Backpacking In Cameroon: My Cool Stay At Foyer du Marin, Douala 🇨🇲

“Omam-Biyik? Oh and he scored” – Football Commentator (1990).

I finally lived out a childhood dream in March 2024 when I arrived in Cameroon! Ever since Omam-Biyik’s header in 1990 for Cameroon against Argentina, I have followed Cameroon’s football results. I have a soft spot for them, despite my clear bias of Northern Ireland. Back in 1990, as I watched live on TV in my living room in Marlo, Bangor, Northern Ireland, Cameroon played Argentina in the opening match. It was to be unforgettable! One brother, Omam-Biyick scored the winner against Maradona’s Argentina, the other brother, Kana-Biyick hacked down Caniggia and got a red card. Cameroon finished the match with 9 men, but won the match 1-0, later winning the group and progressing to the quarter finals.

Well fast forward from 1990 to 2024 and my experience backpacking in Cameroon blew my expectations and completely exceeded them! Before my trip, I had to go through a gruelling online visa process for a Cameroon tourist visa, but I got there! To start with, I stayed in this excellent place – Foyer Du Marin in Douala. It feels like a mix of a backpacker’s hostel with a business mindset. It is excellent, I felt at home immediately here.

Of course it helped that my arrival into Cameroon meant an ice cold Harp lager beer straight away! Yes, Harp Lager, and very similar in taste and look to the Harp Lager I grew up drinking in Bangor in Northern Ireland! They also gave me a multiple entry tourist visa, so I can even go back again!

If you get booked in to the Foyer Du Marin, you will love this blend of internationalism here down near the harbour in Douala, Cameroon. Here are some cool reasons why I loved it.

1.The History

The Foyer du Marin in Douala is a cooperation of the Eglise Evangelique du Cameroun and the German Seamen Mission – it has been there since 1964! For sure in that time, it has experienced a wild mix  of tourists, business travellers and backpackers.

2.It has a swimming pool

I loved the fact there is a swimming pool, a bar and leafy gardens. I don’t often have swimming pools on my journeys but actually I did in Sierra Leone and in The Gambia (twice). I Douala, I met up with my friend Aron (who I had met previously at the airport in Guinea). I also toured the museum, churches, art gallery and football stadiums, but seriously, I actually just enjoyed relaxing in Cameroon here. Hardcore backpacking doesn’t mean firing every sight into your backpack. Sometimes you just want to chill out with a pool dip.

I organised a tour with Mebah Markdonald, a local businessman and tour guide at Discover Cameroon and I will be writing about Mebah and his tour soon! As well as the backpacking sights, I went groundhopping and barhopping too. It exceeded my expectations and guess what?? I actually met Samuel Eto’o! And not just met him, he was in the next seat to me for part of the match and I shook his hand, got his autograph and enjoyed a short chat.

3.Cosy Rooms

I was upstairs in a cosy room with an ensuite shower room. This was the perfect place to chill out for me. I had air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a fridge!

4.Free Wi-Fi

Of course Wi-Fi in Africa can be slow but at least it is free here and it works. I had some online jobs to solve during my stay and I was able to get most of them done here.

5.Your hosts

I met Klaus, my warm and friendly host here. Klaus is from Germany and he runs this place with his wife Ina and daughter. It’s a difficult full-time job, but they manage to do it well and even Klaus has time to join me for a beer on my birthday. Yes, when the clock struck midnight on my 44th birthday, I was in Cameroon, with a flight to Gabon on the same day. Klaus also helped out with airport transfers and a money issue I had at the time, so I really am grateful for it all and would definitely stay here again if I return to Douala!

Here are the details for booking at room here –

Foyer Du Marin

Address: 10 Rue Gallieni, Douala, Cameroon

http://foyer-du-marin.org/

Douala

Here are some videos from my stay at Foyer du Marin, Douala:

And Cameroon from Italia 90: