Accra City Tour
The capital of Ghana, has grown to become a cosmopolitan African city. Most visitors to Ghana like to thoroughly explore it. Accra has 3 million people living in it. Accra and other big regional cities have good night clubs, casinos and boast of several African, continental and oriental restaurants. You may also want to try out the local "chop bars." Have you heard any of the popular Ghanaian highlife music yet? You might want to purchase a few tapes and CDs.
The nerve centre of Accra, popularly known as Accra Central, is densely populated with people and experiences a persistent traffic jam during working hours, especially during the rush hour. However at night and some weekends, the place is usually deserted. The indigenous people of Accra are the Gas and they speak the Ga language. The Gas trace their origins from ancient Egypt through Northern Nigeria to their present home.
Interesting places to be found in the city include the W.E.B Du Bois Memorial Center for Pan Africanism, where the tomb of Du Bois and the ashes of his wife Shirley can be found. The National Museum is home of exhibits of artifacts from ancient West African kingdoms. The Independence Arch and the Independence Square, Accra’s premier ceremonial grounds, and the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum tell the story of Ghana’s independence. A visit to the Nai Wulomo, the chief priest of the Gas, is recommended for all who want an understanding of the Ga culture.
A tour of Accra cannot be complete without a visit to the Arts Centre where you can test your bargaining skills on the vendors selling a large variety of African crafts and fabrics. You may also wish to visit the modern art gallery at Teshie–Nungua and catch a glimpse of the special designer coffins which caught the attention of National Geographic.
The architecture of Ghana’s premier university, the University of Ghana, Legon, is a showpiece of Japanese architecture, a place of educational interest.
The La pleasure beach is ideal for relaxation, swimming and listening to African folk music.
Aburi Botanical Gardens is an hour’s drive northeast of Accra and located on the Akwapim ridge, one of the areas of early European missionary activities. Established in 1890 as a sanatorium, this garden has become one of the largest and finest botanical gardens in Africa.
Azizanya (Paradise Beach)
Drive 100 km east of Accra to Ada and cruise to Azizanya, the estuary where the Volta River enters the Atlantic Ocean. The expansive coconut lined sandy beach, drenched in brilliant sunshine is a delight to watch. Numerous water sports are available on the Volta River. Observe the villagers living in harmony with nature on the islands.
Akosombo is where Ghana’s first hydroelectric power station was built. Behind the dam is the 8,500 sq. km wide Volta Lake, the largest man–made lake in the world. A cruise on the Volta in the “M V Dodi Princess” to the Dodi Island is an experience you will never forget. You may spend the night at the Volta Hotel, set on a hill overlooking the dam and the lake.