Douala is not a city that rewards conventional sightseeing. There are no great monuments, no famous skyline, no must-see museum. What it has instead is texture: the noise and energy of West Africa's busiest port city, excellent food and nightlife by Central African standards, and the unexpectedly interesting doual'art public art trail scattered across its neighborhoods.
The Musée de Douala in the Hôtel de Ville holds the best collection of Bamoun and Bamileke traditional art outside Yaoundé. The Marché Central is the sensory experience of the city distilled into one chaotic space. The Akwa District is the easiest neighborhood for walking — colonial streets, hotel terraces, and the main commercial strip along Boulevard de la Liberté. The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Bonanjo is worth a look for the contrast between European ecclesiastical architecture and the African city around it.
Outside the city, Limbe (90 minutes northwest, black volcanic beaches and the wildlife center) and Kribi (3–4 hours south, white sand and waterfalls) are the main day trips. Most visitors heading into the Cameroon interior use Douala's excellent rail and road connections — the train to Yaoundé takes about 4 hours and is scenic.