Gabon boasts some of the most unspoiled rainforests in Africa, home to chimpanzees, gorillas and many other primates; it is also one of the continent's best places for birdwatching. As yet almost unknown, its attractions range from idyllic sandy beaches along its 855km coastline to an interior made up of sugarloaf peaks, dense rainforest and savannah.
History, geography and culture underpin a practical guide that covers everything a visitor might need to know: planning and preparation, where to stay, where to eat and what to see.
Inside you will find: wildlife-viewing opportunities, from lowland gorillas to humpback whales; full coverage of the newly designated national parks network; getting around, by air, road and rail; volcanic islands of Sao Tome and Principe, Africa's second smallest country; trekking, watersports and other activities.

Sophie Warne is a freelance travel writer who has traveled extensively in Africa. She has worked on children's natural history books and was shortlisted for The Times Young Travel Writers' 2000 competition.

Central Africa has over 80% of the total rain forests on the African continent and 25% of the world's rain forests in a region often referred to as the Congo Basin. This Basin extends into Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. Over 80% of Gabon is covered in dense rain forest, and the remaining 20% is savannah and coastline, and for each of these habitats Gabon has the wildlife to match. This is a country where gorillas and elephants can be caught on camera on the same stretch of beach.

Just before this guide went to press, President Bongo announced the creation of a national park network in Gabon, so now 10% of the country is protected. This is fantastic news, not just for the future of Central Africa but for the future of tourism. With national parks in place, tourist infrastructures will follow, enabling visitors to reach places of enormous environmental value that were previously virtually inaccessible. The involvement of environmental organisations WCS, ECOFAC and WWF means that wildlife tourism -- from gorilla and elephant trekking to whale watching and turtle observation -- will be conducted alongside precious research. The money generated by tourism will feed back into conservation and research. It's the same story in STP, where ECOFAC are equally active in clearing trekking trails in the forest interior and promoting turtle tourism on its beaches.