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Ghana
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Accra – a brief overview
Ghana’s coastal capital is in many ways a microcosm of West Africa, with its pulsating street life, its tropical heat, its fiercely held identity and its swish new developments. The city itself isn’t the most beautiful in the world, but when you linger here awhile you’re likely to be won over by its various colours and curiosities.
Ghana was the first black African nation to gain independence, and Accra is a great place to learn more about the region’s dramatic past. Given the relatively manageable size of the country as a whole, it’s also a good setting-off point for visiting heritage-rich towns such as Elmina and Cape Coast.
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Top 10 sights in Accra

Osu Castle
Osu
Accra
Ghana
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This was until recently the seat of government, and while the country’s politicians have now moved elsewhere, the building remains an imposing reminder of a bygone era. Dating back to the mid-1600s, it can only be viewed from the outside.
Kakum National Park
Located around 170km west of the capital, this is Ghana’s most visited national park and has become particularly well known for its treetop walkways. If you’re lucky, you might see monkeys or elephants.
Accra Arts Centre
Accra
Ghana
Tel: +233 30 266 2581
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0830-1700
Sat-Sun 0900-1500
Otherwise known as the Centre for National Culture, this is a magnet for visitors in search of handmade artworks and keepsakes. It covers a large area – expect to haggle if something catches your eye.
Ussher Fort Museum
Originally built by the Dutch in the 1600s, this fort was once used to hold slaves. It was opened in 2007 as a museum highlighting the realities of that dark era, and exhibits include wall paintings, shackles and a model of a slave vessel.
WEB Du Bois Memorial Centre
Cantonments
Accra
Ghana
Tel: +233 30 277 6502
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0900-1630
Sat 1000-1600
Activist William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was known as the ‘Father of Pan-Africanism’. This centre houses his mausoleum, his personal library and a small museum with some interesting related exhibits.
National Museum
Accra
Ghana
Tel: +233 30 222 1633
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Opening times:
Daily 0900-1630
Slightly dated it might be, but Ghana’s National Museum does a solid job of leading visitors through the country’s past, with a focus on everything from the slave era to tribal divisions.
Labadi Beach
Accra
Ghana
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The city’s most popular beach comes alive at weekends, when you can expect to encounter all manner of fish fry-ups, sound systems and spontaneous football games. The surf tends to be too strong for a lengthy swim, but it’s an enjoyable place to relax.
Makola Market
Accra
Ghana
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Opening times:
Daily 0600-1900
The city’s main daily market is a rainbow whirl of activity that very much warrants a spot on any sightseeing list. If you want a taste of everyday West African life, it’s an eye-opening place to browse.
Independence Square
Accra
Ghana
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A vast ceremonial plaza used on special occasions, Independence Square sits next to a large arch, surrounded by a busy roundabout and topped by the ‘Black Star of Africa’ symbol. An eternal flame still flickers underneath.
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum
Accra
Ghana
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Opening times:
Daily 1000-1800
A park dedicated to the memory of the man often known as Osagyefo (‘The Redeemer’). Nkrumah was Ghana’s first president and one of the founding fathers of its independence – his mausoleum is situated here.
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Country information
Country overview
Studded with sandy palm-shaded beaches and jungle-fringed aquamarine lagoons, Ghana’s tropical coastline, is arguably its biggest draw card for independent travellers.
Geography
Ghana is situated in West Africa between latitudes of 4°N and 12°N, and longitudes of 4°W and 2°E. It is a rectangular-shaped country bordered to the north by Burkina Faso, the east by Togo, the south by the Atlantic Ocean and the west by Côte d’Ivoire. It is bisected by the Prime Meridian (0°longitude), which runs through the port city of Tema, 25km (16 miles) east of the capital Accra, and Cape Three Points, the most southerly peninsula in Ghana, is also the closest land fall to the oceanic intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator.
Ghana’s coastline is dotted with sandy palm-fringed beaches and lagoons. A narrow grassy plain stretches inland from this, widening in the east, while the south and west are covered by dense rainforest.
To the north are forested hills, beyond which is dry savannah and open woodland. In the far north is a plateau averaging 500m (1,600ft) in height. In the east, the Akuapim Togo hills run inland from the coast along the Togo border. The country falls almost entirely within the Volta Basin, with the Red, Black and White Volta rivers all flowing into its northern borders from Burkina Faso. Following the 1960s construction of Akosombo Dam, about 60km (37 miles) inland of the Volta Mouth, much of the river is now submerged by Lake Volta, the world’s most expansive artificial water body.
General knowledge
Key facts
Population: 25.199.609
Population Density (per sq km): 106
Capital: Accra.
