Bioko Island Journey, Equatorial Guinea

Bioko, Equatorial Guinea

Reaching Equatorial Guinea completed a small side quest of mine: visiting all three “Guineas” in Africa. Bioko island turned out to be very different from what I expected. It often felt less like mainland Africa and more like a remote Spanish outpost in the tropics.

The country only opened to tourism relatively recently, and moving around still requires patience. In some places we needed military permits, and for one waterfall even approval from a local chief. The rules felt unpredictable, but the island itself was easy to like. Life on the beaches was relaxed, and conversations with locals required no paperwork at all.

One morning after the trip closing party we decided that the best way to finish the visit was an early hike toward Moka and Pico Basile, the highest point on the island. The road climbs steeply through jungle with almost no switchbacks. The car struggled nearly as much as we did. By the time we reached the mountain church near the top, it felt like a fair draw: we barely made it, and so did the vehicle.

Later that day we drove to one of the best-known beaches near the capital expecting a quiet final evening by the ocean. Instead we found loud music, crowds, and more trash than expected. The Atlantic looked inviting, but none of us felt like swimming.

So we chose a different ending.

For years I remembered Eric Moussambani, the swimmer from Equatorial Guinea who became famous during the Sydney Olympics for finishing the 100 m freestyle alone in the pool. Visiting the place where he trained felt like an opportunity that was too good to miss.

Eric: 1:52.7
Paulius: 1:52.3
Vaidotas (friend): managed not to drown

A fitting way to close the trip on Bioko.