A lot, from creaking boats laden with palm oil to colonial war frigates to slave shipments bound for the New World have passed through the ports of Calabar, which is considered one of the most important historical trading posts on the whole Nigerian coast. Today, the regional capital of the Cross-River State is much more focused on the touristic side of things, with Calabar tour guides eager to showcase their town's wealth of heritage-based and natural wonders. You could start your sightseeing at the famous Duke Town Church, a palm-shrouded building that's considered by some to be the oldest Christian worshipping centre in Africa. Then there's the old Governor's Mansion; now home to a huge collection of artefacts related to the history of the Calabar coast and slave trade. Apart from that, the proximity to the jungle-dressed Afi Mountains means a chance to see endangered gorillas, while the nearby border has crossings into Cameroon.