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Bong County
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Explore Bong County for Gbarnga’s inland energy, Kpelle heritage, Kpatawee Waterfall, forested landscapes and Liberia’s former iron-ore country.

Bong County occupies a broad stretch of central Liberia between the coastal plain and the forested uplands of the north-east. Its administrative capital, Gbarnga, is one of the country’s principal inland towns and an important junction on the Monrovia–Ganta road. Beyond the town, red laterite roads, cultivated clearings, streams and densely wooded hills create a landscape shaped by farming, trade and seasonal rainfall. The county is predominantly associated with the Kpelle people, Liberia’s largest ethnic group, although its towns and transport corridors bring together communities from across the country.
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Gbarnga is the practical base for exploring Bong. It has markets, small hotels, cafés, churches, mosques and transport connections to surrounding districts, while nearby Suakoko is known for Phebe Hospital and Cuttington University. The county is not a conventional resort destination: its appeal lies in experiencing inland Liberian life, learning about rural livelihoods and travelling through landscapes that remain closely connected to agriculture and forest ecology. Visitors should allow time for slow journeys and changing road conditions rather than treating the county as a brief stop between Monrovia and northern Liberia.
Water is one of Bong’s most accessible natural attractions. Kpatawee Waterfall, in the Suakoko area, drops through a forested setting and is visited for swimming, picnicking and short nature outings when conditions permit. The falls are especially impressive during the rainy season, although wet rocks, fast water and muddy approaches require care. Other parts of the county offer streams, wooded hills and farming country rather than developed visitor infrastructure, so local guidance is valuable for reaching less familiar places.
Bong’s modern identity is also bound to iron ore. The Bong Range and the former Bong Mining Company operation brought railways, mining settlements and international commercial connections to the county during the twentieth century. Many facilities were damaged or abandoned during Liberia’s civil wars, but the mining landscape remains important to regional memory and to the physical story of roads, settlements and employment. Contemporary Bong is more strongly associated with agriculture, education, health services, commerce and transport than with large-scale mining, yet these earlier layers remain visible.
Food and social life are grounded in Liberian staples: rice accompanied by sauces, cassava, plantain, greens, fish and meat, with palm oil and locally grown produce common in household and market cooking. Evening entertainment is generally modest and concentrated in Gbarnga, where small bars, restaurants, music and football viewing provide a social focus. Travelling with patience, using local advice and treating rural communities and sacred or private spaces with respect will give visitors a more accurate understanding of Bong County than a hurried checklist of sights.

When is the best time to visit Bong County?

Best: December–February · 31°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January (best)315
February (best)3110
March3220
April3350
May33100
June33200
July32250
August32200
September31100
October3250
November3120
December (best)3110

Getting to and around Bong County

How to get there

Most international visitors reach Bong County by road from Monrovia after arriving at Roberts International Airport in Margibi County, which is outside Bong and requires a transfer by road. The principal approach follows Liberia’s main eastward and north-eastern corridor through Kakata towards Gbarnga, with onward routes towards Ganta and northern Liberia. Gbarnga is the county’s main transport centre. Road travel times vary considerably with traffic, weather, security conditions and repairs, so private transfers or reputable local transport arrangements are preferable for visitors carrying luggage.

Transportation

Shared taxis, minibuses and motorbike taxis are the main forms of transport within Bong County, with the greatest availability in Gbarnga and along major road corridors. Motorbikes can reach smaller communities and rural areas but may offer limited protection from weather and road conditions. A hired car with an experienced local driver is useful for visiting Kpatawee Waterfall, former mining areas and places away from the main road. Rural roads can become muddy or difficult during the rains, and walking between settlements should be planned with local guidance.

Top city travel guides in Bong County

The cities of Bong County, and the easiest places to base yourself.

