Its modern landmarks include zigguratlike, concrete La Pyramide and St. Paul's Cathedral, a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross.

Located on the Gulf of Guinea, the Ivory Coast contains 515km (320mi) of exposed southerly facing shoreline. This equatorial country picks up the South Atlantic swells, which break on a variety of beaches and reefs, backed by swaying coconut trees and endless lagoons.

Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) has been off the travelers radar for a while but is now back and beckoning intrepid travellers.

Côte d'Ivoire is a West African country with beach resorts, rainforests and a French-colonial legacy. Abidjan, on the Atlantic coast, is the country’s major urban center.