Afro Nation and Portugal Review

It has been a few weeks post my first ever Afro Nation,

And whew… simply, wow! Three days of pure vibes and electric energy.Here is a short breakdown of everything you need to know:

What is Afro Nation?

To keep it simple, it is an Afrobeats music festival, but more than just that, it is a melting pot for the lovers of groove. The festival is held all around the world, but its home is the stunning shores of Praia da Rocha in Portimão, Portugal. It brings together lovers of:

• Afrobeats

• Amapiano

• And good vibes.

The event usually starts at 4/5 pm and ends at 11 pm. The party does not stop there most people head to “the strip” afterwards to continue the night. The strip is a street, littered with restaurants, clubs, fast food joints and far far too many people after the festival. 

I didn’t get the full strip experience, but my short walk through every night piqued a little anxiety.

If you interested in all this, step one get some tickets!

🎟️ Ticket Types: Which One Should You Pick?

The earlier you get the ticket the cheaper, you can sign up to be notified of early release here.

There are 3 ticket tiers:

• General Admission (GA) – Affordable and fun; 

• VIP – More chilled, private beach, exclusive bar, and access to a restaurant and lounge area

• Golden Circle – Closest to the main stage; 

My tip:If you’re going mainly for the performances, Golden Circle is it. You’ll be upclose and personal with your favorite artist… at the main stage. But, there are 2 stages!

If you’re there for the vibes and dancing, GA works just fine. The Piano People stage is in GA and ba rotlhe ne re thakathakana teng. (Piano people stage didn’t have tiered access but seemed to have the most vibe! Do with that information what you will)

Step two, wardrobe!

👣 Sand, Style & Survival

Afronation is literally on the beach—Which means: no shoe survives.

You’ll be trekking through sand from start to finish, so prepare accordingly:

• Aqua shoes = sensible, this was a recommendation from one of the ladies I was traveling with and from my observation they seemed to work well

• Cute sandals = the aesthetic, you’ll kick up sand constantly but do it for the gram, right?

• Heels? LOL, no. Don’t bother

Step 3, the logistics

My Travel Package: Lisbon to Portimão

I booked through a travel agency (Dalani Trip planners) that offered a package tailored for Afronation that included some additional activities and a few days in Lisbon.

The package included:

• 2 nights in Lisbon, additional activities were, a walking tour of Lisbon and a pub crawl

• Road transfer to Portimão (approx. 3 hours)

• Accommodation

• Flight tickets

• Boat cruise in Portimão

🏝️ Free Days = Adventure Time

During the three days of Afronation, Dalani had no planned activities and this is definitely a wise decision because you will most certainly be exhausted, daily! But if you want to optimize your time there you are more than welcome to plan your own daily activities. Feel free to explore.

Here’s what I got up to before heading to the festival:

• 💆🏽‍♀️ Spa Day – Heated pool + bubble jets 

• Retail therapy – shopping is always a must when you are outside 

• Swim in the Atlantic – Praia da Rocha is absolutely stunning, crisp, cool water

• Jet Skiing – A little adrenaline to go with the ocean breeze

🌍 The African Diaspora: A Beautiful Melting Pot

One of the most interesting and enjoyable parts of Afro Nation was just how diverse and global the crowd was. I met:

• Namibians living in Germany

• Angolans from London

• Togolese based in Switzerland

All here, united by groove. 

Honestly, saying “I’m a Motswana working in Namibia” felt... underwhelming in comparison 😂

🧡 Final Thoughts

Afronation was an amazing experience, I recommend, at least once in your life.

If:

• You love Afrobeats or Amapiano

• You want to meet amazing people (your future ex-husband even)

• You enjoy dancing barefoot in the sand

• You’re craving sun, sea, and groove connection

Book the ticket immediately!

For the record, I don’t think I’ll go back, these knees aren’t the same but go! I have never experienced anything like it.

My Afro Nation Photo Diary

You are welcome to message me, if you have any more questions about the experience.