Outside Libreville, its flashy air-conditioned capital, Gabon is a laid-back country of small villages, steamy rainforest, roaring rivers and imposing mountains. lt’s one of the richest and most stable countries in Africa, but also place where people know the value of relaxation. The jungle is full of wildlife-elephants, leopards, gorillas, hippos, pythons-and new national parks are opening the forests to ecotourism, and closing them to loggers.

May to September (dry season)

Visiting Albert Schweitzer’s jungle hospital in the wildlife-rich lakes region of Lambarene Swimming, exploring, eating and relaxing in Mayumba-an untouristed beach town Walking through the forests of Reserve de la Lope, Gabon’s best wildlife park, with elephants, monkeys and, if you’re luck, gorillas Camping at the Cirque de Leconi, a spectacular red-rock canyon on the Bateke Plateau

Read African Silences, by Peter Matthiessen, which focuses on his journeys through Gabon and other parts of West Africa

Listen to Oliver N’Goma, the hottest Gabonese musician today

Watch The Great White Man of Lambarene, a film about Albert Schweitzer from an African perspective

Eat manioc paste (or rice) served in a spicy sauce

Drink a Castel-or better yet, a Regab-beer from the Sobraga Brewery, but never, ever the tap water

Mbolo (hello, in Fang)

The wealthiest nation in sub-Saharan Africa; the slow pace of life; steamy rainforest; Albert Schweitzer

The Pont de Liane south of Franceville is a bridge made of vines, which locals ues to cross the river; Gabon has been ruled since 1967 by President El Hadj Omar Bongo

Glitzy and glamorous in some spots, ramshackle and anarchic in others, Libreville is very to give you culture shock, especially if you’ve been slogging your way through the jungles of Central Africa. High-rise hotels line the beaches, European expats fill shops and restaurants, and flashycars speed down the wide boulevards. Meanwhile on the other side of town garbage is piled high and traffic slows to a crawl in the narrow, noisy streets.