Why Ghana
The forts and castles of the coast — Cape Coast, Elmina — are World Heritage listed and tell the story of the Atlantic slave trade from the very place where it was organised. The visit is harrowing and for many it is the main reason for the trip.
The country also offers one of the liveliest urban scenes in the region in Accra, the Kakum forest with its canopy walkway, the Ashanti villages around Kumasi and their kente cloth, and a little-built coast to the west.
Getting around
Coaches run by reliable companies link the major cities on fixed schedules, with assigned seats — markedly preferable to the tro-tros, shared minibuses that leave when full and serve everywhere.
Accra is permanently congested; ride-hailing apps work there and avoid negotiation. The main roads are decent, the secondary tracks much less so.
Money
The country runs on cash and on mobile payment, the latter requiring a local line — a prepaid SIM card is obtained with a passport.
Bank cards are accepted only in hotels and a few restaurants in Accra. ATMs are present in the cities, with low ceilings. The depreciation of the cedi makes quoted prices vary from one month to the next.
Before you go
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required on entry and genuinely checked: without it, entry is refused. Malaria is present all year.
The welcome is warm and direct, with one rule that surprises people: you give, receive and greet with the right hand only, the left being considered impure.
Photographing official buildings, military personnel or the airport is forbidden. In villages and markets, asking before photographing someone is the norm.