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Ghana Travel Guide: Things to Do, Attractions & Where to Eat

Ghana is one of the most popular destinations in West Africa, known for its warm welcome, its history and its varied landscapes. Accra, the capital, is the main gateway and a lively base for exploring the coast. To the west, the UNESCO-listed castles at Cape Coast and Elmina tell the story of the transatlantic slave trade, and Kakum National Park protects tropical rainforest. Kumasi, the heart of the Ashanti kingdom, is known for its culture, crafts and the Manhyia Palace, while the Volta region offers hills, waterfalls and Lake Volta. In the north, Mole National Park is the country's best-known place to see elephants and other wildlife. English is the official language, which makes independent travel easier for many visitors.

Capital
Accra
Currency
Ghanaian cedi (GHS)
Language
English is the official language; Twi, Ga, Ewe and many other languages are widely spoken
Time zone
GMT (UTC+0) all year
Visa
Entry requirements depend on your nationality; check your government's travel advice before you go
Plugs
Types D and G, 230 V

Top cities & regions in Ghana

Best attractions in Ghana

All attractions in Ghana

Attraction

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park

Memorial park and mausoleumAccra Central

The memorial park where Kwame Nkrumah declared Ghana's independence, holding the marble mausoleum of Ghana's first president and his wife, plus a museum and library.

Attraction

Black Star Square (Independence Square)

Public square and monumentOsu / Victoriaborg

Ghana's monumental parade ground, completed in 1961, with the Independence Arch, the Black Star Gate and stands for about 30,000 people beside Independence Avenue.

Attraction

National Museum of Ghana

National history and ethnography museumAdabraka

Ghana's oldest and largest museum, opened on the eve of independence in 1957, with archaeology, ethnography and art galleries and a sculpture garden.

Attraction

W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan African Culture

Memorial museum and mausoleumCantonments

The former Accra home of W.E.B. Du Bois, now a memorial centre with his tomb, a small museum and his personal library, under restoration from 2026.

Attraction

Ghana National Mosque

MosqueKanda (Kawukudi)

Opened in 2021, Ghana's National Mosque in Kanda is an Ottoman Revival complex with four 65-metre minarets, room for 15,000 worshippers and a library and school.

Attraction

Jamestown Lighthouse

Historic lighthouse and viewpointJamestown

A red-and-white 1930s lighthouse in old Jamestown, about 28 metres tall, whose spiral stairs lead to wide views over the fishing harbour and Accra's coast.

Best cafés in Ghana

All cafés in Ghana

Café

Jamestown Coffee Company (Osu)

Coffee shop and all-day café$$Osu

A Ghanaian coffee company's Osu café serving flat whites made with locally sourced beans, all-day breakfasts and early dinners in a high-ceilinged, art-filled space.

Café

Kukun

Café and co-working space$$Osu

An Osu café and co-working hub with a garden and terrace, serving coffee, smoothies and fresh salads daily from early morning to late evening.

Café

Café Kwae

All-day café and brunch spot$$Airport City

An all-day café on the ground floor of One Airport Square, popular for business brunches and coffee meetings, with bagels, avocado toast, salads and iced drinks.

Café

Ritual

Café, cocktail lounge and listening bar$$$North Ridge

A North Ridge café by day and cocktail lounge and vinyl listening bar by night, serving breakfast and coffee, then Ghana-inspired cocktails such as a Milo…

Café

Café Mondo

Café and bistro$$North Labone

A long-established Labone café serving coffee, pastries and panini and baguette sandwiches, with outdoor tables and an air-conditioned bar inside.

Café

Milkbox

Bakery café and cake shop$$Labone

A sleek Labone bakery café known for its cakes, cupcakes and cinnamon rolls, plus breakfast, sandwiches, wraps, smoothies and custom birthday cakes.

Best hotels in Ghana

All hotels in Ghana

Hotel

Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City

Luxury city hotel$$$$Ridge / Ministries

A luxury hotel in Accra's central business district with a three-floor spa, outdoor pool, the Papillon restaurant and a free airport shuttle, close to the main…

Hotel

Labadi Beach Hotel

Beachfront resort hotel$$$$La

A five-star beachfront resort in La with tropical gardens, pools, a spa and a choice of restaurants and bars, including the Ghanaian buffet at Akwaaba.

Hotel

Villa Monticello

Luxury boutique hotel$$$$Airport Residential Area

A luxury boutique hotel in the leafy Airport Residential Area with sixteen individually designed suites, a brasserie and a gym, close to the airport.

Hotel

Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra

Upscale city hotel$$$Ridge

A large upscale hotel on Independence Avenue next to the National Theatre, with a lagoon-style pool in gardens, a 24-hour gym and easy access to central…

Hotel

Accra Marriott Hotel

Airport business hotel$$$Airport City

A modern business hotel in Airport City, less than a kilometre from the terminals, with a free airport shuttle, an outdoor pool and the Red Red…

Hotel

Number One Oxford Street Hotel & Suites

Upscale hotel and serviced suites$$$Osu

A modern hotel and suites on Osu's Oxford Street, launched with Radisson Individuals, with an outdoor pool, spa, fitness centre and Restaurant Uno.

Best nightlife in Ghana

All nightlife in Ghana

Bar

Skybar25

Rooftop cocktail bar$$$$North Airport

Accra's best-known rooftop bar, on top of the Villaggio Alto tower, pairing tropical cocktails with panoramic sunset views over the city skyline.

