• "Bangre-Weoogo urban park in Zone du Bois (also called 'La Foret') has many trails for walking and running. It also has a small zoo inside (100-200 CFA for entrance) Bring binoculars to help you spot the crocodiles in the marsh near the bridge! The park is a natural preservation area and "sacred forest" dating from the pre-colonial era.
• Cineburkina (50 32 03 28) and Cine Reale are more comfortable/safer movie theaters
• Café Zaka has live bands every night
• The Moro Naaba ceremony is every Friday morning at 7:15am, 15 min ceremony symbolizing a Mossi historical event (preparation for battle against a rival king that stole his amulets, but being persuaded to keep peace). Ouagadougou was founded in the 15th century and became the capital of the Mossi empire. The historical palace of the Moro Naaba is located in the middle of the city.
• French Cultural Centre, Proposes both local and imported concerts dance pieces and theater. The bar/retaurant there is a popular meeting spot. It also features an air-condtioned library where you can read newpapers and magazines. Located on the same road as the main post office
• SIAO (International Art and Craft Festival) Africa's most prominent craft fair, it is held for 10 days in every even-numbered year. Artisans from all over Africa attend and sell their wares. Next one coming up in late October/November 2008.
• Village Artisanale of Ouagadougou (VAO). This outdoor "shopping mall" of local arts and crafts is a gem. You can buy there from a huge selection with far less hassle than on the street. It also features a shady café in the courtyard.
• FESPACO - PanAfrican film festival [1]. Africa's most prestigious film festival is held every two years in February and showcases some of the best movies from across the continent. 24 Feb - 3 March 2007.
• Central Market a major attraction, burned in 2003 and awaits reconstruction. New stands are opening up all around it, though, so it's still worth a visit, especially if you are buying textiles.
• Le Musee NationaleA brand new museum complex devoted to the many local cultures. It is on the east end of the city and is open seven days a week.
• Gonghin Market a fun place to explore, buy fabric and fruit

Airplane

Ouaga is served by its main international airport Ouagadougou Airport which is situated within the city center. The distance from the airport to the United Nations roundabout is no more than a 3 minute taxi ride. A shared taxi, the green ones, should cost no more than 500CFA, but many will ask for 1000CFA.

The airport is small and disorganized like many African airports. There are very few major carriers that travel to Ouaga. Air France offer a daily flight from Paris as do Air Burkina. Aside from that you'll have to travel to some other West African country and take your chances with the unreliable African carriers.

• Afriqiyah Airways (Bamako, Tripoli)
• Air Algérie (Algiers)
• Air Burkina (Abidjan, Accra, Bamako, Bobo-Dioulasso, Cotonou, Dakar, Lomé, Paris-Orly)
• Air Ivoire (Abidjan, Niamey)
• Air Senegal International (Bamako, Dakar)
• Antrak Air (Accra)
• Compagnie Aérienne du Mali (Abidjan, Bamako, Lomé, Niamey, Conackry, Douala, Libreville, Dakar)
• Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca)

Bus

• Ghana- STC (50 64 44 42/ 50 62 25 88)
• Benin- STMB (50 31 44 72 or 50 31 13 63), SOTRAO
• Togo- TCV runs buses to Lomé
• Niger- SOTRAO
• Mali-STMB, SOGEBAF, TCV (50 39 88 77)

By taxi

The small green taxi cabs should cost no more than 200CFA per person during the day, but be prepared to share the cab with as many people as can be crammed in. Cabbies may attempt to charge foreigners far more. If you have a lot of baggage, expect to pay more indeed.

Prices go up at night somewhat, but you should never pay more than 500CFA, which is negotiable if you have a lot of people in your group to share the cab.

Be aware, that if you are loaded up with bags, in the middle of the night, and wanting to get to a far away destination, cabbies will try to milk you for as much as possible.

There are also white taxi cabs that are much more expensive, but much more reliable, and you don't have to share seating with others going to different destinations.

