Jamestown
The fishing quarter below the lighthouse, its painted canoes and mural-covered walls.
Duration
1 hr 30 min – 3 hrs
Best time
Early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Jamestown grew up around the British fort of James, built in 1673, and it has stayed Accra's Ga fishing quarter. The lighthouse at the point can be climbed for a few cedis paid to the keeper, and looks over the whole bay and the beach where the canoes are hauled up.
The canoes are painted in strong colours and mottoes, each crew with its own. Since 2012 the district has hosted the Chale Wote festival, which leaves murals on the walls all year.
Getting there
West of central Accra, on the seafront. Taxi from the centre, ten minutes; the district is walked.
What to bring
- Dry bag
Rules on site
This is a lived-in, poor district, not a site: ask before photographing anyone, and expect to be charged for it. A guide from the area changes the reception entirely, and the money stays local.