Bar

Sandbox Beach Club

Beach club and cocktail bar$$$$La

A stylish beachfront club in La with an infinity pool, sunset cocktails and a Euro-Latin menu by day, turning into a party venue late on weekend…

Bar

The Republic Bar & Grill

Cocktail bar with local flavours$$Osu

A relaxed Osu bar known for cocktails built on Ghanaian flavours, such as the hibiscus-based Kokoroko, plus jollof, yam fries and weekend DJs.

Bar

+233 Jazz Bar & Grill

Live jazz and highlife bar$$North Ridge / Osu Klottey

Accra's best-known live music bar, hosting jazz, highlife and blues bands, the Jazz In January festival and an annual International Jazz Day concert.

Bar

Tea Baa

Restaurant and rooftop cocktail bar$$$La

A quirky three-level restaurant and bar in La with an Afrocentric dining room, a treehouse-style middle floor, a small rooftop bar and a famous coco-lime margarita.

Bar

The Alley Bar

Cocktail bar with DJ nights$$$Osu (Nyaniba Estate)

A light-filled, post-industrial cocktail bar in a former alley next to Jamestown Coffee in Osu, known for local-spirit cocktails and weekly DJ nights.

Best restaurants in Ghana

All restaurants in Ghana

Restaurant

Buka

Ghanaian and West African$$Osu

A long-running Osu restaurant cooking traditional Ghanaian and wider West African dishes, from light soup and fufu to jollof and kelewele, in a two-level dining room.

Restaurant

Azmera Restaurant

Ghanaian buffet$$Roman Ridge / Airport Residential

A traditional Ghanaian buffet restaurant in Roman Ridge serving fufu with goat light soup, waakye, banku with tilapia and other home-style classics every day.

Restaurant

Santoku

Japanese$$$$North Airport

A polished Japanese restaurant at the base of the Villaggio towers near the airport, known for sushi, sashimi and a menu developed with Nobu-trained chefs.

Restaurant

Bistro 22

International bistro and cocktail bar$$$Labone

A Labone kitchen and bar since 2014, serving steaks, seafood pasta, burgers and grilled fish indoors or on a leafy terrace, with cocktails until late.

Restaurant

Makosa

Modern pan-African$$$$La

A beachside pan-African restaurant at Sandbox Beach Club in La, pairing ocean views with creative dishes such as yaji lamb with moi moi and gari-crusted wagashi.

Restaurant

Pomona

Italian$$$Osu

A sleek indoor-outdoor Italian restaurant in Osu serving Neapolitan-style pizza, truffle pasta and slow-braised beef cheek, with a sister bar alongside.

Best things to do in Ghana

All things to do in Ghana

Thing to do

Makola Market

Traditional marketAccra Central

Accra's best-known market, run largely by women traders, where crowded lanes sell everything from fresh produce and fabrics to beads, pots and tools.

Thing to do

Legon Botanical Gardens

Botanical garden and adventure parkLegon

University of Ghana-owned gardens near Legon with a 138-metre canopy walk, high ropes and zip lines, canoeing at weekends and plenty of shade.

Thing to do

Shai Hills Resource Reserve

Wildlife reserve and hikingDoryumu (day trip)

The nearest wildlife reserve to Accra, where baboons, kob and over 170 bird species live among rocky hills, caves and grassland once home to the Shai…

Thing to do

Kokrobite Beach

Beach and surfingKokrobite (Ga South)

A fishing village beach west of Accra that has become the city's surf hub, with lessons for beginners, canoes on the sand and a relaxed weekend…

Thing to do

Elmina Castle (St George’s Castle)

Castle tour and museumElmina (day trip)

Built by the Portuguese in 1482, Elmina's St George's Castle is the oldest surviving European building in sub-Saharan Africa, toured with a guide through dungeons, chapels…

Best tours & activities in Ghana

All tours & activities in Ghana

Tour operator

Easy Track Ghana

Walking tours, food tours and day tripsDome-Kwabenya

A Ghana Tourism Authority-licensed Accra operator running Old Accra walking tours, food tastings, day trips and tailor-made tours across Ghana, Togo and Benin.

Tour operator

Apstar Tours

Heritage, cultural and eco toursNorth Dzorwulu

An Accra tour operator established in 1994, running historical, cultural, educational and eco tours in Ghana and across West Africa for individuals and groups.

Tour operator

Blastours

Cultural, heritage and festival toursMile 7

A Ghanaian-owned destination management company in Accra offering cultural, heritage, festival and birding tours in Ghana and neighbouring countries.

Tour operator

Jolinaiko Eco Tours

Eco and cultural toursDodowa (Greater Accra)

A licensed eco-tourism operator based just outside Accra, running tailor-made nature and culture tours in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso, with its own lodges.

Ghana travel FAQs

What is the best way to travel around Ghana?

Domestic flights link Accra with Kumasi, Tamale and other cities, intercity coaches serve the main routes, and hiring a car with a driver is the most comfortable way to reach parks and smaller towns.

When is the best time to visit Ghana?

The drier months from November to March are the most comfortable for travel, although the far north can be very hot and dusty in the harmattan season.

Which places should you visit in Ghana besides Accra?

Cape Coast and Elmina for the castles, Kakum National Park for its canopy walkway, Kumasi for Ashanti culture, the Volta region for hills and waterfalls, and Mole National Park for wildlife.

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