Go with a plan.
Equatorial Guinea’s safety score rose to 65 today, but you must still navigate a global measles outbreak and US or Canadian level 2 travel advisories.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Equatorial Guinea
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Photography extortion
Law enforcement may use outdated photography permit requirements to target, intimidate, or extort tourists. Avoid photographing airports, government buildings, or strategic sites to minimize this risk.
Political entrapment
Individuals may initiate political conversations to entrap tourists. Maintain skepticism and refuse to engage, as these conversations often carry ulterior motives.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Photography restrictions
It is prohibited to photograph airports, government buildings, or military and strategic assets. Authorities use photography as a pretext to arrest or threaten tourists.
Political dissent
Criticizing or showing disrespect toward the government or Teodoro Obiang is dangerous. Making such comments in the presence of others leads to serious trouble with authorities.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Photography: Previously, a permit from the Ministry of Information and Tourism was required for photography.
- •As obvious as it may sound, do not walk around with a camera on your neck, and do not photograph airports, government buildings, or anything of military or strategic value.
- •Authorities: The police are known to be aggressive, truculent, and confrontational. Extortion by them is not uncommon.
- •Politics: Equatorial Guinea is an authoritarian country that does not tolerate or permit dissent.
- •It is unwise to criticise or show any kind of disrespect to Teodoro Obiang or the Equatoguinean government.
- •Be very skeptical if someone tries to start a political conversation.
Staying healthy
- •Food and water: There are no potable or clean water sources in Equatorial Guinea.
- •Wear shoes: Beaches in Malabo and Bata are beautiful, however, due to discarded trash and unsafe sand bugs, it is a good idea to always wear shoes. This applies to walking on carpeted areas as well.
- •Malaria medicine: Malaria is a leading cause of death in this country.
- •According to the US embassy, the La Paz Hospitals in Bata and Malabo are the only two in the country with medical standards of a hospital in a developed country.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / E · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 114 / ambulance: 115 / fire: 112
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12