Sandwiched between the Namib Desert and the wild Atlantic coast, the geographically isolated town of Lüderitz is notable for its surreal Art Nouveau architecture. Most of these colourful buildings date back to the diamond rush period of the early 20th century, when Namibia was a German colony.

Walvis Bay is situated on the edge of a tidal lagoon, sheltered from the Atlantic by a long sand spit. This important wetland area is famous for its birdlife, home to one of southern Africa’s largest flamingo colonies, and it’s a short drive to the city of Swakopmund, known for its quirky German colonial architecture.

The city of Moçâmedes, formerly known as Namibe, was founded by the Portuguese in 1840 on the edge of the Namib Desert. The city itself is graced with some elegant colonial architecture, while nearby attractions include the Arch Lagoon, with its impressive natural rock arches.

Luanda is a city of shocking contrasts, where conspicuous consumption fuelled by Angola’s oil boom rubs up against sprawling shanty towns. The most attractive areas of the city date back to the Portuguese colonial period, including the fortress of São Miguel de Luanda and the pleasant seafront promenade known as the Marginal.

Bom Bom Island Resort is the only hotel on the island of Principe, part of the little known West African nation of São Tomé and Principe. Ruggedly beautiful, with golden beaches and mountains swathed in jungle, this is a wonderful place to spend a relaxing day ashore.

Lomé is Togo’s capital and largest city, once known as the ‘Pearl of West Africa’, and there are still some architectural remnants of the colonial period, when the city was part of German Togoland. Perhaps more interesting today are Lomé’s colourful fetish markets, where you can learn about the role of Voodoo in West Africa.

Once just a little fishing village, Takoradi is now a deep-water sea port growing rapidly on the back of Ghana’s oil industry. Nearby points of interest include Cape Coast Castle, part of a network of colonial-era forts where slaves were held captive before being shipped across the Atlantic.