Centre

Centre is a region in southern Cameroon surrounding the capital Yaounde. It is the political and administrative heart of the country, sitting on a plateau of rolling hills and equatorial forest. The region is home to Beti-Pahuin peoples.

The Centre region's equatorial climate means two rainy seasons and two dry spells. Peak season is November through February, when rainfall drops sharply, skies clear, and daytime temperatures sit around 28–32°C with comfortable humidity — the best window for travel, with roads in good condition and Yaoundé at its most pleasant. The main rainy season peaks in September and October with heavy downpours and some road flooding; this is the off-season to avoid. April through June brings a first rainy spell, while July and August offer a short dry break (the "little dry season") with lighter showers and lower humidity. If timing a visit around an event, the Centre region's Beti-Pahuin communities mark the end of the harvest with traditional dance and feasting in the December–January period, coinciding nicely with the dry season. Budget-wise, the dry months see higher hotel rates in Yaoundé while the rainy shoulder (April–June) can offer better deals.

• Yaounde — national capital, political and cultural centre
• Mbalmayo — gateway to the south
• Bafia — market town with Beti culture
• Akonolinga — cocoa and coffee centre
• Obala — university town
• Nanga Eboko — eastern gateway
• Mbandjock — sugar plantation centre
• Sa'a — lakeside village
• Ntui — cross-river settlement
• Ayos — market town
• Mfou — Yaounde suburb
• Monatele — rural Beti area