Ghana: Beach and Sun Holiday

Looking for that perfect beach vacation without the crowds, mega resorts, and cruise ship stops?

Look no further. Ghana has everything you want in a beach vacation.

Have you ever wanted to have a beach to yourself only steps away from where you are staying and steps away from a cold drink and a great meal?

If so this beach vacation will not disappoint.

Elmina Castle

This trip is a great way to responsibly enjoy a relaxing beach vacation while also getting to know a foreign country. Ghana is not a place where you can be content to spend your whole visit confined in a resort. There is so much to see and do when you are not at the beach soaking up the rays. This great trip is planned so that each day you will get out in the mornings to see the sights and meet Ghanaians at a number of great destinations including Eco-Villages, Spiritual Shrines, National Parks, and colonial castles. There are even opportunities to get involved in the communities with volunteering.

Ghanaians are often described as the friendliest people in Africa. Combine this with amazing hospitality and the majority of the population speaking English it is hard to believe that the wonderful beaches you will experience on this vacation are not crowed with tourists. But lucky for you Ghana is an undiscovered paradise for travelers and often you wont even see another tourist on a beach other than right in front of some hotels. With the exception of a few places in the cities (just like any major city in the US) it is safe to explore and walk around, and check out the surroundings.

Our guides are extremely knowledgeable about the locales in which they serve; they are fluent in English, and potentially French, and at least a handful of local languages. You will have a driver who will also serve as your guide and cultural ambassador. He will travel with you to take care of any issues or needs that you may have and answer all of your questions about Ghanaian culture. In addition to your primary driver/guide, other local guides will be used in various areas of the country to provide more specific knowledge about their communities.

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Take a look at the itinerary below to get a feel for this vacation paradise. Click on each location (coming soon) for more in depth information.

Day 1:

Afia African Village on the beach of Accra

Upon arrival at the Accra airport you will be met by your guide (driver/Guide/cultural ambassador) who will introduce you to the amazing Ghanaian hospitality that you will come to love. You will be driven to one of the following hotels for the night.

After settling in and relaxing a bit you will have dinner with your guide so you can begin to get to know each other. Soon it will be time to turn in for the night to get some good rest before the next day’s adventures.

Day 2:

One of the rooms at Stumble Inn

Waking up to the excitement of a new day, you will leave the hustle and bustle of Accra behind as you travel west out of the city and down the coast a little ways to the wonderful beach community of Gomoa Fete. Here you will be able to take some time to walk around the village located in a little cove with a picturesque beach perfect for relaxing and taking a swim if you wish. After your short stopover in Gomoa you will continue the drive down the coast line passing through some fishing villages and market towns. There will be a couple of brief stops to check out Pusuban shrines in some of these communities. Nearing Cape Coast you will be taken to your choice of the following beach resorts for the night where you can enjoy your first sunset on a secluded African beach.
Anomabo beach Resort

Days 3-5:

For the next 3 days you will have a choice of day trips each morning. followed by afternoon relaxing and swimming at your accommodation or exploring the Cape Coast area in your free time.

The canopy walk at Kakum National Park

Activities in the area:

Kakum National Park: You can walk on an elevated canopy walk through the tops of the trees in this rain forest National Park or take a guided walk through the forest with a forest ranger who will explain traditional and medicinal uses of the plants. The interpretive center provides some great information about the park, conservation and the surrounding area. It is unlikely that you will see any of the mammal wildlife that lives in the park like the forest elephants, and primates, but you will get to see the beauty of the plants and butterflies. An early start will increase your chances of a lucky encounter with the wildlife in the park before other visitors have scared them out of the area for the day.

People in a village near Mosomagor processing palm oil by hand

Mosomagor Village (Community Eco-Tourism Project): The people of Mosomagor will share their wonderful village with you and the sounds of their bamboo orchestra. It is possible to get a music lesson and dancing instructions. For the really adventurous it is possible to hike into Kakum Park from Mosomagor and spend the night 60 feet in the air on a platform built around a tree. This is an amazing experience that you will not be able to find just anywhere.

* Since the tree platform is an optional substitution for a nights stay at the resort, please let us know in advance so we can make the necessary arrangements and price adjustment.

Domana Rock Shrine (Community Eco-Tourism Project): The Domana Rock Shrine holds spiritual importance to the villages around it. It is a massive natural monument with a giant rock balanced on other huge rocks creating a seemingly impossible natural spectacle. You will learn about the shrine’s history and its importance to the people in the area. It is a nice hike through the forest with gracious local guides. During certain seasons it is possible to take a canoe trip down a nearby river.

