Waymark

Côte d'Ivoire travel guide

Best time to visit from the UK, weather, festivals, flights from London and FCDO travel advice.

St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan
St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan. Photo: Ericcoul, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
6h 45mflight from London
West African CFA franccurrency
Apply onlinefor UK passports
Type C, Eplugs

Abidjan's skyline and the giant Yamoussoukro basilica

Don't miss

  1. Abidjan
  2. Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
  3. Grand-Bassam
Good forCity breaksBeaches

Best time to visit Côte d'Ivoire from the UK

Best value: Mar, Oct. Nov–Mar. Busiest and priciest: Nov–Feb.

27.3 C27°J27.9 C28°F27.5 C28°M27.1 C27°A26.6 C27°M25.6 C26°J24.6 C25°J24.4 C24°A25.2 C25°S26 C26°O26.6 C27°N26.9 C27°D
Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Abidjan, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Each bar is the average temperature in Abidjan for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

  • Our pick: March and OctoberThe warmest of the best-value months (26–28°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
  • Peak season: Nov–FebUsually 27–28°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
  • Quiet season: Apr–SepAround 24–27°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
  • Warmest: February (28°C) · coolest: August (24°C)Temperatures barely change through the year, so the season matters more than the weather.
Temperatures as a table
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
27.327.927.527.126.625.624.624.425.22626.626.9

Festivals and events

  • Fête du Dipri Mar–Apr · Gomon
  • FEMUA music festival Apr · Abidjan
  • Fêtes des Masques Nov · Man

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time
About 6h 45m
Distance
5,142 km
Main airport
ABJ

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Côte d'Ivoire to your bucket list Search flights to ABJ

Practical info and travel guidance

West African CFA francCapital: Yamoussoukro
Type C, E · 230VBring a UK adapter
Drive on the rightOpposite to the UK
111
EmergencyAmbulance 185
Drink bottledOr treated water
  • FCDO adviceAdvises against travel to parts of Côte d'IvoireCheck which areas before you book.
  • VisaApply online before you goeVisa at least 10 working days ahead
  • HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
  • LGBT+ travellersLegal, but attitudes can be conservativePublic affection may draw attention.
  • Women travellersNo specific FCDO warningTake the usual precautions.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Côte d'Ivoire, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 29 May 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Côte d'Ivoire before you book and again before you go.

Open Côte d'Ivoire on the map Log it as visited, drop pins for the places you went, or plan it as your next trip.