Best attractions in Bong County

Bong County’s attractions are dispersed and largely connected to nature, local life and history rather than purpose-built tourism infrastructure. Kpatawee Waterfall near Suakoko is the county’s best-known natural outing, with cascades, forest surroundings and places suited to a short picnic or swim when water conditions are safe. The journey itself passes through cultivated countryside and settlements that reveal the importance of rice, cassava, plantain and other smallholder crops. Gbarnga provides the county’s main urban experience, with markets, transport activity, churches, mosques and everyday commercial life. Suakoko adds educational and medical interest through Cuttington University and Phebe Hospital, though both should be treated as working institutions rather than conventional sightseeing venues. The Bong Range and former mining areas offer insight into Liberia’s iron-ore era, but access can be restricted, infrastructure may be deteriorated and arrangements should be made locally. For visitors interested in culture, guided conversations, markets, rural walks and community-based visits are generally more rewarding than searching for a long list of formal attractions.

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Best landmarks in Bong County

Kpatawee Waterfall is Bong County’s most recognisable natural landmark, where water moves through a wooded setting near Suakoko and gives the county a focal point for local recreation. The Bong Range is an important geographical and historical landmark: its iron-bearing hills shaped the development of the Bong Mining Company and the associated railway and settlement system during the twentieth century. The former mining landscape is not a polished heritage attraction, but its abandoned or altered infrastructure helps explain the county’s industrial past and should be visited only with local knowledge and permission. In Gbarnga, the town’s roads, market area and public institutions are more significant as markers of contemporary regional life than as monumental architecture. Suakoko’s Cuttington University and Phebe Hospital are prominent institutional landmarks whose influence extends across central Liberia. Together, these places express Bong’s distinctive combination of forested inland geography, Kpelle cultural history, education, healthcare and mining-era transformation.

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Explore Bong County on the map

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Best restaurants in Bong County

Dining in Bong County is centred on Liberian home-style cooking, market stalls, modest restaurants and informal roadside food rather than a large formal restaurant scene. Rice is the everyday foundation, often served with sauces containing greens, cassava leaves, palm oil, fish, chicken or meat; cassava, plantain and sweet potato are also common. Gbarnga offers the broadest selection of cafés, small eateries and restaurants, while food choices become simpler in rural districts. Travellers may encounter jollof-style rice and other dishes shared across West Africa, but the county’s most characteristic meals are those built around local crops and richly seasoned sauces. Palm products, fresh fruit and produce from surrounding farms appear in markets according to season. Ask about ingredients when buying prepared food, choose busy stalls with good turnover and carry drinking water on longer journeys. Dining is generally informal, and meals may be prepared to order, so patience is part of the experience.

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Best bars in Bong County

Nightlife in Bong County is concentrated mainly in Gbarnga and is modest compared with Monrovia’s entertainment districts. Small bars, restaurants, roadside drinking spots and football-viewing venues form the principal evening scene, with music often providing the background rather than a dedicated club programme. Some establishments cater to students, transport workers, local professionals and visitors, while outside Gbarnga evening activity is more likely to centre on family compounds, community gatherings or a local bar. Suakoko has an evening population shaped partly by Cuttington University, but its atmosphere remains that of a small inland community rather than a major nightlife centre. Opening arrangements and venue status can change, so ask locally and return to accommodation by a reliable means of transport. Alcohol is available, but visitors can equally experience the county through food, conversation, music and early-morning markets.

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Best nightclubs in Bong County

Nightlife in Bong County is concentrated mainly in Gbarnga and is modest compared with Monrovia’s entertainment districts. Small bars, restaurants, roadside drinking spots and football-viewing venues form the principal evening scene, with music often providing the background rather than a dedicated club programme. Some establishments cater to students, transport workers, local professionals and visitors, while outside Gbarnga evening activity is more likely to centre on family compounds, community gatherings or a local bar. Suakoko has an evening population shaped partly by Cuttington University, but its atmosphere remains that of a small inland community rather than a major nightlife centre. Opening arrangements and venue status can change, so ask locally and return to accommodation by a reliable means of transport. Alcohol is available, but visitors can equally experience the county through food, conversation, music and early-morning markets.

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Best shops in Bong County

Shopping in Bong County is primarily practical and market-based, with Gbarnga offering the greatest concentration of stalls, small shops and informal trading. Visitors can find locally grown produce, rice, cassava products, plantains, fruit, palm-related goods, household necessities and prepared food, while smaller towns and roadside markets serve surrounding farming communities. Shopping is less about dedicated souvenir retail than about observing how agricultural goods move through the county’s commercial networks. Handmade items, textiles and simple craft goods may be available through personal contacts or local markets, but selection and quality vary. Travellers seeking regional gifts can consider packaged food products or locally made crafts where their origin and safe transport are clear. Carry Liberian dollars in smaller notes, check quantities and prices before completing a purchase, and remember that market goods are often seasonal. Bargaining may occur in informal settings, but it should be conducted courteously rather than aggressively.