Language
The official language is English. Local Ghanaian languages are widely spoken, including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe and Ga.
Currency
Ghana Cedi (GHS; symbol ¢) = 100 Ghana pesewas. Notes are in denominations of ¢50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of ¢1 and 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 pesewas.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; usually British-style plugs with three square pins.
General business opening hours
Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-1700.
Public holidays
Listed below are the public holidays for the period January 2020 to December 2021.
Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given below are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last up to several days, depending on the region.
2020
New Year’s Day: 1 January 2020
Independence Day: 6 March 2020
Good Friday: 10 April 2020
Easter Sunday and Monday: 12 and 13 April 2020
Labour Day: 1 May 2020
Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan): 24 May 2020
Africa Day: 25 May 2020
Republic Day: 1 July 2020
Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice): 31 July 2020
National Farmers’ Day: 4 December 2020
Christmas: 25 – 28 December 2020
2021
New Year’s Day: 1 January 2021
Independence Day: 6 March 2021
Good Friday: 2 April 2021
Easter Sunday and Monday: 4 and 5 April 2021
Labour Day: 1 May 2021
Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan): 13 May 2021
Africa Day: 25 May 2021
Republic Day: 1 July 2021
Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice): 20 July 2021
National Farmers’ Day: 4 December 2021
Christmas: 25 – 27 December 2021
All information subject to change.
Flight and accommodation
Nightlife in Accra
Accra knows how to party, and while the city offers much in the way of smart hotel bars, its real nightlife lies in the local hangouts, which range from roadside beer terraces to speaker-shaking nightclubs.
Rockstone’s Office
Accra
Ghana
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Founded by local musical celebrity Reggie Rockstone, this venue attracts a trendy good-time crowd.
Cuzzy Bro’s
Accra
Ghana
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An enjoyable and atmospheric family venue occupying a former Irish pub, with a garden bar and good food.
Firefly Lounge Bar
Accra
Ghana
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A friendly bar with a long drinks list and music from afrobeat to hip hop.
Alliance Française
Accra
Ghana
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A cultural centre hosting film screenings, live music, theatre and dance.
The Republic Bar & Grill
Accra C484
Ghana
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A lively little bar with DJs, funky décor and some tasty Ghanaian dishes.
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Restaurants in Accra
Make no mistake – you can eat very well in Accra. Ghanaian cuisine itself offers a range of spicy, lip-tingling specialities.
The city as a whole also covers Italian, French, Asian and Middle Eastern food with aplomb. Seafood is plentiful.
La Tante DC-10
Accra
Ghana
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Price: Expensive
Set inside a restored DC-10 plane, La Tante gives a unique take on classic West African dishes.
Bread & Wine
Accra
Ghana
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Price: Expensive
A popular eatery serving great French food and home-baked pastries – there’s a good wine cellar too.
Yasmina
Airport Road
Accra
Ghana
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Price: Moderate
A quality Lebanese restaurant set in a striking circular room – the flavours are authentic.
Country Kitchen
Accra
Ghana
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Price: Moderate
A good place to head for Ghanaian staples such as fufu, banku and jollof rice.
Frankie’s
Accra
Ghana
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Price: Cheap
Cheap eats from early until late, on main drag Cantonments Road (known by most as Oxford Street).
Flight and accommodation
Calendar of events
Live in Accra Jazz Festival
April – May 2019
Venues: Various venues
Hosted by the Alliance Française, Live in Accra aims to bring jazz back to the city, which was something of an African jazz hub in the 1960s. As well as a terrific programme of jazz performances, visitors can enjoy workshops, film screenings, art exhibitions and poetry readings.
Aboakyir (Deer Hunt) Festival
4 May 2019
Venue: Winneba, around 60km west of Accra
Two bands of warriors battle it out to catch a live antelope in this traditional celebration (the aim originally was to capture a leopard barehanded, but that’s now considered too perilous). The winners present the creature to be sacrificed, and the festival continues with a durbar, procession of chiefs, music and dancing.
Homowo Festival
August 2019
Venue: Throughout Greater Accra
Translating as ‘hooting the hunger’, Homowo is celebrated by the traditional Ga people and dates back to a time when a big famine was followed by a bumper crop. Ga chiefs parade through their neighbourhoods with drummers and singers, sprinkling kpokpoi, ground corn steamed and blended with palm oil.
Asafotufiami Festival
25 July – 3 August 2019
Venue: Ada, Greater Accra
Historic re-enactments see costumed warriors staging mock battles in a celebration of tribal war victories and in remembrance of those who have fallen on the battlefield. The summer festival also includes special harvest ceremonies and a durbar featuring a procession of chiefs and traditional military drumming groups.