Groceries:

• Go to Marina Market (50 31 09 65) or Scimas downtown, near the grande mosque (same street, maybe three blocks apart) for all cheese, meat, ice cream, other needs (closed from 12 to 3).

Bookstores:

• DIACFA- kind of behind SCIMAS, across from the Grande Marche. PAGES - downtown, somewhat near the grand poste

Tailors:

• Dune, a block up from ISO on lefty side of street, turn up dirt road, great Mauritanian tissue vendors next door;
• Anna's Fashion near Paradisio and Petrofa station
• Issaka (76 67 69 79) and Victor (70 25 18 57) make house calls

Film developing:

• Have had the best luck at ADC near Marina Market. Lotte Photo across from Scimas takes a bit longer, but also does a good enough job.

Money:

• (Nov 2007) ATM's for both Visa and Maestro/Mastercard are available. The newly opened 'Banque Atlantique' is the only bank linked to the Maestro/Mastercard network.

Most larger buvettes have eats in the afternoons and evenings, but here are a few notables from the recommendations and favorites of Bobo Stage Goers:

African

• Café Zaka - somewhat expensive, downtown near Scimas supermarket, live music and cool craft shop inside)
• Gondwana (somewhat expensive, Zone du Bois, great atmosphere)

Indian

• La Mayer-somewhat expensive, near the Grand Cathedral) 50 30 70 87

Italian

• Verdoyant-somewhat expensive, near the Place de Nations Unites, serves excellent Lasagne (50 31 54 07)
• Les Pilliers -somewhat expensive, Zone du Bois) 50 36 19 52
• La Paillote (somewhat expensive, great pizza, delivers 50 31 87 34)
• The Belvedere (somewhat expensive, amazing pizza, near the US embassy) 50 33 64 21

Middle Eastern

• Sindibal's (cheaper, downtown, delivers50 30 58 74)
• Chez Simone (cheaper, Kwame N Krumah, near Jimmy's 50 33 21 46)
• Baratapas (cheaper, fun, homemade rum, near STMB gare)

Chinese

• Restaurant du Chine (somewhat expensive, downtown)
• L'Orient- (Zone du Bois, on Babanguida towards the Route de Fada 50 36 15 01)

American

• Hamburger House (cheaper, delivers 50 34 54 41)
• ISO (cheaper, delivers 50 36 21 67)
• Showbiz (across the street from Hotel Splendid- great milkshakes)
• American Rec Center at the US embassy

Vietnamese

• Le Jardin Bambou, (Route de Fada towards Zone du Bois, 50 31 35 14)
• Kim Son (?) expensive, near the airport

French

• Coq Bleu (expensive, Kwame N Krumah 50 30 01 93)
• Vert Galant (expensive, downtown)
• l'Eau Vive (expensive, run by Catholic nuns)

Street food and snacks

All usually ~ 250 CFA per plate on the street, depending on quantity or if there is meat: Rice and Beans (Benga), Rice and Sauce (Riz Sauce), To and sauce, Atteike, Spaghetti, Rice and tomato sauce (Riz Gras), Snacks- Peanuts and dates everywhere, semi-easy to find dried mangoes.

There are many bars. Here are the favorites from the Bobo Stagieres (these are all bars you can dance in):

• Music Hall (reasonable prices, often has a European crowd, somewhat near the grand post, towards the zone du bois)
• New Jack's (more expensive, great mirrors, across from Hotel Splendid)
• Cactus Bar (expensive, pool tables, Eurpoean crowd, across from Hotel Splendid)
• Le Prive (more expensive, downtown, nice atmosphere)
• The Sahel (often has live music, great atmosphere, cheaper)
• Bar DeNiro (more expensive, pool tables)
• L'Axe (Peace Corps favorite on the Route de Fada, local crowd, cheaper)
• Le Citadel (cheaper, local crowd)
• The New Acropoli, Zogona (just off the Circulaire near the Total Station, cheaper, local crowd)
• Paladium (cheaper, downtown, local crowd)
• Gazoum (local crowd, racy, always a big crowd, Babanguida)