Frequently Asked Questions About Assinie

Assinie (Assinie-Mafia) lies in the Adiaké department of the Sud-Comoé region, east of Abidjan and close to the Ghanaian border. Sources give between 80 and 94 km by road.

The Aby lagoon. The Ébrié lagoon is Abidjan's; the Assinie canal links the two systems, which explains the confusion. The Aby lagoon covers 424 km² and reaches the sea through the Assinie pass.

By road A100 heading east, then the B-107 to Assinie-Mafia, where the road ends. The peninsula is reached by car, private boat or pirogue. We have no sourced fares or travel times.

The south of Côte d'Ivoire has four seasons: a long dry season from December to April, a long rainy season from May to July, a short dry season in August and September, and a short rainy season in October and November. The dry months are the safest bet for the beach.

With care. A February 2023 report warned of heavy swell, rip currents and physalias on the ocean coast. The lagoon shore is much calmer. Ask your accommodation about conditions on the day.

Entry is mostly by e-visa (snedai portal). Fees and processing times vary between sources, and ECOWAS nationals are said to be exempt for 90 days: confirm with the embassy or the official portal.

A vaccination certificate is required on entry according to the sources we checked, and the vaccination should be done at least 10 days before departure. Ask an international vaccination centre.

The CFA franc (XOF), pegged to the euro: €1 = 655.957 FCFA.

Grand-Bassam is 43 km from Abidjan and Assinie is 80 to 94 km, so expect roughly 40 to 50 km between them, based on those distances. Check a live map.

Mostly in October and November, with dates that change every year (24 October to 7 November in 2021, 23 October to 6 November in 2022). Ask the organisers about the current edition.