Where to stay in Bo — pick the right hotel, book in 3 clicks

Local dishes to try in Bo

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   Cassava Leaf Stew

   Sierra Leone's national dish: pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with palm oil, smoked fish and ground peanuts. Rich and savoury, served over hot rice. A must-try in Bo.

   📍 National dish
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   Jollof Rice

   Rice cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce with meat or fish and vegetables, a West African staple. Easy to find at local eateries and around the market.

   📍 Tomato rice
3. 3🥜

   Groundnut Stew

   A hearty peanut-based stew, usually with chicken or fish and plenty of vegetables. Thick, mellow and comforting, eaten over a plate of steaming rice.

   📍 Stew
4. 4🍌

   Plantain Chips

   Thinly sliced plantain fried crisp, a favourite snack sold all over Bo Big Market and on the street. Salty and moreish, perfect to grab while exploring.

   📍 Snack
5. 5🐟

   Smoked fish & pepper sauce

   Smoked fish is the backbone of nearly every Sierra Leonean stew, lending a distinctive aroma. It's paired with the fiery local pepper sauce that sits beside every meal.

   📍 Key ingredient
6. 6🍢

   Market street food

   Around Bo Big Market you'll find grilled meat, roasted nuts, seasonal fruit and hot fried snacks at low prices. The most authentic way to eat like a local.

   📍 Street eats

1. 1🛒

   Bo Big Market

   The city's main market, selling herbal remedies, cloth, household goods and local snacks like plantain chips. Bargaining is expected, and it's the clearest window into everyday Bo life.

   📍 Market
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   Tiwai Island

   A wildlife sanctuary in the Moa River covering about 12 sq km, home to 135+ bird species and several primates including the colobus monkey. Forest walks, boat tours and an overnight rainforest camp.

   📍 Nature
3. 3🕰️

   Bo Clock Tower

   A colonial-era clock tower marking the centre of town. It's a popular meeting point and a symbol of local civic pride, and a handy reference point for exploring downtown on foot.

   📍 Landmark
4. 4🏫

   Bo School

   Bo Government Secondary School, founded in 1906 and described as one of the biggest and most prominent secondary schools in West Africa. A living piece of the city's colonial-era educational heritage.

   📍 History
5. 5🎓

   Njala University (Bo campus)

   The city campus of the country's second-largest university, with leafy grounds and active student life, strong in agriculture and forestry. It gives Bo much of its young energy.

   📍 Culture
6. 6🏟️

   Bo Stadium

   The second-largest stadium in the country, used for football. Time your visit with a match and you'll catch the warm, raucous local crowd at its best.

   📍 Sport
7. 7🌳

   Kangari Hills Forest Reserve

   A hilly forest reserve in the Bo area, home to forest birds, chimpanzees and elephants. A rewarding, low-traffic day trip out of the city for nature lovers.

   📍 Nature
8. 8🌴

   Gola Rainforest

   The largest remaining stretch of lowland rainforest in Sierra Leone and one of its most important sites for threatened wildlife. Bo makes a practical base for heading south to it.

   📍 Nature