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Bong County essentials

Currency and Payment
The Liberian dollar, coded LRD, is the national currency used in Bong County. United States dollars are also widely used in Liberia, especially for larger transactions, but visitors should carry clean, small-denomination notes and confirm the exchange value before paying. Card acceptance is limited outside larger hotels and established businesses in Gbarnga, while mobile-money services may be useful where available. Cash is essential for transport, markets, rural visits and small food outlets.
Safety
Visitors should take ordinary urban precautions in Gbarnga, including keeping valuables discreet and avoiding isolated streets after dark. The more significant practical risks are often transport-related: poor road surfaces, crowded vehicles, motorbike travel, heavy rain and slippery ground around waterfalls and streams. Do not swim near cascades after intense rainfall, and use local advice before entering former mining areas or remote forest country. Drink treated or bottled water, protect against mosquitoes and arrange countryside travel during daylight.
Emergency Situations
Liberia’s national emergency arrangements apply in Bong County; 911 is used for emergency assistance, including police, fire and ambulance requests, although response capacity and coverage can vary outside major towns. Visitors should save the contact details of their accommodation, driver and local guide, and should not assume that a rural area has immediate ambulance or rescue support. For serious medical needs, seek help promptly in Gbarnga or through local health authorities, and ensure that travel insurance covers medical evacuation where appropriate.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress modestly and respectfully in towns, villages, churches, mosques, schools and medical or educational institutions. Ask before taking photographs of people, public facilities, ceremonies or former mining installations, and follow local guidance at waterfalls and community-managed sites. Queue patiently, agree transport prices before departure and avoid public arguments. Tipping is not a fixed obligation, but a modest amount may be appreciated for attentive guiding or service. Do not litter, disturb forest areas or assume that an apparently empty building is open for exploration.
Local Tips
Gbarnga is the most practical base, but Suakoko offers important educational and medical institutions and is also the general area associated with Kpatawee Waterfall. The landscape is greener and travel is often harder during the rainy season, while dry-season dust can affect unpaved roads. Markets are best visited early, when produce and cooked food are plentiful. Learning a few polite greetings in Kpelle, while using English for wider communication, can help establish rapport; a local interpreter is useful for detailed conversations outside the main towns.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloSalone[sah-loh-neh]
GoodbyeNya[nyah]
YesEhn[ehn]
NoNo[noh]
Please/You're welcomePlease[pleez]
Thank youTenki[ten-kee]
Excuse me/SorryPardon[par-don]
How are you?How you dey?[how you day?]
Fine. And you?I fine. And you?[I fain. And you?]
Do you speak English?You sabi English?[you sah-bee English?]
I don't understandI no sabi[I noh sah-bee]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseI wan see di menu, please[I wan see dee menu, pleez]
I don't eat meatI no eat meat[I noh eet meet]
Cheers!Cheers![cheers]
I would like to pay, pleaseI wan pay, please[I wan pay, pleez]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![help]
Go away!Go away![go away]
Call the Police!Call di Police![call dee po-lees]
Call a doctor!Call one doctor![call one doc-tah]
I'm lostI don lost[I don lost]
I'm illI dey sick[I dey sik]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wan buy...[I wan buy...]
I'm just lookingI just dey look[I just dey luk]
How much is it?How much e be?[how much eh bee?]
That's too expensiveDat too expensive[dat too expen-siv]
Can you lower the price?You fit reduce di price?[you fit re-doos dee price?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Wetin time be?[weh-tin time bee?]
It's one o'clockNa one o'clock[na one oh-clock]
Half past (10)Half past ten[half past ten]
MorningMornin[mor-ning]
AfternoonAfternoon[af-teh-noon]
EveningEvenin[ee-ven-ing]
YesterdayYesterday[yes-teh-day]
TodayToday[to-day]
TomorrowTomorrow[to-morrow]
1One[one]
2Two[two]
3Three[three]
4Four[four]
5Five[five]
6Six[six]
7Seven[seven]
8Eight[eight]
9Nine[nine]
10Ten[ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where di...?[where dee...?]
What's the address?Wetin di address?[weh-tin dee ad-dress?]
Can you show me (on the map)?You fit show me (for di map)?[you fit show me (for dee map)?]
When's the next (bus)?When di next (bus)?[when dee next (bus)?]
A ticket (to ....)One ticket (to ....)[one tick-it (to ....)]