Cape Coast Castle: This is probably the most popular of Ghana’s physical tourist attractions. This castle was a pinnacle of pre colonial trading along the Gold Coast, then it became a key disembarking point during Slavery for over a million souls shipped to the west. Be prepared for a powerful emotionally impact. The castle was also the seat of government for the Gold Coast English Colony.

Cape Coast sights and shopping: In addition to the castle Cape Coast is also a great place to do
A view from A window of the Cape Coast Castle.

some casual exploration and perhaps some shopping for those so-inclined. Once the capital of the Gold Coast Colony, Cape Coast has many colonial buildings to see and some will even let you in to look around. You can walk the narrow avenues, enjoy the murals on walls, and shop at market stalls. In addition to Cape Coast Castle there are two other forts in Cape Coast that are worth a visit, Fort William and Fort Victoria.

Global Mamas Workshops: Global Mamas is an NGO (nongovernmental organization – similar to a nonprofit) working to empower women through traditional crafts and products. In Cape Coast you can learn how the beautiful batik fabrics are created and you can buy a batik directly from the wonderful women who make their living doing this every day.

Volunteer opportunities: Check out some of our volunteer opportunities for the Cape Coast area (coming soon).

Festival Oguaa Fetu Afahye: This is a harvest festival that gives thanks for the bounty of the year
Oguaa Fetu Afahye Festival in Cape Coast.

to the many different Fante spirits. The celebration includes a large procession through the city with chiefs, drummers, dancers, and men dressed as women. Everything then congregates at the parade ground with a grand celebration. This takes place in September.

Day 6:

The beach at Butre

After three days exploring the Cape Coast area and enjoying the beaches it is time to move down the coast to see some more of what Ghana has to offer. The first stop on the drive will be in Ghana’s third largest city, Takoradi, where you can enjoy fresh seafood (or whatever else you would like) for lunch. Afterward you will visit Monkey Hill where a colony of monkeys live in an urban refuge. About an hour past Takoradi you will arrive at the beach again to spend the night at the accommodations of your choice:

* For those travelers that prefer a little more rustic but delightfully secluded and environmentally friendly beach experience, we can arrange for accommodations at one of the wonderful local eco-lodges in the Cape Three Points area. These include Ezile Bay Eco-Village, and Escape3Point Lodge. These places are comfortable but are a little more rustic with outdoor showering and no electricity.

Day 7-9:

Similar to the Cape Coast area, there will be morning excursions followed by free time in the afternoons. Some of the local options include:

Surfing lessons *(optional full day excursion for more advanced surfers)
Canoe Crocodile Safari in Butre
Explore the Fort ruins in Butre
Hiking between Butre, Busua, and Dixcove
Black Star area tours
Fort Metal Cross in Dixcove
Hiking Cape Three Points (includes Cape Three Point village and lighthouse)
Cape Three Points village and lighthouse
Canoe trip in the mangroves at Akwidaa
Cooking lessons at Akwidaa
Biking Cape Three Points
Some more surfing
Cape Three Points Reserve
Crocodile Fetish
Market day in Takoradi

Day 10:

After spending one last day enjoying the Cape Three Points area and the activities above, you will travel in

The island Suite at Lou Moon Lodge

the evening to Ghana’s most western coastal area and spend the night in Axim or Beyin at one of the following lodging options:

Ankasa Reserve Bamboo Chathedral

Days 11 – 12:

Once again there are a number of great morning adventures in the area, visiting castles or a Nzulezu Stilt Village over a lake (reached by canoe) or Ankasa Reserve. In the afternoon some of the nicest beaches in Ghana will be at your door step.

Day 13:

The last day of the trip you will drive back to Accra to conclude your adventure.

Tour Options:

The options are endless and it is our intention to custom design the trip that meets your needs, desires and budget. The following options provide you with some choices based on type of accommodations and mode of transportation – either a sedan (saloon car) or a 4 x4. Please do not limit yourself to these options, give us a call and we can customize your trip to include options like a home stay or sleeping on a tree platform in the rain forest for a night, or staying at Ezile Bay or Escape3Point lodges. The options are endless We can also arrange volunteer work, surfing lessons or whatever other activities that will make this your dream trip.

The following Options are for transportation in a sedan.