Best Tourist Places to Visit in Bonthe, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Bonthe, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Africa

Bonthe is a town situated on the eastern shore of Sherbro Island in Sierra Leone. It falls under Bonthe District in the southern province of the country. It is located around 60 miles southwest of the country’s second largest city Bo and 185 miles southeast of the country’s capital and largest city, Freetown. The municipality of Bonthe is the smallest municipality amongst the 6 municipalities of Sierra Leone. Bonthe coordinates with 7°31′35″ N latitude and 12°30′18″ W longitude.

Historically, Bonthe had become famous as a trading centre for Piassava and agricultural products. Currently fishing is the backbone of Bonthe’s economy.

How to reach Bonthe?

Bonthe has an airport with name Sherbro International Airport but currently it is not served by any scheduled flights. So the boat is the only option to travel between Bonthe and Sierra Leone.

The general option to get Bonthe from Freetown or Bo or any mainland Sierra Leonean cities is taking a taxi or minibus from where visitors start their journey to Bonthe and then getting down at the town of Mattru Jong, where direct boat services are available to Bonthe.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Bonthe:

Ethnically, Bothe is a diverse city, though its greater percentage of population is formed by Sherbro and Mende communities. Bonthe is a perfect place to buy some typical Sierra Leonean handicraft products. Bothe is also well known among visitors for seafood.

Things to do in Bonthe:

Beach exploring
Shopping
Walking
Island tour

Tourist Attractions in Bonthe:

Beaches of Bonthe:

Due to its location on the shoreline of Sherbro Island, Bonthe is blessed with a spectacular tropical beach. The beach is frequented by both locals and visitors throughout the year for its winsome beauty, opportunities of different water sport activities and for dining and shopping on the beach line.

Bonthe Port:

The Bonthe Port is a commercial as well as nice relaxation point. Exploring port and its surroundings would be a half day tour for visitors as it is broad and typical site.

Sherbro International Airport:

The Sherbro International Airport is currently an inactive airport, situated at an elevation of 4 meters, on the outskirts of the city. Its pleasant environment and nice location have made Sherbro International Airport famous among visitors and one of the landmark sites of Bonthe. It can easily be reached by walk.

List of other places of interest near Bonthe include:

Bo Stadium
Diamond mines in Bo
Njala University
John Obey Beach
Banana Divers Sierra Leone
Paddy’s Bar
Gola Forest National Reserve
Sierra Leone National Museum
St George’s Cathedral
Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Lumley Beach
Gola Rainforest National Park
National Railway Museum
Tambakula Arts and Crafts Center

When to visit Bonthe?

Throughout the year is best, especially during the months between October and May is recommended to visit Bonthe in Sierra Leone.

Hotels in Bonthe:

Bonthe is home to a limited number of hotels, of which recommendable options are Bonthe Holiday Village, Seaside Spot and The Compound. All these hotels are relatively modernized and have ability make visitors’ tour memorable. For more options, visitors can refer below list of hotels in Bo (around 60 miles from Bonthe) and Kenema (around 70 miles from Bonthe):