The fortified trading posts along Ghana’s coast stretch for about 500 kilometres, from Keta in the east to Beyin in the west. Founded between 1482 and 1786, they were part of Portuguese trade routes. The coast thus spans a wide geographical area and has a history of establishment stretching across several centuries.
Coastal towns and the Kente tradition
UNESCO World Heritage sites along Ghana’s coast include castles and forts, some partly in ruins, ruins with visible structural features, and sites bearing traces of former fortifications in various coastal settlements. This range shows that the history of the coast cannot be reduced to a single type of ruin: the surviving structural traces differ from place to place.
The fabric now known as Kente has been woven in the village of Adanwomase since the 17th century. The focus shifts from trading posts spread along long stretches of coastline to a craft tradition linked to a particular village. Anyone interested in Ghana’s cultural history will find two different perspectives here: the history of coastal trade and Adanwomase’s textile tradition.
Architecture, history and spiritual significance
The Larabanga Mosque is built in the traditional Sudano-Sahelian architectural style, using local materials and building techniques. It is considered possibly the oldest mosque in Ghana and West Africa. In Kumasi, the Manhyia Palace Museum is located on the grounds of Manhyia Palace.
The Assin Manso Ancestral Slave River Park in Ghana’s Central Region offers another historical perspective. During the transatlantic slave trade, this was one of the largest markets where people were gathered for sale. The history of this site represents a painful chapter of the past and an engagement with the transatlantic slave trade.
Several shrines are located in the village of Tengzug, near the Tongo Hills. Visitors from Ghana and neighbouring countries attribute spiritual power to them, which is believed to offer guidance and help solve problems. Their significance is thus shaped by visitors’ beliefs, rather than by any universally claimed effect.
Wildlife reserves, rainforest and lake
Mole National Park is Ghana’s largest wildlife reserve. Kakum National Park offers various trails and guided walks through the rainforest, where more than 600 butterfly species have been recorded. Its visitor centre includes exhibitions, an open-air restaurant and a gift shop run by Aid to Artisans Ghana. As operations may change, check the latest conditions before visiting.
Shai Hills Resource Reserve is about 50 kilometres from Accra, covers 52 square kilometres of savannah and is considered the wildlife reserve closest to Accra. Lake Bosomtwe is one of the six UNESCO-designated biosphere reserves. The lake offers opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, fishing and canoeing. The savannah and the lake thus provide two different natural settings for possible activities.
At Paga Crocodile Pond, visitors can see, touch and feed protected crocodiles; viewing conditions vary by season. The twin communities of Wli Agorviefe and Afegame are the host communities for Wli Agumatsa Waterfalls. Both examples show how closely a nature experience can be connected to a specific place or local community.
By dugout canoe to Nzulezu and discoveries in Accra
Nzulezu is a stilt village on Lake Tadane in Ghana’s Western Region. A guided tour to Nzulezu starts at the visitor centre in Beyin and takes one hour; it travels by dugout canoe through aquatic habitats to Lake Tadane. As operations may change, check the latest arrangements before your visit.
Accra also has clearly located places to explore: Legon Botanical Gardens are on the University of Ghana campus in the centre of the city. The stands at Independence Square, also known as Black Star Square, have a total of 30,000 seats. Together with the natural and cultural sites in other parts of the country, these places give a varied picture of Ghana, without every trip having to focus on the same things.
Discover more destinations: Volta, Greater Accra, Ashanti, Takoradi, Eastern Region, Western Region, Upper East, Central Region, Northern Region, Brong-Ahafo Region, Upper West, Keta
