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Planning a trip to Abidjan, Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) with kids? Abidjan is one of my favourite family trips in West Africa. We went in December 2021 and again in February 2024, during the Africa Cup of Nations. Here is what we did, where the kids played, what we ate, the Grand-Bassam day trip, and what to check before you fly to Côte d’Ivoire with your kids. Where I add ideas we did not try ourselves, I say so.
Flying to Abidjan with kids
In February 2024 it was just me and the kids, and it was our first flight with Ethiopian Airlines. We left Dad in New York and took a 9 and a half hour direct night flight to Abidjan. Both kids slept for most of it, with the baby snug in my Ergobaby carrier. The food was surprisingly good, the crew was friendly and helpful, and my oldest was thrilled with the colouring books and toys she got. We arrived in Abidjan with the morning sun.
On the way, we stopped at the Maple Leaf Lounge at Toronto Pearson, and the kids had a blast in the play area. Here is more on airport lounges with kids. We always use family boarding, because I like to board before everyone else, and I do not hesitate to ask for help when I travel solo with the kids.
When we left, we flew Emirates from Abidjan to Dubai, an 11 hour journey with a quick stop in Accra, where we stayed on the plane. I compare the airlines we have flown in my post on choosing an airline for a family trip.
Arriving at Abidjan airport with kids
Abidjan’s airport is Aéroport international Félix-Houphouët-Boigny, and when we landed it was extremely busy because of the Africa Cup of Nations. We used the VIP service from Pearl Assist (Menzel Aviation), and it turned the airport into a breeze. They meet you as you get off the plane and handle everything: the carry-ons, immigration and the visa, and the luggage. We had tons of luggage, including our car seat and stroller in their travel bags. Then we waited in an air conditioned lounge before heading to our car, which is a must in that heat.
In February 2024 it cost 70,000 CFA per adult, which was about 150 Canadian dollars. Babies were free, but we had to pay for my older child. Check the current price before you book.
One more tip: keep your boarding passes and luggage tags handy until you leave the airport, because they are checked after the flight. If you would rather have a driver waiting for you, you can book an airport transfer on Kiwitaxi.
Entry rules for Côte d’Ivoire: visa and yellow fever
I learned this one the hard way: yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for Côte d’Ivoire. Make sure every family member has the vaccine and carries their vaccination card.
Most travellers need a visa, so check yours based on your passport. The application is simple and done online on the official e-visa site, snedai.com. You submit your travel itinerary and proof of accommodation, and the approval came within 2 days. In February 2024 it cost 73 euros. Print the approval, and know that the approval is only the first step: the visa itself goes into your passport when you arrive.
Before you apply, the UK government advises applying at least 10 working days before you travel, and Canada’s travel advice says your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure date (both checked in October 2026).
Côte d’Ivoire is also one of the countries where I had more questions at the border when travelling with the kids without their dad. I carry a signed travel consent letter from the other parent, a copy of each child’s birth certificate and a copy of the other parent’s passport. Here is my full guide on how to travel alone with your kids.
For health, Canada’s travel advice says malaria is a risk in Côte d’Ivoire and recommends antimalarial medication for most travellers, so book a travel clinic appointment well before the trip. For food and water, its rule is simple: boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it.
Things to do in Abidjan with kids
Here is what we did with the kids in Abidjan, and a few more ideas if you have more time.
Dreamland, an indoor playground in Zone 4
We went to Dreamland, an indoor playground in Zone 4, and it is a perfect mix of adventure and comfort for families. It has air conditioning, party rooms, a football area, and separate areas for babies, toddlers and older kids, for ages 1 to 8.
When we went in February 2024, entry was 10,000 CFA, about 15 euros or 23 Canadian dollars, and babies were free. Bring cash for the entry and for the snacks and water they sell. Do not forget socks, although you can buy them there if you need to.
The best pools in Abidjan
When I complain about the extreme heat in Côte d’Ivoire, I remind myself how cold it is back home in Canada, and then I try to enjoy the heat. These are my favourite pools in the city:
- Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire: a pool with a view of the lagoon.
- The Noom Hotel: a stylish pool with a view of the city.
- Pullman Abidjan: a quiet spot right in the heart of the city, for a swim or just to lounge.
The Africa Cup of Nations
The highlight of our 2024 trip was experiencing the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final and final in Abidjan. The final was Côte d’Ivoire against Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire won it at home.
More things to do in Abidjan
When people ask me about Abidjan, these are the places I tell them about: the Plateau, a boat ride on the lagoon, the local markets, and the city cafés. Look out for the beautiful pagnes too, the colourful wax print fabrics you see everywhere in Côte d’Ivoire.
If you have more time, here are 2 more ideas that we did not do ourselves:
- Banco National Park: a protected rainforest of more than 3,400 hectares inside the city, with walking trails. Check access and guided walks with the park before you go.
- St Paul’s Cathedral in the Plateau: a landmark with a tall tower you can see from the lagoon, and stained glass windows inside. Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1985.
If you want to book a guide or a lagoon boat ride ahead, you can look for Abidjan tours and activities on Viator.
Food in Abidjan with kids
One of my favourite things about travelling is eating, and Côte d’Ivoire is known for good food. Here is what I ate:
- Garba: tuna with attiéké, simple and full of flavour.
- Attiéké: like couscous, but made from cassava, usually served with grilled chicken or fish. I had it every day.
