Cameroon

Outside of Cameroon's swelling and modernised cities, rainforests stretch from the Atlantic Ocean, giving way to savannah and semi-desert in the north. Elephants and bongos congregate by the hundreds in some of Africa's best wildlife parks, and beachcombers laze on long, isolated beaches.

In addition to its French and British colonial past, there are over 130 ethnic groups in the country speaking dozens of languages. Islam and Christianity compete for souls, as do an array of traditional animist beliefs. Cameroon has its problems and can be a challenge, but it's worth it.