The Restinga
Palms between bay and ocean.
David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada — CC BY 2.0 · David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada — CC BY 2.0 · David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada — CC BY 2.0 · jlrsousa — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Contreiras45 — CC BY-SA 4.0
Lobito is a coastal city in Benguela Province, western Angola, built on a sandspit and reclaimed land around one of Africa's finest natural harbours. The harbour is sheltered by a long sandspit, the Restinga, which reaches about 5 km into the sea. The city was founded in 1843 by order of Queen Maria II of Portugal; before that it was known as Catumbela das Ostras, «Catumbela of Oysters». Harbour works began in 1903, and the city boomed after the Benguela Railway was completed in 1928, its port becoming the terminus of the line into the interior. Lobito's carnival was among the best known in Angola. Along the Restinga, a palm-lined road runs between the calm bay and the ocean. On the bay stand the white Arrábida church with its red tower and the pink town hall with a jetty over the water. Fishing boats moor in the bay, and the tip of the spit has sand and palms. The old ship Zaire is displayed on a concrete base in town. The climate is a mild, dry tropical one, with dry, warm winters. A walk along the Restinga in the morning or at sunset is the highlight. Do not photograph port facilities, and keep valuables close.
Palms between bay and ocean.
White with a red tower.
A pink front on the water.
Restinga, Lobito, Benguela Province, Angola
A long sandspit, about 5 km, sheltering the harbour.
Avoid photographing port facilities.