Bamako Travel Guide

 
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Explore Bamako

Things to Do  

Musée Nationale des Arts

Musée Nationale des Arts, Bamako

 hannette Says:  If you have enough time, take an afternoon to visit the Musée National des Arts :you can find a lot of beautiful masks and other objects from different groups in Mali.They also organise some events (theatre, folklore,...) now and then so keep an eye on their website (posted... 

BCEAO Tower

BCEAO Tower, Bamako

 ZeekLTK Says:  The BCEAO Tower sits right in the heart of Bamako, along the Niger River, and is really a nice site to behold. It's the Malian headquarters of the Central Bank of West African States, and has some ATM machines outside. I never went in, and I'm not really sure if there is... 

Hotels  

Grand Hotel Bamako

 1 Review and 11 Opinions  A large hotel built in the 1950s and renovated in the 1980s. There is a swimming pool which is among... 

Restaurants  

BadaLodge: Best Place Ever!

BadaLodge: Best Place Ever!, Bamako

 latinoheart Says:  3 hectares of Gardens, a wonderfull pool, a very nice restaurant... it is just an escapade from the croud and busy life in Bamako Taste the Tomato Tarte or the Carpacio the Bar: best ever + The best Grilled steak in Town 

Amandine: The best Western food in Bamako

Amandine: The best Western food in Bamako, Bamako

 ZeekLTK Says:  Amandine is a great restaurant in Bamako. Although it is owned by Lebanese men, the menu is more similar to what you might find here in the United States. They serve all kinds of great foods ranging from pizza to steaks, and all kinds of stuff. It's a "typical" Western... 

Nightlife  

l'Appaloosa: Pub

l'Appaloosa: Pub, Bamako

 Alpha_Ghana Says:  L'Appaloosa has two parts, one for the restaurant, described in my restaurant tips, and one for the bar.The bar can remind an American ranch with wooden parts and decorations, some flags, etc.The long bar is well furnished in a lot of different alcohols and wines, some local... 

Bla Bla bar: Bla Bla

Bla Bla bar: Bla Bla, Bamako

 Alpha_Ghana Says:  The place to be during the weekends. You will meet expatriates and the golden boys of Mali. Wealthy Malians come to show their money and their girlfriends.You have the choice between the large ventilated terrasse and the small airconditionned bar inside.Decoration is made of... 

Transportation  

Sotrama

Sotrama, Bamako

 hannette Says:  Definitely a must to get into the local life: use the local green buses, called Sotrama.They get you everywhere for less than a dollar, depending on the distance. They have fixed stops; so ask around where you need to get which bus to go where. For getting out on the next... 

From Tambacounda Senegal to Bamako

From Tambacounda Senegal to Bamako, Bamako

 lotharscheer Says:  There are through buses from Dakar to Bamako (30? hours) but at the moment they are not allowed to pick up passengers in Tambacounda. Its best to go to the Gare Routiere Tambacounda in the early morning, take a Sept Place (shared taxi) to the border, 5000 CFA about 4 hours,... 

Plane from Timbuktu

Plane from Timbuktu, Bamako

 SirRichard Says:  On my way back from Timbuktu I took a MALI AIR EXPRESS plane to return. Getting to Timbuktu is hard enough, so I thought coming back by plane would be a good idea. And it was!One way ticket: 150 eurosYou can reserve in anticipation at their website... 

Shopping  

Hand-crafted items

Hand-crafted items, Bamako

 ZeekLTK Says:  There are a ton of craftsmen in Bamako, and they make some really neat things to sell. Spend some time looking around the Artisan, or even any other local market you come across, and you'll find plenty of these items.Hand-made items for sale can range from large furniture to... 

Markets are everywhere

Markets are everywhere, Bamako

 ZeekLTK Says:  Bamako has tons of markets scattered throughout the city. At these markets you can literally find and buy whatever you need/want. Clothes, food, electronics, shoes, jewelry... you name it, someone is selling it.There are no fixed prices either. Everything is negotiable. Keep... 

Local Customs  

Mali is a Muslim Country

Mali is a Muslim Country, Bamako

 ZeekLTK Says:  For some reason, people seem to be surprised to find out that Mali is a Muslim country: 90% of the population identifies as Muslim, while 9% practice indigenous religions, and only 1% are Christians.So when visiting, you should keep in mind that most things revolve around... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Malaria

Malaria, Bamako

 ZeekLTK Says:  Unfortunately, Mali is right in the middle of the "Malaria Zone" of Western Africa. Because of this, you should exercise extreme caution to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, which is the most common way of contracting the disease.What this means is to wear adequate clothing... 

Security warning! Please read

Security warning! Please read, Bamako

 sociolingo Says:  The security situation in Bamako has changed drastically in the past few weeks. Violent crime has increased dramatically and 40 prisoners escaped from Kati prison on 23rd July and only 2 have been recaptured. These prisoners included murderers, robbers and rapists. The... 

Tourist Traps  

Touts
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SirRichard 3639 reviews
Bamako street

If you wander around the market area in Bamako you will meet many young men coming to you with the classical "Hello my friend", "I just wanna talk to you" etc, that always end up in "come to my shop, only look", "I can be your guide, no big money"...
If you really want a guide, take the first one, he will keep the others apart.
If not, just be polite and say "no, thanks". You will have to say it many tims before they go, but ignoring them is the best way. If you start talking, you will have them with you for a loooooong while.

Written Sep 28, 2008

Related to:
 Backpacking
 Road Trip
 Budget Travel

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Off The Beaten Path  

The waterfalls of Lafiabougou

The waterfalls of Lafiabougou, Bamako

 hannette Says:  During and after the rainy you find waterfalls in the district of Lafiabougou (northeast in Bamako).People gather here to take a shower, do laundry and relax....When you climb the rocks, you also have a great view over the district of Lafiabougou. 

volunteering in an ngo

volunteering in an ngo, Bamako

 hannette Says:  I did an internship in the ngo Mali-Enjeu during 3 months. It is located in 'Zone industriel'.There are plenty of other ngo's operating in Mali and if you are into it, I can only recommend this experience. 

Sports & Outdoors  

Soccer at Stade Modibo Keita
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ZeekLTK 131 reviews
Stade Modibo Keita
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Stade Modibo Keita is the second largest stadium in Mali and host to several events. It is the home of local club AS Real and also hosts some matches that the national team plays. The listed capacity is 30,000.

Tickets are very cheap. For a match that I attended in 2006 the prices were 1000 CFA (about $2) for a seat on the "sunny side" (the stands that have no cover and are directly under the sun) and 2000 CFA (about $4) for a seat on the "shady side" (the stands that do have a cover over them).

There are also cliffs adjacent to the stadium, so if you are really pinching pennies, or just want a more aerial view of the field, you can watch for free from up there, as several locals do.

The stadium also has a track around it, so most likely it hosts athletic events as well. Although I can't comment on that as I only attended a soccer game there.

Updated Jan 26, 2011

Related to:
 Budget Travel

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Favorites  

Try local food

Try local food, Bamako

 hannette Says:  We often ate local food sold at little stalls in the street in our neighbourhood or just on the street: meat satés, rice dishes, 'beignets', salads, peanuts, ... Rice dishes with sauce can be spicy. Little meat 'satés' are delicious in my opinion, though watch out that they... 

Strolling through the hustle of Bamako !

Strolling through the hustle of Bamako !, Bamako

 hannette Says:  It 's quite an adventure walking around through the city, because it is very busy, with little stalls everywhere, not the best pavements in the centre, but it's the ideal way to get to know the local life.Certainly don't forget the Marché National des Arts, where you can... 

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Map of Bamako