Accra & the Coast

Ghana’s main tourist focus is its long Atlantic coastline, whose plentiful picture-postcard beaches, bird-rich lagoons, timeworn small towns and sleepy villages are watched over by a string of 500-year-old European forts and castles whose links with the trans-Atlantic slave trade have made them poignant sites of pilgrimage for African-American and Afro-Caribbean tourists. Most visitors land in Ghana at Accra, which lies on the coast too, but is perhaps better known for its historical sites, vibrant nightlife and ebullient atmosphere than as a great beach destination (though La Beach on the eastern verge of the city center is very ...

Ghana’s main tourist focus is its long Atlantic coastline, whose plentiful picture-postcard beaches, bird-rich lagoons, timeworn small towns and sleepy villages are watched over by a string of 500-year-old European forts and castles whose links with the trans-Atlantic slave trade have made them poignant sites of pilgrimage for African-American and Afro-Caribbean tourists. Most visitors land in Ghana at Accra, which lies on the coast too, but is perhaps better known for its historical sites, vibrant nightlife and ebullient atmosphere than as a great beach destination (though La Beach on the eastern verge of the city center is very worthwhile). Elsewhere, the twin towns of Cape Coast and Elmina are steeped in history, and offer access to the legendary Kakum National Park, where a suspended walkway offers views deep into the rainforest canopy. Farther west, the small beachside village of Busua is the center of a thriving backpacker industry, but is also very popular with better-heeled visitors, while the more remote village of Beyin, near the Ivorian border, is the springboard for canoe excursions to the fascinating stilted village of Nzulezo. The east coast is also well worth exploring – Ada Foah has a beautiful location and is the site of a turtle breeding scheme, while Keta and its lagoon offer fine marine bird watching.

About the Expert

Philip Briggs has written or contributed to 50-plus editions of Bradt, Insight, AA and Berlitz guidebooks to African destinations.