contracting malaria, regularly use insect repellent and consider draping a mosquito net over your bed. You may also want to consider getting va…
- •Avoid drinking tap water, even in restaurants. Only stick to bottled water.
- •The country's HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among adults is at 3.2%. The situation has been getting better since the early 2000s, but still, be safe and be aware of your surroundings.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers report feeling safe walking during the day in Cameroon but advise against walking alone at night. The primary dangers are environmental rather than criminal, specifically the risk of being hit by vehicles or falling into uncovered drainage ditches. Douala carries a reputation for crime, and travelers should arrive prepared for the worst. Large regions in the west and north are avoided due to civil war and insurgency. Unlike other regions, travelers report no issues with persistent touts or fake guides. While Yango is a functional app for transport, motorcycle taxis are avoided for safety reasons.
“I personally felt completely safe walking around during the day in Cameroon, but I was warned by locals against walking around alone at night. In my opinion, the big danger is not theft but the risk of getting hit by a car or motorcycle or stumbling into an uncovered drainage ditch.
— r/travel
“I didn't go to the regions in Cameroon that most embassies advise against traveling to: the west, which is in a state of civil war because of a separatist movement, and the north, where some Islamic insurgency groups operate.
— r/travel
“Douala in particular has a bad reputation for crime. I would recommend that any visitors to Cameroon (and also Gabon, although it has a better reputation) arrive prepared for the worst in terms of crime and take it from there.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / E · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
Cash vs. Card
The currency of the country is the Central African CFA franc, denoted FCFA (ISO currency code: XAF). It's also used by five other Central African countries. It is interchangeable at par with the West African CFA franc (XOF), which is used by six countries. Both currencies are fixed at a rate of 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09