Yachts fill the bay in front of sparkling new skyscrapers rising from the city beyond . Cross the street to the other side , and sandy beaches are lined with restaurants and nightclubs . Sunbathers lounge during the day , replaced in the evening by fine diners who think nothing of plopping down a couple hundred dollars for sushi or lobster . After a pre-disco nap , the beautiful people emerge and the music cranks up from midnight until the sun comes up again . It 's not Miami or Rio , but the Ilha de Luanda , a tropical beach playground in the African country of Angola for the wealthy and increasing number of expatriates who work there . Sound like a party worth checking out ? There 's a catch . Visas to Angola are notoriously difficult to get and those that do get the stamp must ready themselves to swallow some whopping prices . Luanda is among the top 10 most expensive cities in the world for expats -- behind Caracas and Oslo , and well above other famously expensive cities : Geneva is 5th , Tokyo 11th , Hong Kong 29th , New York 39th . Unlike those cities , Luanda 's wealthy waterfront is surrounded by grinding poverty , visible to anyone landing at the airport . That 's an image that the city is trying to change , transforming its Marginal bay-front walkway and the Ilha , the thin peninsula that stretches in front of the city . For those that do make it here -- and it 's worth trying , there 's nowhere else like it -- here are the places to go . Naquele Lugar . Housed in a two-story house next to the Fortress of Sao Miguel , Naquele Lugar restaurant is located on the way to the Ilha . The soldier at the entrance will let guests through to the white-walled patio if they explain they 're coming for dinner . Even though seafood seems like the smart choice here , the steak with pepper sauce is better . Honestly , there 's better food elsewhere , but it 's a unique location with an unmatched view of the city on the way out . Naquele Lugar , Rua 17 de Setembro ; +244 926 322 615 . Lookal . Lookal is one of the most expensive places to eat in the city , which in Luanda is saying something . Why so pricey ? Because even though guests are gazing over the Atlantic , and Angola has some of the world 's least-fished waters , the seafood here is flown in from Europe . A decent meal for two costs $ 300 , but the Portuguese lobster can cost nearly that much per kilo . Still , many people swear by the place . Those people all have expense accounts . After dinner , Lookal turns into a high-powered nightclub with dancing until sunrise . Lookal , No . 15 Rua Murtala Mohamed ; +244 936 000 018 . Coconuts . Few places embody the changes on the Ilha as much as Coconuts . Fifteen years ago , this was a shell of a building , without a roof , windows or doors . A series of renovations have turned it into a luxurious spot that takes full advantage of its place at the end of the peninsula . Coconuts is now a great spot to enjoy a daytime drink or linger over an evening of seafood with friends . The chef prepares a special menu every week . It 's not as expensive as some restaurants , but budget a minimum of $ 100 a person . Coconuts , Avenida Murtala Mohamed , Ilha do Cabo ; +244 912 205 777 . Cais de Quatro . In many ways , Cais de Quatro represents Luanda 's cosmopolitan aspirations . With one of the best views over the city , the international menu runs from pizza to sushi . It 's a relative bargain : the pizza sets diners back just $ 25 . If at this point they 're feeling really pinched for cash , they can always have a drink and then wander to the Wimpy burger joint next door . Cais de Quatro , Avenida Murtala Mohamed , Casa do Desportista ; +244 222 309 430 . Bahia . Those who 'd rather walk along Luanda 's newly renovated Marginal could n't ask for a better spot than Bahia . The restaurant long predates the $ 350 million upgrade to the bayside boardwalk , which was once just another dusty , smelly street in a city where dusty and smelly are par for the course . Now it 's got wide pedestrian trails , playgrounds and palm trees imported from Miami . Yes , palm trees imported to tropical Angola . Nonetheless , Bahia is a romantic spot to share a langoustine pizza by candlelight . And eating here wo n't break the bank . Bahia , 183/184 Avenida 4 de Fevereiro ; +244 222 370 610 . Cabo Verde . For those who can find the place , the best thing to do on the Ilha is to hang with Luanda 's Cape Verdian community at George 's house . That 's not the name of the venue . It 's a house owned by a guy named George . Friday nights and Sunday afternoons , music lovers gather on his terrace to hear him perform Latin American classics and songs from Cape Verde legend , the late Barefoot Diva , Cesaria Evora . Friday nights and Sunday afternoons . Drive down the Ilha , exit the roundabout to the left . It 's the only house with lights on the street .
Naquele Lugur 's beach front is filled with restaurants where diners think nothing of dropping a couple hundred dollars on seafood . Naquele Lugur is a white-walled patio restaurant with an unmatched view of the city . Portuguese imports its super-expensive seafood from Atlantic Ocean , despite proximity of Europe .