For the Eid break I decided to go on a trip to another part of Cote d’Ivoire. As I get ready to leave this country on June 11th, I really wanted to have a positive perspective. You see, living here has not been easy. This year especially the electricity outtages and sometimes water outtages has been frustrating and challenging. So whenever there was a break, I left the country. This time I wanted to not have to deal with a covid test. I also wanted a quiet beach vacation. Although there are beaches close to Abidjan in Grand Bassam, the tide is rough so you cannot swim and there’s lots of trash and stray dogs. I don’t do dogs at all. One of my colleagues at work has mentioned San Pedro as a nice reprieve from the city so I choose to check it out.

San Pedro is , a small beach town that I was told have nice, clean beaches. The airport is really small, so there are no stores but it is a short one hour flight from Abidjan. There are typically two flights on the weekends and one afternoon flight at 4pm on week days. The ride from the airport to the resort La Baie des Sirenes took an hour but it is so worth the ride. The resort is beautiful, well maintained, and even the bar and the restaurant is mostly outdoors because it is an open design so it allowed for ocean views wherever you went. The rooms at this resort are round structures kind of like huts and most of them have balcony doors so you can sit outside. My room had an ocean view so I could hear the ocean at night. Best of all it was quiet and clean and there were no stray dogs. It was so quiet there at night that I slept so good. I think it was the best sleep I have had since I moved to this country.

What I loved most about this resort was the closeness to the ocean. I spent all day outdoors without a mask because there were not too many people around me. There were two swimming pools, one for kids and plenty of chairs around the property so you could sit and read and listen to the ocean. The staff were helpful and friendly and there are golf carts available to take you up the hill to your room if you didn’t want to walk.

Grand Bereby beach is huge, it stretches for miles and there are several resorts along the beach. The sand has a golden color to it which adds to its charm. The water was shallow near the sand and very calm. On the beach there were chairs and umbrellas and tables so that you could opt to eat meals outside facing the ocean. The menu was extensive, the food was delicious and the drinks were decent. Even the desserts were tasty. I ate a lot of fish and alloco/plantains because I just loved it. Breakfast was free and you could eat typical options of bread, eggs, fruit, bacon along with a heavier meal of potatoes, alloco, chicken and salad.

Although I enjoyed a lazy vacation, there are many sports options for those who need to be active. The resort has bikes, and boats and surf boards to borrow and there are a nearby monkey and turtle areas to visit. There is also a lagoon for those who don’t want to just relax at the resort. I had the pleasure of getting a massage on the beach by two women who massaged me simultaneously. Initially this felt weird, but it turned out to be a great experience of sensory overload. There was no late night entertainment but the bar outside hosted some events around dinner time.

While Cote d’Ivoire is not known as a typical tourist country, if you ever happen to visit, make the time to get out to San Pedro, it’s definitely worth the visit. And even get off the resort and explore the surrounding area. For me this quiet, relaxing, mini vacation was just the rejuvenation I needed and a nice way to prepare for the end of the school year and packing up to leave Cote d’Ivoire. #beachgyal #myhappyplace #awelldeservedbreak #minivacation #BlackExpat #countdowntojune11th #theendofaseason