- Alloco: plantain, a classic side.
- Pain brochette, also called pain chien: skewered meat with bread, originally from Niger, and a filling combo.
- Foufou: a smooth, starchy dish made with different flours.
- Banane braisée: grilled plantains, sweet and comforting.
Fun fact: my toddler was more interested in eating pasta and chicken nuggets.
Our restaurant and bakery list in Abidjan:
- AfriCafe at Ivoire Trade Center: the famous Afro Burger with bissap. It is a quick place to eat in a work building, with lots of other food court places.
- Villa di Sorrento: delicious Italian food, outdoors and family friendly.
- Le Méchoui: delicious Lebanese food.
- Des Gâteaux et du Pain: my favourite patisserie in Abidjan. I have tried countless desserts there and they are all delicious.
- Five: delicious seafood in a fancy setting. We were the only people with kids there, and they were very accommodating.
- Pikado: a fancy patisserie.
I love desserts, French desserts in particular, and I treated myself every other day. One thing to know: I found that people in Abidjan rarely bring their kids to restaurants, so people were always surprised to see us, and everyone was accommodating and polite. The baby mostly slept in the Ergobaby carrier with me. If you are deciding between the two, here is my take on the stroller or baby carrier for travel.
Grand-Bassam day trip from Abidjan
Grand-Bassam sits on the coast about 40 km east of Abidjan, so it works as a day trip with kids. We spent a day at the beach in Bassam in December 2021, and I am in love with the sound of the waves there.
My favourite thing about travelling is to bring back local art, and I also collect travel mugs and fridge magnets.
If you have more time in Grand-Bassam, walk through Ancien Bassam, the old colonial town, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. The former Governor’s Palace there is now the Musée National du Costume, and the historic town sits next to a N’zima fishing village. Some of the old buildings have been restored and others are in poor repair.
One important thing for families: Canada’s travel advice says the ocean currents along the coast are powerful and the beaches are generally unsupervised, and it advises against swimming in the sea, especially in Grand-Bassam, even for excellent swimmers. Keep the kids close at the water’s edge.
You can look for a Grand-Bassam day trip from Abidjan on Viator if you would rather have a guide and a driver.
A weekend in Assinie and Adiaké
For a weekend away, we went to Maliane Lodge in Adiaké, a 2 hour drive from Abidjan. We started 2022 there, with sunsets and fresh coconut water, and we went back in 2024, during the Africa Cup of Nations. Here is my full post on Maliane Lodge in Côte d’Ivoire.
If you have more time, Assinie-Mafia is about 80 km east of Abidjan, between the ocean and the Aby lagoon, and it is a popular weekend escape for people who live in Abidjan. From there, boats go out on the lagoon to the mangroves of the Ehotilé Islands National Park.
Where to stay in Abidjan with kids
Abidjan is big, so the area you pick matters with kids. Here is a quick guide to 3 areas, from my research rather than from where we stayed:
- Cocody: a residential area with tree-lined streets, embassies and good restaurants. The Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire, with the lagoon view pool, is here.
- Plateau: the business district and the skyline, busy during the week and quiet at night and on weekends. The Noom Hotel and the Pullman Abidjan are here.
- Zone 4 and Marcory: restaurants, shopping centres such as Cap Sud and Prima Center, and close to the airport. Dreamland is in Zone 4.
If you are looking for a hotel, you can search hotels in Abidjan on Booking.com or compare hotels on Hotels.com.
Getting around Abidjan with kids
We had a car waiting for us when we left the airport, and we brought our own car seat from home.
Canada’s travel advice calls road safety a major risk in Côte d’Ivoire. It recommends using only registered taxis, checking the driver and the plate number when you use a ride-hailing app, and agreeing on the fare before you go. The UK advice adds that driving at night is especially dangerous on poorly lit roads, so plan your day trips to be back before dark.
To stay connected, we used an eSIM in Côte d’Ivoire. You can get an eSIM from Airalo before you land, so your maps and ride apps work as soon as you are off the plane.
The money is the CFA franc. Cards work at major hotels and some restaurants and shops, and there are ATMs in Abidjan, but bring cash for places like Dreamland.
Best time to visit Abidjan with kids
Both of our trips were between December and February, and for me it was sunny every day. Canada’s travel advice puts the rainy seasons on the southern coast from May to July and in October and November. From December to February, the harmattan, a hot and dusty wind from the Sahara, can blow in, so pack for heat and dust.
Is Abidjan safe for families?
Canada asks travellers to exercise a high degree of caution in Côte d’Ivoire because of crime, and says violent crime happens regularly in big cities, including Abidjan, especially at night (updated 14 October 2026). It advises against all travel within 50 km of the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, in the far north, a long way from Abidjan and the coast. Read the current advice from your own government before you book, plan your outings for daytime, use registered drivers or ride-hailing apps, and be careful with the kids near the sea.
For more on picking a first destination, read Africa with kids: where to start, and for another West African city, my Accra destination guide.
What I pack for trips like this
The things I actually use are in my Amazon store: my packing essentials list and my electronic must-haves for travel list.
If you are planning Abidjan, my pre-travel checklist is the list I run before every trip, with the entry rules and vaccines, and it is free. You can get it here.
Planning Abidjan with your kids? Send me a message on Instagram and tell me when you are going.