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For other places with the same name, see Monrovia (disambiguation).

Monrovia is the capital, and with a population of around 600,000, also the largest city in Liberia.

[edit] Understand

The city center is the image of a tropical capital, melting in the hot sun. Monrovia is a low-rise capital on the sea, lined with palm trees and paint-chipped buildings of no more than three stories. The city, however, has a vibrant vibe on the street.

To be honest, there is not much to do, see, nor buy in the city center. There are a number of merchants lining the streets, selling used clothes, household wares, and an interesting selection of DVDs. There are two large, well-stocked supermarkets in the city center to offer a surprising selection of Western foods.

Still, despite its woes, Liberia has the feeling of a country on the ascent. Billboards line the streets, inviting citizens to pay their taxes to make their country stronger and to take pride in their success. It is not cliché to say that Liberians are extremely friendly, so the streets seem alive and peepy.

[edit] Get in

Brussels airlines offers flight from Brussels, Belgium, with a touchdown in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. There are not daily flights, but they are becoming more regular.

Delta Air Lines had planned flights from Atlanta to Monrovia beginning June of 2009, but they have been delayed due to airport security concerns.

Connections from the African continent have increased rapidly in recent months. Monrovia is connected to Casablanca with Royal Air Maroc (which offers connections to Europe and North America), to the Addis Abbaba hub of Ethiopian Airlines, to the Nairobi hub of Kenya Airways, and to Nigeria with Belleview and Virgin Nigeria. Both Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways offer excellent connections to other African destinations as well as the Middle East.

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

• The Waterside Market
• The National Museum of Liberia
• The Blo Degbo-- Rock formation shaped like a human face in Paynesville

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Buy

Waterside Market.

Ranzeno. Fine men’s clothing. Tel: 00-231-6-530-799. Benson Street (Between Randall and Gurley Streets).

The Best Jewelry. For high-end African-inspired jewelry. Tel: 00-231-6-513-578. 15th Street and Tubman Blvd, Sinkhor.

Little Angels. Children’s clothes and supplies. Tel: 00-231-6-699-699. Randall Street, next to Computech.

Rima’s Fashions. Jewelry. Tel: 00-231-6-239-001. Randall Street.

Sorayah Laurice Fashion House. Customixzed tailoring and interior decorating. Tel: 00-231-0-82-78-49. Camp Johnson Road.

LIB Electronics. Electronics of all sorts. Tel: 00-231-6-530-057. 195 Broad Street. Aretha. Women’s fashions and accessories. Tel: 00-231-6-517-945. Gurley and Benson Streets.

Unboxed. Women’s shoes. Tel: 00-231-6-698-005. Broad Street.

Touba Art Center. Traditional arts and crafts. Tel: 00-231-6-373-939. Next to Cape Hotel on Mambo Point.

Picasso. Art. Tel: 00-231-7-7006-666. Randall Street.

Fuschia. Arts and crafts. 00-231-6-446-688. Randall Street, across from Stop and Shop Supermarket.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Dining options in Monrovia are pretty good, all things considered. Anything other than Lebanese and Liberian tends to be expensive, but there are a few reasonable places.

There are hundreds of "cook shops" serving Liberian fare, but if you're yearning for something other than spicy sauces and rice, you can try one of the following (in no particular order):

• The Living Room (Royal Hotel Sushi Restaurant). Sinkor, between 14th and 15th Streets, on Tubman Boulevard. Expensive, especially for the mediocre sushi. Very nice, sleek atmosphere - you could almost be in New York. Almost. The Royal Hotel also has another Western/Lebanese restaurant, where the chicken burger is pretty good. Pirate (seafood) soup also not bad.

• Casablanca. Great Moroccan food at the top of Broad Street. Again, expensive, but tasty tagines (the chicken with raisins is particularly good.)

• Mamba Point Hotel. The city's second sushi restaurant - food is comparable to sushi at the Royal.

• Mona Liza. Reasonably priced, nice little ice cream parlor/pizza/sandwich shop in Sinkor. 15th Street.

• P.A.'s Rib House. Near Spriggs-Payne Airfield. Pretty good American-style barbecued ribs. Like most restaurants in Monrovia, service is a bit slow, and items on the menu are not always available.

• Le Griot. Water Street bar/restaurant with a terrific patio overlooking the ocean. Buffet is good to average.

• Jamal's Pizzeria. Very reasonably priced, cute little pizza/Lebanese place on Center Street. Good for brunch, too. Salads a bit pricey. Cell +2316544100 or +2315841841

• Diana's. Great lunch spot on Center Street. Great Lebanese sandwiches and falafel. +231 (0) 656 3333

• Nour Restaurant. Good Lebanese on Center Street.

