Tucked away on the Atlantic ocean, Sierra Leone is a splendid combination of 570 km of beautiful white sand beaches, vibrant tropical forests teaming with exotic wildlife and breathtaking mountains that serve as the backdrop to what is an extremely unique tourist experience in West Africa. Sierra Leone is only 6 hours away from Europe, 8 hours from the US and 3 hours from West Africa’s largest city, Lagos. There are endless possibilities in the tourism sector given the diverse ecology of Sierra Leone, proximity to international hubs and an untapped natural beauty that can rival any location in the world.

Some of the world’s endangered species of monkeys, baboons, birds, butterflies, pygmy hippos and a variety of antelopes and buffalo families can be found in the tropical forests. The temperate weather is ideal for swimming and other water sports along the established beach areas that are mainly being run and developed by local communities. Sierra Leone is also considered the premier location for sport fishing with record setting tarpon catches. It is also a hiker’s paradise with gorgeous mountain ranges like Bintumani. Furthermore, the country offers visitors its historic heritage and is a site for cultural tourism as many African Americans can trace their roots back to Sierra Leone including well known celebrities like Issiah Washington. Sierra Leone’s greatest asset is its warm and friendly people that are the true representation of the laid back feel of this West African gem.

Source: http://sliepa.org