Benguela

• 🌍 Benguela Airport (BUG  ^IATA Aeroporto de Benguela - 17 de Setembro). Benguela's airport is borderline defunct, with all commercial passenger flights routed through nearby Catumbela airport 
• 🌍 Catumbela Airport (CBT  ^IATA) (to the north right between Benguela and Lobito.). with regular service from Luanda and Lubango. 

By road, it is about a seven-hour drive from Luanda, once you clear Luanda's traffic.

Travelling by rail is once again an option, but trains are infrequent and slow. There are daily commuter trains from nearby Lobito and at least a once-weekly overnight train from Huambo, with connections from Luao next to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

• 🌍 Benguela railway station, Rue 31 de Janeiro. (updated May 2023)

There are several beautiful beaches around Benguela, including one right in the city center! The best beach resort hotel, though, is in Lobito. The beaches outside the city are close by and easy to reach by car, either your own or a hired taxi. They're really beautiful too, with the bluest water, the whitest sand, and most are flanked by dramatic cliffs. But remember that tourist facilities are limited and beaches are not well-maintained. A visit with high expectations of a tropical paradise vacation risks disappointment.

• 🌍 Baia Azul (Baia Farta). This is the most famous beach in Angola. If postcards were a thing in this country, this would crop up frequently. It is named for its exceptionally blue waters. There are only a few restaurants, and few people as well — it's a nice, quiet retreat. There is at least one hotel here (see Hotel Duas Faces below). (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Caotinha Beach. This is a series of little beach inlets just south of Benguela, some of which are totally deserted. You can hike from one to the next. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Praia Morena. This is the city's main beach, right near the center. On holidays it can get extremely crowded, but it's usually empty. It's a fairly narrow stretch of sand between the road and the ocean, but the water is and sand are both nice. (updated Dec 2016)

• 🌍 Hotel Duas Faces (Baia Azul), ☏ +244 922 508 508. An attractive boutique hotel at Baia Azul with ocean views, parking, and an on-site restaurant. It's not right on the beach. 19,000-38,000. (updated Dec 2016)