A Guide to Youpwe Fish Market in Douala, Cameroon

Ben Johnson

June 13, 2026

Doula is the gateway for most travellers arriving in Cameroon via flight so anyone travelling here will end up spending a night or two here. While there isn’t a whole lot to see tourist-wise in Douala, the Youpwe fish market is definitely something we recommend visiting while in Douala. This is the perfect place to get yourself an amazing meal and see some local life with a fun atmosphere.

How to get there?

Youpwe Fish Market is located in the Youpwe area of Douala not far from the International Airport. The best way to get to the market is with a taxi which is easily done by using the rideshare app Yango. A journey from the centre of Douala to Youpwe should cost you between 1500-2000 CFA depending of course on the distance. We recommend using Yango to get around as it has great pricing and is especially useful for bridging the language gap. You can also hail a taxi in the streets, however these are usually communal and you will be squished in with other people. This can also be a fun experience and will be cheaper than catching Yango, however it will be difficult if you don’t know French or are claustraphobic.

When is it open?

The market is open everyday, including Sunday, and starts to get busy with people after about 11am in the morning. The fisherman will be there early to sell their catches and will be selling fresh fish from the morning. Most people will arrive here around midday and be here into the early evening.

The Layout

After you pass through the main gate the bottom level will be alive with people selling their fresh catches on while tiled benches. Some will be on ice, most not but despite this the fish are very fresh and the fishy smell is minimal. One section will have people selling fish and another area is where people will be cleaning the fish getting them ready to eat by taking off the scales or removing the poop shoot of the prawns.

Upstairs you can find the restaurant area with a long line of barbecues staffed by mainly women roasting fish on metal grills which creates an amazing smell. In the centre are fridges where they sell cold drinks such as soft drink, water and of course local beer. This area has many chairs and tables where you will wait for your food. You will hand over your fish and other seafood and they will bring it to your table.

Remember here there is no rush so food does take a while, but the quality is worth the wait. Here you are on African time and is a fantastic place for a long lunch.

How to best enjoy the fish market?

When you arrive, you will be approached by many people trying to help you out as a sort of informal guide. They will follow you around the market and once you have brough your fish they will take it off you and clean and prepare it for you. They will then lead you upstairs and you will select one of places to grill your food to perfection. These people are very helpful and once you have one with you the others will leave you alone. They will of course be asking for a tip for their service, but it is extremely helpful. A small amount of 1000 CFA (around $0.90 USD) is fine as a tip.

If you do plan on eating, you will have to use one of these “guides” as they clean the fish for you. So, unless you bring your own tools to descale the fish you will need their service at some point.

How much should you be paying?

The price of fish varies widely based of species and size; however, you can find cheap large fillets of sole for around 2000 CFA. For prawns a kilo will be about 6000 CFA or more depending on size and quality. It is possible to get cheaper prawns that are a little smashed, they are totally fine and after grilling you won’t even know that they look different to the prawns that are intact.

For 1kg of big prawns, and a large fish fillet with a side of plantains and manioc and drinks you can expect to pay around $20-24 USD and this will easily feed two people. The quality is amazing and for the same thing back home you would be paying exponentially more.

Is there anything else in the area?

There is a small local market in the area and also a roundabout with a statue of a soldier close by. Other than that, there is not much in the area.

There are also sometimes people offering boat rides to the nearby villages. The price of this will vary and they are not always there. To get on board a boat you will need to have your passport with you.

Is it safe to visit this area?

Yes, it is fine to visit Youpwe fish market. People are very friendly and will help you out if need be.

If you love seafood, then we highly recommend visiting the Youpwe fish market for an amazing meal for a great price!

To experience this with us, come and join us on our Cameroon tours . The tour dates are available here on our website. To secure your place on tour, send us an email to [email protected].