Chale Wote Street Art Festival
August 2019
Website
Venue: Streets of Jamestown
Historic Jamestown may be rundown, but the district is vibrant and bursting with creativity. Since 2011, locals have hit the streets for a festival of art exhibitions, murals, graffiti, street performance, dance, bike and rollerblade stunts, spoken word and digital media.
Accra International Marathon
October 2019
Website
Venue: Central University, Prampram to Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra
Runners looking to race an African marathon might enjoy the challenge of Accra’s coastal marathon course. If that sounds a step too far, there are also half-marathon, 10km and 5km races. Competitors and spectators are treated to a ‘Taste of Ghana’ cultural and food event at the finish line.
All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.
Flight and accommodation
Hotels in Accra
First-time visitors are often surprised by the number of smart corporate hotels in the Ghanaian capital – if you’ve got money to spend then you won’t lack for comfort.
Probably of more interest to leisure tourists, however, is the fact there are also some great properties, at various budgets, on the oceanfront.
Labadi Beach Hotel
Accra
Ghana
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Category: Expensive
A stylish resort on Labadi Beach, with a good pool area and quality dining.
Villa Monticello
Accra
Ghana
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Category: Expensive
A smaller, chic alternative to some of the larger upmarket properties.
La Palm Royal Beach Hotel
Accra
Ghana
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Category: Moderate
Modern rooms, five restaurants, an outdoor pool and a terrific beachfront location make La Palm Royal a good bet.
Novotel Accra City Centre
Accra
Ghana
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Category: Moderate
Accra’s Novotel boasts crisp, spacious rooms, tennis courts and a great central location.
Georgia
Accra
Ghana
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Category: Cheap
This good-value and family-friendly 3-star hotel has smart, clean rooms and was completely renovated in 2013.
Flight and accommodation
Best time to visit
Today: Friday, 15.01.2021 03:00 UTC

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temperature
27°C
wind speed
1.25 mphhumidity
89%7 days forecast
Saturday
16.01.2021
31°C / 26°C
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31°C / 26°C
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18.01.2021
32°C / 26°C
Tuesday
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33°C / 26°C
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20.01.2021
32°C / 26°C
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32°C / 25°C
Friday
22.01.2021
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Climate & best time to visit Ghana
Ghana has a typically tropical climate thanks to its proximity to the equator and low elevations – the entire country lies below 1,000m (3300ft). Daytime temperatures are high throughout the year, approaching or surpassing 30°C (86°F) on most days, and humidity is also very high, especially along the coast. Temperatures tend to drop to around 20°C (68°F) at night, more noticeably in the relatively dry north than the humid south. The most temperate part of Ghana is the highlands area flanking the Volta Basin, which is often pleasantly cool after dusk.
There are two rainy seasons: from March to July and from September to October Rainfall is highest in the south, with some areas receiving in excess of 2,000mm each year, but the drier north more typically receives about 800mm annually. The capital Accra, together with the coast running east to Togo and Benin, lies within the Dahomey Gap, a tract of savannah that receives relatively little rain and divides the Upper Guinean forests (running westward from central Ghana) from the Lower Guinean forests (running southward from Nigeria southward to the Congo). A noteworthy climatic phenomenon is the harmattan winds, which blow in from the northeast from December to March, bringing dust from the Sahara and reducing visibility to as little as 1km (0.6 miles).
Ghana is fine to visit at all times of year, but if you have the choice, aim for the northern hemisphere winter i.e. October through to April, when humidity is lowest and the weather is typically quite dry. There are also fewer mosquitoes (and a decreased risk of contracting malaria), dirt roads are in better condition, and there is less likelihood of you or your luggage being drenched in an unexpected storm. However, photographers might want to avoid the dull ambient light and grey skies associated with the harmattan in December.
