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Voykit pocket guide · Liberia
Buchanan
Half a day from Monrovia: see the beach and old port, then return. Not worth a night unless you have a specific reason.
Buchanan is Liberia's second-largest city and a former iron-ore port, about 2 hours' drive from Monrovia on a sealed road. The town has a grid-pattern centre, a rough beach 5 km south, and little else for visitors. Most travellers pass through on the way to Harper or Sapo National Park, or make a half-day stop from Monrovia.
- Country
- Liberia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season)
- Avoid
- May–Oct (heavy rain, roads may be poor)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Liberia uses both the Liberian dollar (LRD) and the US dollar; many prices are in US dollars. Bring clean, recent US dollar notes.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$25–40 excl. bed · Mid US$40–70 excl. bed · High US$70+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange and Lonestar Cell MTN sell SIMs with passport registration.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Fire and ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C, F · 120 V · 60 Hz · US-style sockets and voltage; European devices need a converter unless dual-voltage. Power cuts are common.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% if not included.; Driver day: US$10–20.; Guide: US$5–15.; Porter: US$1–2.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap. Bottled or sealed sachet water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; basic elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Shared taxi Monrovia–Buchanan, one way | US$8–12 |
| Private car Monrovia–Buchanan, one way | US$50–80 |
| Local meal (rice and sauce) | US$3–6 |
| Bottle of beer | US$1–2 |
| Lodge room, budget | US$15–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- UCN · Buchanan Airport
- Small airport with unpaved runway; no scheduled flights (check)
Typical fares
- Monrovia → Buchanan, shared taxi
- about US$10, about 2 h (check)
- Buchanan centre → beach, motorbike
- US$2–3
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable centre; shared taxis or motorbikes for the beach (5 km (3.1 mi) south).Walkable centre; shared taxis or motorbikes for the beach (3.1 mi (5 km) south).
See and do
Known for
- Buchanan beach (unmaintained, rough seas)
- Lumco industrial complex and iron-ore railway
- Fanti community (Ghanaian origin)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monrovia | Shared taxi or private car, about 2 h on sealed road | About 2 h |
| Harper | Private 4x4 via Greenville, about 6–8 h (dry season only) | About 6–8 h |
Sleep
- Main thoroughfare (Buchanan)
- Cheaper lodges along the main road; Teepro Lodge near the Buchanan Recyclables office has inconsistent pricing (check).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Too expensive | Too expensivetoo expensive |
| Where is the beach? | Where is the beach?where is the beach |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Snap handshake and 'How da body?'; avoid: Skipping greetings
- Titles: Use 'Old Ma', 'Old Pa', 'Chief' for elders; avoid: First names with elders
- Hands: Right hand for giving and eating; avoid: Left-hand money
- Dress: Smart clothes for church and offices; avoid: Beachwear in town
Scams and watch-outs
- Landmines off paved paths: stay on roads and tracks.
- Beach has rough seas and eroding bamboo huts; not safe for swimming.
- Lodge prices may change between reservation and check-out: confirm in writing.
- No ATM or bank that reliably accepts foreign cards (check); bring enough USD or LRD from Monrovia.
Buchanan is generally safe during the day, but landmines exist off paved paths. Avoid the beach after dark. Petty crime is possible; keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Buchanan yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Buchanan beach (unmaintained, rough seas)
- Lumco industrial complex and iron-ore railway
- Fanti community (Ghanaian origin)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Buchanan (Liberia), revision 5231994 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5231994
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/buchanan-liberia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.