Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Gabon
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 do this
Laws that jail tourists
Police passport confiscation
Police may confiscate your passport and interrogate you regarding the purpose of your visit to Gabon.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Most visitors to Gabon must obtain a visa in advance, either from one of the Gabonese diplomatic missions or online, unless if they are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Gabon, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex sexual activity is not illegal. There are no laws against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Gabon remains a conservative society and discrimination can be a problem for those open about their sexual identity. Same-sex marriage is not recognised in Gabon. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Gabon is a somewhat safe country compared to its neighbors, but don't let that fool you as pickpockets and other types of crimes targeting tourists are still common and you should practice common sense.
- •Gabon has been politically unstable since the coup, and it's advised to avoid any gathering as it may turn violent.
Staying healthy
- •Malaria is common, so visitors should take malaria pills and a mosquito net when travelling in Gabon.
- •HIV/AIDS is a common disease in Gabon with 8% (1 in 12) of adults infected.
- •Don't drink the tap water.
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 describe Libreville as one of the more relaxed cities in Africa, where visitors generally feel safe during the day. Despite this reputation, the city is not immune to crime, and certain areas may become unsafe after dark. Independent travelers should be aware that immigration officials at the airport may detain those arriving without a pre-arranged local contact or tour agency, as seen when a traveler was held overnight until a hotel representative could vouch for them. While street harassment is notably absent, visitors should remain prepared for potential crime and exercise standard caution, as the country's relative development does not eliminate the need for vigilance.
“Despite a coup last year, Libreville in Gabon is reputed to be one of Africa's more relaxed cities. I felt very safe during the day. Some areas might become unsafe at night.
— r/travel
“My only problem in Gabon was with passport control on arrival at Libreville airport. I arrived at 10 pm, already much later than I like to arrive at an unfamiliar city, and my problems began when I told the immigration officer that I didn't have a driver and was going to take a taxi to my hotel. The immigration officers disappeared with my passport and didn't come back.
— r/travel
“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: 1730 / ambulance: 1300 / fire: 18
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