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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absolute max | absolute min | Ø absolute max | Ø absolute min | relative humidity | Ø precipitation | days with deposit > 1mm | sunshine duration | |
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Jan | 35 °C | 15 °C | 31 °C | 22 °C | 77 % | 16 mm | 1 | 6.8 h |
Feb | 37 °C | 16 °C | 32 °C | 23 °C | 78 % | 30 mm | 2 | 7.3 h |
Mar | 37 °C | 18 °C | 32 °C | 23 °C | 79 % | 61 mm | 4 | 6.9 h |
Apr | 36 °C | 19 °C | 31 °C | 23 °C | 80 % | 90 mm | 6 | 7.3 h |
May | 35 °C | 18 °C | 30 °C | 23 °C | 81 % | 137 mm | 9 | 6.8 h |
Jun | 33 °C | 17 °C | 28 °C | 22 °C | 85 % | 201 mm | 10 | 4.7 h |
Jul | 32 °C | 17 °C | 27 °C | 21 °C | 84 % | 52 mm | 4 | 4.7 h |
Aug | 31 °C | 17 °C | 27 °C | 21 °C | 83 % | 17 mm | 3 | 5.0 h |
Sep | 32 °C | 18 °C | 28 °C | 21 °C | 81 % | 44 mm | 4 | 5.7 h |
Oct | 33 °C | 19 °C | 30 °C | 22 °C | 82 % | 61 mm | 6 | 7.3 h |
Nov | 33 °C | 17 °C | 31 °C | 22 °C | 80 % | 35 mm | 3 | 7.9 h |
Dec | 35 °C | 16 °C | 31 °C | 23 °C | 80 % | 21 mm | 2 | 7.8 h |
year | 37 °C | 15 °C | 30 °C | 22 °C | 81 % | 765 mm | 54 | 6.5 h |
Flight and accommodation
Phone calls & Internet
Telephone/Mobile Telephone
Dialing code: +233
Telephone
Ghana Telecom was privatised in 2008, and Vodafone Ghana is now the main service provider for land lines. Land lines are reasonably efficient (Ghana is one of the easiest African countries to get through to from overseas), but the ubiquity and relative efficiency and portability of mobile phones has caused many hotels and other organisations to discontinue their landlines.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with numerous companies, but if you are spending any time in the country, it is usually cheaper and more efficient to buy a local SIM card. The major networks are MTN, Tigo and Vodafone, all of which offer good network coverage in and around main towns and patchier coverage in more out-of-the-way places. Mobile phone numbers, like land lines, are ten digits long but always start with ’02’ or ’05’.
Internet
Internet popularity is rapidly growing and service is improving to keep up with demand. Internet facilities can be found in most towns. The connection used to be very slow, but it is greatly improved in recent years. Several mobile phone operators offer affordable and efficient data services and modems, allowing you to access the internet and to send emails through your phone, tablet or laptop.
Flight and accommodation
Shopping in Accra
Key Areas
If you’re in search of colourful West African souvenirs, the Accra Arts Centre (High Street/28th February Road) has a huge range of kente cloth, wooden crafts, artworks and more. For more standard shops and services, the streets on and around Cantonments Road hold various boutiques. The fair-trade goods at Global Mamas (behind Koala in Osu) come highly recommended.
Markets
Makola Market (Kojo Thompson Road) is the biggest outdoor market in the capital, and its range of goods stretches from the eye-popping (edible land snails) to the rainbow-hued (high piles of peppers, socks, jewellery or anything else you might imagine). Its souk-like passageways and adjoining buildings hold plenty of colour.
Shopping Centres
Accra Mall (Tettah Quashie and Spintex Road) is a classy complex with clothing boutiques, international sports brands and top-end homeware outlets. Another option is Marina Mall (Airport Road), with more than 45 outlets, a large supermarket and a food court.
Flight and accommodation
Traveller etiquette
Social Conventions
Ghanaians should always be addressed by their formal titles unless they specifically request otherwise. Handshaking is the usual form of greeting. It is customary in much of West Africa not to use the left hand for touching food.
Photography
Permission should be sought before photographing military installations, government buildings or airports.
Elsewhere, there are few restrictions on photography, but it is polite to ask before photographing a street or market scene. Many official tourist sites charge addition fees for photography and/or use of a video camera.
Flight and accommodation
Health
Food & Drink
According to the Ghanaian High Commission in London, tap water in cities is safe to drink. Other water sources should be regarded as being potentially contaminated, and water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Inexpensive sachets and bottles of purified water are readily available throughout the country. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other Risks
The most serious and widespread health risk is malaria, which might be contracted anywhere in the country at any time of year, but is most prevalent in the rainy season, close to the wetlands where the mosquitoes that carry it breed. All visitors should take some sort of malaria prophylactic, which greatly reduces the risk of catching this potentially fatal disease (but doesn’t eliminate it entirely), and those spending a long time in the country might also think about carrying a cure. Covering up at dusk and spraying exposed skin with insect repellent also reduces the bite rate.
Other risks include cholera, outbreaks of which occasionally occur both in cities and in rural areas. Diarrhoeal diseases, including giardiasis, are common. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present; avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Hepatitis E is widespread. Hepatitis B is endemic. Hepatitis C occurs, as do dengue fever and tuberculosis. Epidemics of meningitis and meningococcal disease may occur throughout tropical Africa, particularly in the savannah areas and during the dry season. Those visiting beaches should be aware that swimming can be dangerous due to riptides.
Flight and accommodation
Visa & Immigration
IATA Travel Centre
The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.