5 Must See Spots In Accra

2791

June 15, 2018

Lucky You!

Somehow you ended up in Accra, Ghana!

Be it for a layover, a day, or a week. Accra is the city to visit and its a city that leaves an impression on you. Christian and I ended up in Accra 4 times. The first time was for a day and a half before our week journey to Dubai. Then we traveled back to Accra for a night before heading to Sao Tome & Principle. Our third time was for the beginning of a tour. We arrived a day early and spent our time eating and relaxing at the magnificent La Villa Boutique Hotel. Our fourth time was just for a night after out long tour.

While we are in no way experts, we can absolutely tell you what you must see in Accra while you are there. No strings attached.

Jamestown

Jamestown is Accra’s oldest city and it’s one that will challenge your senses and assumptions. A fishing village of thousands of residents sits right on the Gulf of Guinea. It’s a city within a city physically and culturally divorced from the new Accra. The people I met in Jamestown are proud of their hometown and are happy to show you around. But it’s recommended that for your first visit (especially if it’s your first time to Africa) you take a guided tour. Usually your guide will drive you to the entrance of Jamestown and hand you off to a local who will show you the village with the expectation of a tip at the end. When in Jamestown you can climb to the top of the lighthouse to overlook the village and the gulf. Later with permission and the right local guide you can enter the bustling village below where you’ll see everything from mini markets, naked children on their mother’s backs, and men working endlessly to throw colorful nets into the skies. It can be an overwhelming site at first but its a place well worth the visit.

Makola Market

Christian may disagree with me on this but I think this market is worth visiting and shopping. It’s the biggest market in Accra and one where you can find anything and everything. It spans for city block after city block and it’s not even the biggest market in Ghana! This disorientating market is best traversed with a local. Christian was overwhelmed by the skinny walkways, the men and women running by yelling for you to get out the way, the countless vendors calling at you to take a look, the live chickens and the smell of fish. But if you can handle all the excitement it’s a must see. Just a warning, be respectful when it comes to photos. Many people do not like it when a photo is taken of them or their merchandise without a permission. Be a gent, ask for permission.

W.E.B Du Bois Center

Me in front of the Du Bois educational center after my moving experience.

Any student of modern history or lover of diasporas would enjoy visiting the W.E.B. DuBois Center. Guided tours free of charge are available on a first-come, first-serve bases by students and volunteers who work there. The center is DuBois’ former house and has many of the original books he used to read. It’s also surrounded by a small garden and the mausoleum to him and his wife. It’s a fantastic journey and introduction to Pan-Africanism. I would recommend a visit to the center first before making your way to the item next on our list.

Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park

Museum and Memorial for the first president of Ghana, Dr. Kwame and one of the leaders of Pan-Africanism

This museum and national park is a must see while in Accra. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first African prime minister of an independent Ghana. He is also considered one of the fathers of Pan-Africanism and was a friend of American W.E.B. Dubois. His time as the leader of Ghana was short lived as he was ousted by a coup and died overseas. Even today, he is still a controversial figure throughout Ghana. Ask any local about him and they will have their own opinion. Nevertheless the museum and memorial is a starting point to understanding modern day Ghana and all of its complexities. This memorial and museum center was recently built and was under renovation when we visited last year. Nevertheless we received a tour of the small museum and learned more about his life and impact. His legacy lives on and is still a part of Ghana. It’s important to visit here. I recommend that you take a guided tour of the area to get the most out of the memorial and museum and to get a better understanding of history.

Black Star Gate and Independence Arch

Directly across from each other both areas are open to the public to explore. Usually you can’t get to close to either one of them but I got lucky and was able to go to the top of the Independence Arch to take a look at the Black Star Gate from a different angle (I included more pictures below). The Gate was erected in 1961 and it’s where Ghana’s Independence parades are held every March 6th. Both are beautiful structures and symbolic of Ghana’s past, present, and future. A good 30 minutes is all one needs to visit and take a few pictures. It’s awkwardly located in the middle of a busy intersection so some running across the street is necessary. Be brave young grasshopper. Know you don’t have to pay the extra money to get a guide to visit the site. It’s open and free for all.

If you are staying in Ghana for more than a week check out my post about Five Must See Sites in Ghana. I recommend getting out the city and seeing some more of Ghana’s nature and culture.

Before you go:

Keep in mind that Americans and Germans will need to get a tourist visa BEFORE going to Ghana. There are no visa on arrivals. The process is mostly straight forward but it’s important that you get one before you go.
Accra, Ghana is a relatively safe city but there are still tourist scams. Just practice basic street smarts and follow your gut instinct. If it doesn’t feel right then don’t do it.
While it may be tempting to eat all the food you see at the Makola Market – Don’t. The standards for preparation of food at the market are different from at an restaurant or hotel. You could very well be risking food poisoning. If you simply must eat something bring a guide with you and let them know your intention and they will be able to point you to the vendor they trust the most. Of course this will also likely come with a stern warning that you may risk getting ill. It’s up to you on what’s most important but I’d rather spend my vacation enjoying the sites instead of sick.

Where To Stay:

La Villa Boutique Hotel: We stayed in a total of three hotels while in Accra. La Villa Boutique Hotel was by far our favorite. It’s located in Accra’s North Ridge area and is close to Casinos, restaurants, and Accra’s International Conference Centre. It’s quite walkable around the area and it’s very safe. It’s a bit farther from Accra’s main attractions but it’s a nice neighborhood and a just a taxi drive away from anything. It’s about $130 – $140 dollars a night.
Accra City Hotel: We stayed in this hotel the longest and it was centrally located. In the middle of the Tudu, West Ridge, and Gold Coast City neighborhoods. It’s within driving or walking distance to many of Accra’s major sites such as the Makola Market, the National Museum of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial park, and a quick (unless there’s traffic and let’s be honest, there’s always traffic) drive to Jamestown. This hotel is ideal for jumping off and exploring Accra on your own. It’s also close to Accra’s Technical University. Rates range anywhere from $130 dollars a night to $140 dollars a night.
Ibis Styles Accra Airport City Hotel: I’d recommend this hotel only for layovers and very short trips to Accra. It’s well put together with a bar, restaurant, and swimming pool and even seems to be popular with some of the locals before a night out in town. The rooms are decent but once you venture outside of the hotel there’s not much at all to see or do. You’d need a taxi to take you everywhere. Even to find a decent place to eat unless you want to eat at the other hotels nearby. It’s major advantage is it’s proximity to the airport. It’s just a 10 minute shuttle ride away. It’s usually around $120 to 140 dollars a night. If you are an ibis Styles member you can sign up to get free nights! ibis Styles are all over Europe and so we often stay with them on short trips.

All hotels offer airport transfers both ways and will pick you up from the airport with a sign in hand if desired!