Luanda Things to Do

Not suitable to swim, the bay of Luanda is wonderful, no matter the point from where you observe it, day or night.

Miramar, a high quarter, is, maybe, the best point to do it. And if you want to swim, the facing island is only a long and narrow strip with open waters.

In the southern outskirts of Luanda, Corimba invites to swim.

With a boat, the island of Mussulo is the top destination but not beating the beauty of the coast (This, before civil war. But I'm curious to see it again).

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Lined in front of town, one narrow stripe of sand, ten kilometers long, closes the bay, and provides several beaches.

The ocean side is a clean and usually safe open sea, the land side is a calm lake not recommended for health reasons. But some kids don't pay any attention to it.

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The Church of Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family) was built in 1960 and is a Luanda landmark.

This Tip: Pictures from the inside.

Wikimapia: Angola > Luanda > Igreja Sagrada Familia.

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The Church of Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family) was built in 1960 and is a Luanda landmark.

This Tip: Pictures from the outside.

Wikimapia: Angola > Luanda > Igreja Sagrada Familia.

This small old white church building by the southern shores of Luanda has been transformed into an eerie museum called the Museo da Esclavatura or the Slave Museum. Luanda was one of the major ports where African slaves were transported to the Americas by European colonisers. Thousands of Angolans ended up in Brazil.

The museum itself does not have much to show. Photographs and lithographs on the slave trade hang on the wall and some incarceration implements are on display. The building itself is beautiful as it fornlornly stands on a barren rock overlooking the Atlantic ocean. It has a bald boabab tree to keep it company.

High above the city of Luanda is a white fort callled Fortaleza. This is a landmark building in Luanda and has been built by the Portuguese colonialists in the 17th century as a vantage point for invaders. Heavily fortified, the fort has been a symbol of colonial power in Angola. Now that Angola is independent, the fort is now a museum, albeit with very little displays to show. But it is a fantastic place to visit because it offers a great view of the Marginal and the Ilha on the north and the Presidential palace on its western vantage.

If the notorious Luanda traffic is wearing you down, take a trip to Mossolo island. It´s actually not an island but a thin sliver, 17 km peninsula which joins the mainland south of Luanda. You can go to Mossolo by catching a boat at Benfica. The more people in your group, the cheaper it is per person to cross the bay.

Mossolo is worlds away from Luanda. Very relaxing, a picture postcard image complete with swaying palm trees and white sand. But like the rest of Luanda, it is expensive to dine and stay in Mossolo.