The beaches around Pointe-Noire are among the best on the Central African coast — long stretches of dark sand, big Atlantic waves, and almost no other tourists. The Côte Sauvage south of the city is the place to head: dramatic, largely undeveloped, and backed by dense forest in places.
The city beach is busy in the evenings when locals gather for grilled fish and cold drinks at the informal market stalls along the front. For more solitude, head further along the coast toward Loango, where the beaches are remote enough that you may have them to yourself.