Why go
- Largest city and economic capital of Cameroon.
- Served by Tiko Airport (TKC).
History
Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region. It was home to Central Africa's largest port, now being replaced by Kribi port. It has the country's major international airport, Douala International Airport (DLA). It is the commercial and economic capital of Cameroon and the entire CEMAC region comprising Gabon, Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and Cameroon. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as oil, cocoa and coffee, timber, metals and fruits. As of 2025, the city and its surrounding area had an estimated population of 4,346,000, while the city proper had an estimated population of 3,816,500. The city sits on the estuary of the Wouri River and its climate is tropical.
Restaurants & places to go
94 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 21 airlines, 21 direct destinations
- Camair-co QC (737, 767) · 8 routes: Brazzaville, Cotonou, Garoua, Lagos, Libreville, Maroua, N'djamena, Yaounde
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (737-700, 767-300, DH8) · 6 routes: Addis Ababa, Bangui*, Brazzaville*, Lome*, Malabo, N'djamena*
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-900, 767-300) · 4 routes: Addis Ababa*, Istanbul, Libreville, Malabo*
- Brussels Airlines SN (A330-200, A330-300) · 3 routes: Brussels, Kinshasa, Yaounde
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A330-200, A330-300) · 3 routes: Brussels*, Kinshasa*, Yaounde*
- Royal Air Maroc AT (737-800) · 3 routes: Bangui, Casablanca, Yaounde
- United Airlines UA (A330-200, A330-300) · 3 routes: Brussels*, Kinshasa*, Yaounde*
- Air Canada AC (A330-300) · 2 routes: Brussels*, Kinshasa*
- Air France AF (777-200) · 2 routes: Malabo, Paris
- Atlant-Soyuz Airlines 3G (A319) · 2 routes: Dakar, Lagos
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (777-200) · 2 routes: Malabo*, Paris*
- Rwandair Express WB (737-700, 737-800) · 2 routes: Brazzaville, Libreville
- Swiss International Air Lines LX (A330-200) · 2 routes: Brussels*, Yaounde*
- Varig Log LC (737) · 2 routes: Brazzaville, Cotonou
- Chicago Express C8 (146) · 1 route: Malabo
- Hapagfly HF (A319) · 1 route: Abidjan
- Kenya Airways KQ (Embraer 190) · 1 route: Nairobi
- Pacific East Asia Cargo Airlines Q8 (732, 737-300) · 1 route: Pointe-noire
- Senegal Airlines DN (A320) · 1 route: Cotonou
- South African Airways SA (A319, A320) · 1 route: Libreville
- World Scale Airlines W3 (CRJ-900) · 1 route: Cotonou
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Regional airports
Further out, but often the cheapest way in — the airports the low-cost carriers use. Each links to its own town's guide for getting from there into the city.
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 9 airlines, 8 direct destinations
- Chicago Express C8 (146) · 3 routes: Bata, Cotonou, Douala
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (767-300) · 2 routes: Addis Ababa, Douala
- Royal Air Maroc AT (737-800) · 2 routes: Casablanca, Libreville
- Turkish Airlines TK (767-300) · 2 routes: Addis Ababa*, Douala*
- Air France AF (777-200) · 1 route: Douala
- Dennis Sky DH (ATR 72) · 1 route: Libreville
- Iberia Airlines IB (A319) · 1 route: Madrid
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (777) · 1 route: Douala*
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A340-300) · 1 route: Abuja
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Tiko Airport (TKC); 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Douala, Cameroon. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Trains & rail
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.