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In 1958, when it declared independence from France and voted in a staunchly socialist one-party government, Guinea became an isolated and secretive country. However, after the death of the dictator Sekou Touré in 1984, Guinea began, slowly, to allow tourists through its once stubbornly closed doors. Even so, it is still one of the least visited countries in Africa and it can be difficult, despite declarations to the contrary, to acquire visas. Guinea’s main attraction to tourists is its relatively undisturbed countryside. Its landscape varies from mountains to plains and from savannah to forest, and the three great rivers of West Africa – the Gambia, the Senegal and the Niger – all originate here. The capital, Conakry, is located on the island of Tumbo and is connected to the Kaloum Peninsula by a 300m-long (984ft) pier. The city is well laid-out, its alleys shaded by mangrove and coconut palm trees. The Cathedral, built in the 1930s and located in the town centre, is well worth viewing. There is also a National Museum. The Kakimbon Caves in the village of Ratoma, now a suburb of Conakry, are the source of many interesting legends and are bestowed with great religious significance by the local Baga people. The Îles de Los, off the Kaloum Peninsula some 10km (6 miles) southwest of Conakry, are recommended as a tourist destination and are easily accessible from Conakry. Good beaches can also be found at the Île de Roume and Île de Kassa, the latter being accessible via a public boat service. Approximately 150km (93 miles) outside Conakry is the picturesque le Voile de la Mariée, nestled at the bottom of a 70m-high (230ft) rock from which the River Sabende plunges, amidst lush vegetation, into a deep pond. In Pita, located between Dalaba and Labé, the Kinkon Falls can be found which produce 150m (492ft) of cascading water.
Known as the land of waters, fruit, faith and freedom, the Fouta Djalon highlands are renowned for their picturesque hills, offering superb views, and the rolling valleys and waterfalls, which are all presided over by the mostly Muslim population of Fula herders and farmers. In the eastern region of Guinea lie many historical towns with echoes and remnants of medieval empires. Along a road following the Nimba Range, which stretches from Guinea to the Côte d’Ivoire, small groups of round houses nestle in traditional African villages. In the south is the Guinée Forestière, a highland area of rainforest and old pre-Islamic tribes.
There are no national parks in Guinea, but wildlife can be best seen in the northeast savannahs between the Tinkisso River and the Mali border, in the foothills of the Fouta Djalon highlands and in the southeast.