La Baie des Tortues Luth

This paradisiaque place gave me the best experience and the best time of my life.

We spent a week here recently and had a great time. The clean bungalows have comfortable beds, and the staff are welcoming and always ready to help. We enjoyed running along the beautiful white-sand beach, as well as the delicious grilled fish and seafood. It’s peaceful during the week, with greenery, flowers, trees and birds all around. There are a couple of activities, including a visit to nearby Pongara National Park to see forest elephants and buffalos. We were lucky enough to have an elephant visit too. Watch out for the floating quay when arriving or leaving. July is a particularly fantastic time to be here.

For the price, the resort’s quality didn’t impress me. Lunch, or any food at all, isn’t available before 1pm, and then it’s buffet only. Birds fly around eating the dessert laid out for guests, and service is slow, though everything in Gabon seems to move slowly. The boat was meant to leave at 8:30am but didn’t go until nearly 9:30, and after we boarded, its engines wouldn’t start, so we had to switch boats. I found the place a bit overrated.

We had a lovely time on the property, and even got a visit from an elephant. The grounds are gorgeous. I wish we’d had a chance to sit on the beach or swim in the pool, but the day’s schedule ran badly behind. Lunch took so long that we couldn’t stay for dessert, even though we’d preordered, and we arrived an hour late for whale watching. We also took a buggy tour. It was pleasant enough, but seemed expensive for what we saw. The English-speaking guide rode in another vehicle, so I felt we missed out on learning about the area.