The Atlantic coastline north and south of Soyo offers stretches of wild beach, largely undeveloped and mostly empty. The sea here can be rough, with strong currents common where the Congo's outflow meets the ocean — swimming is not recommended — but the beaches are worth visiting for the scenery. The mixture of river sediment and ocean gives the water a distinctive brown colour close to shore, gradually fading to blue further out.
Local fishermen launch their boats from these beaches early in the morning, and if you are around at dawn or dusk the light over the water is remarkable. Access requires your own transport — there are no facilities and no obvious signposting.