5 Cities and Towns Away from Accra That You Need to See When You’re in Ghana
By Karel Mensah
When you’re visiting Ghana, there are different dimensions to the experience. There’s Accra, where most tourists arrive. The city is, well… let’s just say…worth the hype. It has beautiful attractions, rich cultural events, an active nightlife, and tourist destinations. There are some novelties that might catch you by surprise like the most delicious meals being sold on the corners between streets, literal works of art being sold by their creators in traffic and so much more. However, even though Accra is the jewel that it is, there are other cities to visit in Ghana that provide different but equally fulfilling experiences.
1. Takoradi
Welcome to the oil city! Sekondi-Takoradi comprises the twin cities of the metro in Ghana. It is the capital of the Western Region and an absolutely cinematic place to visit. The city lends itself to numerous views that will absolutely steal your attention from whatever stresses you have in real life. You just have to visit the Takoradi market, where every few steps you’ll see some colorful attractions that will quickly get you haggling for the best prices so that you can keep shopping. The Takoradi Market Circle is also a great spot to sample Ghanaian street food.
Takoradi also boasts the Takoradi Harbour which is one of the busiest seaports in the country. The Takoradi Harbour has absolutely glorious views for photography, featuring the bay, the colorful ships and the majestic behemoth cargo ships offloading their haul. It’s inevitable to get lost in the sheer machinery of it all. Takoradi Harbour is definitely a must-visit for any tourist visiting Ghana for the sights and experiences.
2. Cape Coast
They say that even the air has a special freshness to it in Cape Coast, the coastal capital of the Central Region of Ghana. Many diasporans of African descent visit Cape Coast each year to connect with their history. History that is still preserved in national monuments such as Cape Coast Castle. The Cape Coast area also has the Elmina Castle and the Kakum National Park–one of the country's most notoriously tall canopy walks.
3. Akosombo
Akosombo is a small town in the Eastern Region. Akosombo is definitely a place that you want to visit while you’re on vacation. Residents of Accra escape to Akosombo when it’s time to destress. Akosombo is a beautiful town, and the Adome Bridge provides such a breathtaking view of the Volta River and Akosombo mountains that Ghanaians and tourists alike pay to experience and take pictures in this setting. This money is then invested back into the town’s tourism.
Akosombo also boasts the Royal Senchi Resort, the Sajuna Beach Club, and other waterside attractions. This is the town to visit if you’re interested in waterside relaxation and experience.
4. Ada
Ada is a district of closely-knit towns comprising Ada Foah, Big Ada and Ada Kasseh. For tourists, Ada has one of the most well-reviewed resorts in Ghana, the Aqua Safari Resort. The resort provides the perfect ambience for nature lovers with animals roaming the grounds freely. It also provides several activities you’ll want to bring your camera along for. There’s still so much more to do in Ada, including taking a boat tour around the islands, watching the boat race in December, and participating in the Asafotufiami Festival celebrated every year in August between the first and second weeks of the month.
5. Amedzofe
If you’re looking to connect with nature and rediscover your relationship with the more serene natural elements of the environment then Amedzofe is definitely a place that you need to visit. Amedzofe is in the Volta Region. Most of the trip to Amedzofe will be made by road, and that journey itself is a deeply immersive experience of the Ghanaian countryside.
Once you arrive at Amedzofe you can immerse yourself in nature by hiking across the Ote Falls mountain-side trail to get to the beautiful Ote Waterfalls which will absolutely take your breath away with sheer bewilderment at what nature is capable of. You can also swim in the pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall at the bottom.