• Great Wall. Pretty good, authentic Chinese food on Tubman Boulevard. Hot pot (shabu shabu) available in the front room. Back room available for karaoke parties.

• Taaj. Indian food at 5th Street (beach side) and Tubman Boulevard. Great Baigan Bharta (eggplant). Home to expat trivia game on Thursday nights.

• Boulevard Cafe. New, contemporary restaurant on Tubman and 14th Street. Good mix of atmosphere, food and drink. The menu has a variety of appetizers and different pastas. Live music on Friday nights. +231 (0) 6969969 +231 (0) 5123456 +232 (0) 77969969
• Ro-zi's, [1]. Liberian fusion restaurant in airfield - you'll see the signs pointing the way off of Tubman Blvd. and Old Road. Excellent menu, charming "New York City meets West Africa" decor. Also caters and delivers.  edit

N’yla Café. African fusion food. Tel: 00-231-5-516-500. Bestman Road. Airfield, Sinkhor.

Boulevard Café. Western, Mediterranean, and Liberian cusine. Tel: 00-231-6-969-969. 14th Street and Tubman Blvd, Sinkhor.

Sajj. Venerable Lebanese establishment with outdoor dining, a big screen TV, and wi-fi internet along with a wide-range of menu options. Tubman Blvd, Sinkhor.

[edit] Self-catering

There are several supermarkets that sell imported (usually American, Lebanese, and some Western European) goods.

Abu Jaoudi (Randall Street) is the biggest of the bunch. Has decent bakery, deli, fish and meat counters. Produce is usually overpriced and tired looking.

Stop 'n' Shop (Randall Street) is small and crowded, but has a good assortment of groceries. Sometimes imports specialty items (i.e., strawberries.)

Monoprix (Benson Street) is conveniently located right by the good outdoor produce market in town.

Greenland (Tubman Boulevard, at ? Street.) Small and a bit dark, but it's the only one open on Sundays (morning only). Overpriced (but convenient) produce stands in front.

UN Drive Supermarket (Tubman Boulevard, between 15th and 16th Streets). Decent array of imported goods.

Exclusive Supermarket (Tubman Boulevard at 19th Street in Sinkhor). A well-stocked supermarket with many imported goods of international standards. Western cereals, energy drinks, and a wide range of wine are on sale. There is a small bakery offering sandwiches and Indian foods for take-away.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Nightclubs:

• Agenda
• Pepperbush
• Zanzibar Blue
• Deja Vu.  edit
• Embassy.  edit
• Groovie's.  edit
• Deja Vu.  edit
• Embassy.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

St. Teresa's Convent, Randall Streets - the only hostel in the city - beds are $10-15/night.

[edit] Mid range

Moko's Guest House. Tel: 00-231-77-515747; 00-231-6-515897. Email: mokosbedandbreakfast@yahoo.com. This guesthouse is located on a secure compound in Sinkhor, offering comfortable rooms for about $80-100 per night. Prices include a generous and delicious breakfast of omelette, pancakes, or fish. Laundry services, cable television, and wireless internet are available. The staff are extremely attentive and competent.

[edit] Splurge

• Krystal Oceanview, 1000 Mamba Point Road, Monrovia. Tel+231 651-0424 [2]. A Liberian-owned, family-run 30-room hotel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, near several western embassies (US, EU, UN).
• Mamba Point, Tel. +(231)226693/226452 fax. +(231) 26050. Mamba Point has 55 air conditioned rooms, TV, 24 hour electricity, a bar and an international restaurant. It's near the water and several of the western embassies and UN agencies. It also has wireless internet connection in the lounge.
• Royal

Kendeja Resorts and Villas. Tel: 00-231-22-100-100. Website: www.rljkendejaresort.com Built by the owner of the US cable channel, Black Entertainment Television, is a luxury resort with spa and beach access.

The Renaissance Hotel. Tel: 00-231-6-552-200. Email: mickey06@yahoo.com. Boutique hotel and restaurant with cable television and restaurant.

The Cape Hotel. Tel: 00-231-6-429-947. Email: info@thecapehotel.com. Website: www.thecapehotel.com. Posh hotel with African-inspired décor at Mambo Point, next to the US Embassy.

[edit] Get out

Tour Companies WOW Liberia. Personalized tours. Tel: 00-231-6-370-874. Email: info@wowliberiatours.com. Website: www.wowliberiatours.com.

Careysburg is a town founded by freed slaves in 1859, about 30 minutes from Monrovia. The sleepy city and nearby townships have examples of homes and churches built in the style of the American South, set against a cool, lush landscape. The Quelu and Wulki Farms both offer accommodations with swimming pools and horseback riding.

Wulki Farms. Adventure and family-oriented resorts in Careysburg. Tel: 00-231-6-482-053

Robertsport