Ivory Coast

Visa requirements for Ivory Coast depend on which passport you hold. Check the Traveller visa tool to see whether your passport needs a visa and, if so, how long you can stay.

November–March is the dry season — best for exploring Abidjan, the lagoon cities, Comoé National Park, and the beach resorts at Grand-Bassam. April–June and September–October are rainy. The south is generally more accessible year-round than the north.

• Smart casual in Abidjan — Ivorians dress stylishly
• Modest dress in the Muslim north
• Casual at beach resorts

• Côte d'Ivoire has a strong tradition of hospitality — you may be invited for a meal without much notice; accept warmly
• Abidjan is cosmopolitan and modern — the economic capital, though Yamoussoukro is the political capital
• Greeting is critical — always greet before any request or transaction
• The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro is the world's largest church — a surreal sight in a city of 300,000

• Photography at military sites, the presidential residence, and some government buildings prohibited
• Drug offences carry severe penalties
• LGBTQ+ activity is not explicitly criminalised but same-sex relations face significant social hostility and some legal ambiguity
• Road travel: the Abidjan–Yamoussoukro highway is good; north can be rough. Check travel advisories for the north and west near Liberian/Guinean borders.