Bo is the second city of Sierra Leone and the main city of the Southern region. Bo is one of the only cities in Sierra Leone to be untouched by the war, owing to a citizen militia which kept the rebel soldiers out for the entire 10 years.
The road journey from Freetown takes 4 hours by an excellent paved road. The road from Kenema is also in good condition and takes about 1 hour.
Though Bo is the second city of Sierra Leone, there is not a lot to see here. Most people will use it as a stopping point on the way to other places. Small scale diamond mining is present in the area and could be worth a visit.
Being a long way from the sea, the menu is rather limited in most places. Beef, chicken or river fish can be found.
There are numerous bars throughout the town, usually serving Star beer at reasonable prices.
Hotels in Bo are very basic compared with those in Freetown. Electricity is often only available during the night, if at all. Town center hotels can be noisy.
Dohas Hotel, 103, Bo-Kenema Highway (on the south side of town), 7.94443°, -11.75836°, +23279944444. Seems to be the most reputable lodging, as of July 2020. Pool, restaurant, gym, secured perimeter, gym, free wi-fi, ac. 2020-07-27
Hotel Sir Milton, 6 Kissy Town Road (north of clock tower, a few steps away from the Black and White Bar), 7.96584°, -11.74005°, +23276642530. Downtown location, internet cafe, small restaurant, does not have the best reviews (broken TV, etc). 2020-07-27
Sahara Hotel, 7.95732°, -11.73141°, +23277536395. In a quiet part of the city. Food service.
Countryside Hotel on the Bo-Kenema road on the south of the town. Has electricity during the night and airconditioned rooms, swimming pool and tennis court. It has deteriorated somewhat since it opened. There is also a risk of loud music late into the night. Rooms start at Le120,000.
Madame Woki Hotel in the center of town. Very basic, but some rooms have simple air-conditioners which work when the electricity or generator are working. This is usually not all night.
Imperial hotel on the Bo-Kenema road on the south of the town.
The unrelenting heat and humidity can make life very unpleasant. For anyone not used to this, an air-conditioned room to sleep in will be almost essential. BBC World Service can be heard on 94.5MHz (FM) and Western style commercial station Capital Radio on 102.3MHz.
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