Gabon requires a visa for most nationalities before arrival. Citizens of Economic Community of Central African States member countries enter without a visa for stays up to 90 days. All other travelers apply at a Gabonese embassy or consulate before departure, submitting passport photos, yellow fever vaccination certificate, invitation letter or hotel reservation, and return flight confirmation. The tourist visa costs approximately 95,000 Central African CFA francs for single entry. Processing takes five to ten business days. Electronic visa applications do not exist as of current policy. The official source for requirements is the Direction Générale de la Documentation et de l'Immigration website.
Libreville hosts Gabon's only international airport. Léon-Mba International Airport sits 11 kilometers north of the capital city center. Air France operates direct flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Royal Air Maroc connects through Casablanca. Turkish Airlines routes through Istanbul. Ethiopian Airlines flies via Addis Ababa. Regional connections exist through Douala in Cameroon and Brazzaville in Republic of Congo with Afrijet and ASKY Airlines. No North American or Asian carriers provide direct service. Port-Gentil receives some regional flights but no intercontinental service.
Immigration queues at Léon-Mba International Airport typically last 30 to 90 minutes depending on flight arrivals. Officers check visa documentation, yellow fever vaccination cards, and passport validity of minimum six months. The airport has one baggage claim carousel. Customs inspection occurs before exit. Officials sometimes open luggage for physical inspection. Bringing more than 2,000 US dollars in cash requires declaration. The airport provides no visa-on-arrival service despite occasional claims otherwise.
Gabon uses the Central African CFA franc, currency code XAF. The franc links to the euro at a fixed rate of 655.957 francs per euro. Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale controls monetary policy for six Central African nations including Gabon. This differs from the West African CFA franc used in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire despite identical naming. Exchange rates at banks follow the fixed euro peg. Street money changers operate in Libreville and Port-Gentil but offer minimal advantage given the euro peg and risk of counterfeit notes.
ATMs exist in Libreville, Port-Gentil, Franceville, and Oyem. BGFI Bank and Banque Gabonaise et Française Internationale operate the largest networks. Machines dispense 10,000 franc notes, occasionally 5,000 notes. Daily withdrawal limits range from 100,000 to 300,000 francs depending on bank and card type. International Visa and Mastercard function at most machines. American Express rarely works. Machines frequently run out of cash on weekends and after the 25th of each month when salaries distribute. Mobile money services like Airtel Money and Moov Africa Money exist but require local identification for account setup.
Credit cards see limited acceptance. Upscale hotels in Libreville such as Radisson Blu and Tropicana accept Visa and Mastercard. Most restaurants operate cash-only. Supermarkets like Leader Price and Casino accept cards but machines fail regularly. Gas stations owned by Total and Shell take cards at some locations. The broader economy runs on cash. Travelers carrying only cards face severe limitations outside central Libreville.
Currency exchange services operate at Léon-Mba International Airport in the arrivals hall. Rates match the euro peg with a service charge of 2 to 3 percent. BGFI Bank maintains an exchange desk. Downtown Libreville has BGFI branches on Boulevard Triomphal Omar Bongo and Avenue du Colonel Parant. Société Générale and UGB also exchange currency. Banks open Monday through Friday 0730 to 1500 hours. Some close for lunch 1130 to 1330. No banks open Saturday or Sunday. Hotels exchange currency at rates 5 to 8 percent worse than banks.
Bringing euros provides the most efficient entry currency given the fixed exchange rate and French colonial legacy. US dollars exchange at banks but require more paperwork. British pounds exchange at major branches only. Chinese yuan does not exchange despite Chinese infrastructure investments. Travelers arriving with Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, or other currencies must convert through euros or US dollars.
A hotel room in central Libreville costs 40,000 to 150,000 francs per night for mid-range options. Budget guesthouses start around 25,000 francs. A meal at a local restaurant runs 3,000 to 8,000 francs. Supermarket prices for imported goods mirror European costs. A liter of bottled water costs 500 to 800 francs. A baguette costs 200 to 300 francs. Local transport by shared taxi within Libreville costs 200 to 500 francs per seat. A chartered taxi for exclusive use costs 2,000 to 5,000 francs for short trips across town. Domestic flights from Libreville to Port-Gentil cost 80,000 to 150,000 francs return depending on booking timing.