6 Best Sights in Ghana

Make a day of sunbathing, swimming, and exploring at this beach about 32 km (20 miles) down the coast. The Takoradi–Tarkwa Road leads to Agona Junction. A left turn from there lands at gentle surf that's great for swimming. An outdoor bar and restaurant serves light meals. Chalets are available. Just 5 km (3 miles) away, you can discover the Fort Metal Cross, over which the British and Dutch fought for more than 200 years. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; walking.

Ghana’s third-oldest fort shows both Portuguese and Dutch influences in its distinctive white walls. Described as a small-scale copy of St. George’s Castle, the fort was built in the 1520s by the Portuguese to deter English sailors from interfering in Shama trade. The Dutch took over and renovated the structure in the mid-1600s, and traded gold and slaves there until it came under British rule in 1872. The fort is a landmark, but not well tended. It helps to read up before visiting.

Many monuments mark this African nation’s struggles for freedom from colonizers, as evidenced by the three striking structures of this complex. The Flame of African Liberation, lit by the country’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, in the mid-1900s, still burns here. Marvel at Independence Arch. The Black Star Monument honors Ghana’s fame as the “Black Star of Africa,” the star representing African emancipation. Ironically, although the area is a tribute to freedom, President Nkrumah commissioned the square to honor the visit of Queen Elizabeth II.

Get up into the rain forest canopy and see how the monkeys live at this park about 90 minutes northwest of Tarkoradi. Six treetop platforms and a canopy walkway, all reaching 30 meters (98 feet) above the ground, provide an unparalleled view of the rainforest ecosystem. The jungle-like habitat is home to seven primate species, more than 500 butterfly species, and about 250 bird species. Don’t forget to look down, too—you might see elephants foraging for fallen fruit.

A large bronze statue and two hectares (five acres) of what used to be a British polo field are dedicated to Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and one of its founding fathers. This location is where Nkrumah declared independence in 1957. A museum traces Nkrumah’s life, and many of his personal items are on display. The mausoleum is the final resting place of Nkrumah and his wife. Narrated tours are available.

A bunch of baboons is the welcome committee here, but although they look cute and friendly, don’t engage them—they are wild animals and will snatch what they want. That’s why visitors who walk this park do so with armed guides. Four-wheeled drive vehicles may be the best option. Arrive early in the morning or at dusk to see the baboons, as well as birds, antelope and monkeys. The landscape is breathtaking. Hike to the 76-meter (250-foot) -high Tsenku Falls, to sacred caves full of bats, and to a cool, dry evergreen forest, which is a striking change from the tropical jungles associated with Africa. Wear long pants and sturdy, closed-toe shoes, preferably boots.