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Email this page to a friend Africa Travel Newsletters > Ghana
1. Ghana -Africa's Gold Coast
Ghana is one of the most interesting destinations in Africa travel. The country extends inland from the Gulf of Guinea on the western region of Africa, and is neighboured by Togo to the east; the Atlantic Ocean to the south; Cote d’Ivoire to the west and Burkina Faso to the north.
Measuring 238,837 sq km; almost the size of Great Britain, Ghana was previously known as Gold Coast until it was renamed upon independence in 1957. It is said to have been inhabited since 4000 BC. However, the written history of the country dates back late 15th century with the arrival of a party of Portuguese explorers in 1470.
In 1482, the Portuguese built a permanent commercial centre referred to as Elmina Castle or 'Castelo da Mina' in Portuguese. Thomas Windham - a then renowned English trader, is known to have visited Ghana on business in 1553. Between the 15th and 16th century, the written story of Ghana was mainly controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Swedish, Germans and Danes.
In 1921, the British Government took control of the British trading forts on the Gold Coast and this marked the beginning of the period of British rule in Ghana's history. Ghana gained her independence in 1957 – being the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to do so - with Kwame Nkrumah as the first president. Nkurumah ruled Ghana until he was overthrown in a CIA-backed coup in 1966.
Ghana is bisected by the Greenwich Meridian and lies entirely within the northern tropics about 5 degrees north of the equator. The country which has a coast line spanning 540 km has a tropical climate; warm and dry in the southeast, hot and dry in the southwest, and hot and dry in the north.
Southern Ghana has two rainy seasons; May to June and August to September during which the rest of the country is hot and dry with temperatures as high as 38 degrees Celsius. The northern region experiences rains from about April to October. Generally Ghana has temperatures ranging between 21 and 32 degrees Celsius and average annual rainfall of 83 centimeters in the coastal region. The dry northeasterly wind – The Harmattan – blows across the country in the months of January and February.
Ghana is relatively flat with an altitude of less than 150m although there are several peaks rising above 750 m. Mount Afadjato, towering some 880m is the country's highest point. Lake Volta which dominates Ghana's south-eastern region is also an notable landmark of the country as it is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the country is its rich cultural heritage that enchants almost everyone visiting Ghana. The diversity of the 22.9 million Ghanaians (2008 census) creates a rich culture that is truly African and a legacy of the country. This is mainly depicted through festivals and celebrations which are held year round throughout the country. Indeed a week barely passes without a town or village holding its major annual festival.
Over 70 languages and major dialects are spoken around the country; classified into four linguistic groups, namely Ewe, Akan, Ga and Mole-Dagbani. Twi is the most widespread used Akan language – spoken by nearly half the population. Two thirds of Ghanaians are Christians and the remaining population adhere to Islamic as well as traditional beliefs.
The usual starting point for exploring Ghana is the capital Accra, one of the safest and most navigable cities of Africa. Accra, located at 5°30 North, 0°10 West, has all the elements of a cosmopolitan city and is the administrative and economic hub of Ghana. The city covers an area of 200 sq km and is home to an estimated 3 million people.
Major attractions of the capital city include the excellent National Museum that exhibits numerous artifacts that reflect Ghanaian culture from way back to the current generation, the National Theatre, Kwame Nkruma Mausoleum, Makola Market, the Centre for National Cultural Centre, the fishing port at James Centre and the Independence Square. The city is served by Kotoka International Airport.
Although Accra has has some beautiful beaches, including CoCo; Misty and Ada, the best beaches are found outside of the city. Osu is the most touristy area of Accra situated close to the Art Centre and Liberation Square. The main streets of Osu have a wide range of good hotels and restaurants and a good variety of dishes.
The other major towns of Ghana are Kumasi, Tamale, Tema, and Obausi. Also referred to as “The Garden City”, Kumasi is the second largest city in Ghana and the capital city of the Ashanti region. Home to some 1.5 million people, the city is located about 250 km northwest of Accra. Kumasi is also home to Lake Bosumtwi - the largest natural lake in the country.
Tamale is the capital of northern Ghana with a population of about 300,000 and is one of the fastest growing cities in west Africa. The city is also the capital of the local government of Tamale Municipality. It is mostly inhabited by the Mole-Dagomba linguistic group and is one city in Ghana where you can find an architectural blend of traditional slum and modern buildings.
Situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast – east of Accra, Tema is the country's largest sea port and also home to an oil refinery. It is a centre of manufacturing and is now being referred to as an industrial town. Tema was originally a fishing village, but it has since grown into a city of about 210,000 people.
Obausi, situated in southern Ghana has a population of 115,000 and is renowned for its gold mine; in the league of the world's top ten largest. Gold has been mined here for at least the last four centuries.
Besides its interesting cities, Ghana offers hundreds of kilometers of pristine beaches as well as world class hotels and enchanting wildlife parks and reserves. Some of the most popular beaches include Cocoloco, Kokrobrite, Labadi, Ada and Alaska.