History of Bong County

Kpelle societies before the Liberian state

Before Liberia’s modern borders were established, the region was home chiefly to Kpelle communities organised through towns, villages, farming networks and political relationships rather than a single centralised kingdom. Rice cultivation, hunting, fishing, craft production and forest knowledge supported life across the interior. Authority was exercised through families, elders and local institutions, while trade connected communities with wider networks in present-day Liberia and neighbouring Guinea. Kpelle language and cultural practices remain central to Bong County’s identity, although contemporary life is also shaped by migration, Christianity, Islam, education and national commerce.

The expansion of Liberia into the interior

The Republic of Liberia was founded in 1847 along the coast, but its effective political reach into the interior developed gradually. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Liberian government extended administrative control through treaties, officials, taxation and new transport links. This process brought interior communities into the institutions of the Liberian state, often unevenly and under considerable pressure. Bong County’s present administrative identity belongs to this longer history of incorporation, in which established Kpelle societies encountered coastal political authority, Christian missions, commercial traders and changing systems of labour.

Mission education and the growth of public institutions

Education and medical work became important forces in central Liberia during the twentieth century. Schools, churches and health facilities helped connect rural communities to national institutions and introduced new professional pathways. Cuttington University, founded in 1889 and later established at Suakoko, became one of Liberia’s best-known centres of higher education. Phebe Hospital also developed into a significant regional medical institution. Together, these organisations gave Suakoko and the surrounding area an influence extending well beyond Bong County, particularly in teaching, medicine and public service.

The Bong Mining Company and the iron-ore era

Iron ore transformed parts of Bong County during the mid-twentieth century. The Bong Mining Company developed operations in the Bong Range from the late 1950s, with mining expanding during the 1960s and associated rail and road infrastructure linking the interior to Monrovia. The project created employment, settlements and services while tying the county to international markets and foreign investment. Mining also altered the landscape and local economy. Operations were eventually disrupted by Liberia’s civil wars, and the former mine infrastructure remains a significant part of Bong’s industrial and social memory.

Civil war, displacement and damaged infrastructure

Liberia’s civil wars, from 1989 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2003, brought severe disruption to Bong County. Communities experienced displacement, insecurity and the breakdown of public services, while roads, schools, medical facilities and mining infrastructure suffered damage or neglect. Gbarnga became an important humanitarian and administrative centre during the conflicts, and the county hosted many displaced people. The post-war period has involved rebuilding institutions, restoring transport links and re-establishing agriculture and commerce, though infrastructure and public services remain uneven outside the main towns.

Post-war recovery and contemporary Bong

Since the end of the civil wars, Bong County has developed through a combination of public reconstruction, international assistance, education, health services, agriculture and road improvement. Gbarnga has grown as a commercial and transport centre, while Suakoko’s university and hospital continue to shape the county’s regional importance. Smallholder farming remains fundamental, with rice, cassava, plantain and other crops supporting households and markets. The legacy of mining has not disappeared, but contemporary Bong is better understood as a diverse inland county balancing agricultural livelihoods, education, public services and growing urban activity.

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Bong County, Liberia

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  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities in Bong County.
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  • History of Bong County and travel essentials.
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  • 'Near me' feature to easily see what is around you.
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Welcome to Bong County, Liberia, a destination rich in culture, history, and natural beauty. With Evendo, your travel experience will be seamless and unforgettable. Imagine exploring the breathtaking Kpatawee Waterfall, one of Bong County's most famous attractions, or uncovering the history at the Phebe Hospital and School of Nursing, a landmark known for its medical contributions.

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Evendo also features the history of Bong County and essential travel tips to help you navigate your visit. The 'Near me' feature ensures you can always find something interesting around you, making your exploration effortless and fun.

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