Grand Batanga is a fishing village located on the Kribi coast in the South Region of Cameroon, and is part of the Kribi I commune. It is an attractive seaside resort with accessible beaches and many straw huts where visitors can enjoy dishes made with local produce, including fresh fish.
Access to Grand Batanga is via the Campo trail from the Kribi fish market, a 13-kilometre route with a view of the Lobé Falls. The trail is passable all year round but can be difficult in the rainy season. It is advisable to book a straw hut in advance and protect yourself from the sun and mosquitoes.
Grand Batanga is made up of two coastal villages populated by people from the Ndowè ethnic group: Luma (Grand Batanga I) and Bongahèlè (Grand Batanga II), totaling about 2,000 inhabitants. These villages are rich in history, having been a major center of exchange with Europeans during the colonial era. It was from Grand Batanga that a German expedition left in 1887 to found the city of Yaounde.
The village of Luma is known for its historical and cultural heritage, housing schools, an art museum, as well as churches dating back to the pre-colonial period. It is also known for celebrating the “Febuary”, an annual commemoration since 1916, in memory of the victims of the coastal war in the Kribi region.