Cocoloco Beach situated at Ada Foah where the Volta River drains into the Atlantic Ocean is a breeding ground for sea turtles. Kokrobite located 30 km west of Accra is a pristine beach with a picturesque backdrop of hills. It is a popular among tourists due to its secluded nature and cool atmosphere. Ada beach situated 100 km east of Accra, on the Lome Road has facilities for yachting, skiing as well as skiing. Alaska Beach situated on the shore of the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean is most popular among silent beach lovers and backpackers.
Ghana has 16 national parks and several wildlife sanctuaries that hosts an incredibly wide array of flora and fauna. Though not as touristy and popular as Kenya or South Africa, the country can serve as a wildlife safari holiday destination. The country hosts 99 species of wildlife, including the African elephant, lions, leopards, hyena, hippos, baboons, buffalo, antelopes and 750 species of birds.
Among the major wildlife sanctuaries include Tafi Monkey Sanctuary, Agmatsa Wildlife Sanctuary, Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site, Boaben-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, Mole National Park, Kakum and the Assin Attandanso, Digya National Park and Bui National Park.
There are also several historical places that can provide you with an understanding of the way of life of Ghanaians. They include Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Slave Market of Abonse.
Built in 1482, Elmina Castle was the first slave castle along the west coast of Africa and also the first permanent building south of the Sahara built by Europeans. It was elevated to the status of castle due to the fact that it was the seat of power for the Portuguese. Elmina Castle is a must visit site while on a Ghana Slave Trade Cultural Tour.
Cape Coast Castle is a major historical attraction in Ghana. Dating back 1653, it was the first timber structure for the Swedish Africa Company. It houses the Cape Coast Castle Museum. On its part, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum houses the remains of Kwame Nkrumah; the first President of Ghana. It was built in his honour after his remains were exhumed from his original burial grounds at his Nkroful home. The Slave Market of Abonse was an important slave trading centre in the 17th and 18th centuries, and it still has some traces of the original market.
Ghana's most common entry point is the Kotoka International Airport located in Accra. The airport is currently served by over 20 carriers with over 170 weekly passenger aircraft movements to more than 36 international destinations worldwide.
There are a number of international airlines operating scheduled flights to Ghana from major cities in Europe, Middle East, North America and Africa. They including Ghana Airways, British Airways, Egypt Air, KLM, Kenya Airways, Delta Airlines and many others. Besides the Kotoka International Airport, Ghana has domestic airports in Kumasi, Tamale and Sunyani. There are two harbours in Tarkoradi and Tema and an inland port in Fumesua in the Ashanti Region.
All visitors to Ghana except citizens of West African countries belonging to ECOWAS are required to have a valid visa. Ghana missions and embassies abroad issue individual as well as group visas, although the same can be obtained on arrival at the port of entry.
A single entry tourist visa costs $50 and is valid for 3 months from the date of issue. You shouldn't therefore get it too early as it may expire before your travel. A return ticket to Ghana is required before your visa application can be processed. Students applying for visa must also submit a letter of invitation from the principals in Ghana or in their home country.
Being a tropical country, Ghana requires all visitors to have a valid certificate of immunization against yellow fever. It is also recommended that you get immunized against Diphtheria , Hepatitis A as well as Typhoid before heading to the country. You are also advised to consult your doctor a few days before your visit to obtain an anti-malaria prescription. Remember that Ghana has the chloroquine-resistant strain of malaria and the risk of catching malaria is high in most parts of the country.
Getting to your hotel from Kotoka International Airport is quite easy as there are numerous taxis and rental cars available at the airport. You can also choose to take or a public pool taxi- a vehicle ferrying a group of passengers from one destination to another at fixed charges per individual passenger, or a charter taxi at negotiated charges.
Throughout your stay in Ghana, you will have a variety of hotel accommodation - over 10,000 rooms in about 700 hotels- that Ghana has to offer. These include city and country hotels and lodges of varied elegance, comfort and convenience. Ghana hotels are classified according to international star rating system with 5-star as the highest and 1-star being the minimum internationally acceptable quality.
There are also cheap budget hotels in most parts of the country for those traveling on la tight budget. Most Ghana hotels allow tipping, although it is rarely included to your bill. The quality of service should dictate the amount of 'dash' (word for tip among the locals) that you give to the people at your service.
Ghana’s currency is the cedi (¢) which comes in denominations of ¢100, ¢200, ¢500, ¢1000, ¢5000. Foreign currency can be exchanged at any foreign exchange bureau and most commercial banks around the country. The best currencies to carry while traveling to Ghana are US Dollars, British Pounds or Euros as they will get you good exchange rates.
Travellers' Cheques are accepted in all banks and forex bureaus in the main cities, but the exchange rate is slightly lower than for cash. You can also use your credit card for transactions in almost all airlines, major hotels and shopping malls. The most widely accepted cards are Visa, American Express and Diners.
Ghana is best toured between December and April when there are no rains. However, northern Ghana can be uncomfortable during this period because of the Saharan sand blowing in the region. July to August is the best period to travel for those planning to tour southern Ghana as the weather is quite cool.
Since the country is hot and humid all year round, it is advisable to pack light washable clothing. Binoculars and sunglasses will prove very convenient during your tour. Also do not forget to carry a pair of comfortable walking shoes as you may want to go hiking. Ghana has no restrictions on what people should wear, and slacks and shorts for both men and women are acceptable.
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