Ghana travel guide

The main reason why travellers come to Elmina is, of course, the fine UNESCO enlisted slave fort, but the town itself is a bit of an experience too. Colourful pirogues sail past the white fort on their way to the lagoon. Along the busy shore, fishermen unload the day's catch, while others sort their nets. Elmina feels like a big fishing village, just with the oldest colonial building in sub-Saharan Africa as backdrop. Of course, there are hawkers and touts around the entrance to the fort, but otherwise Elmina feels relaxed.

Not as big as the neighbouring slave fort in Cape Coast, but with an equal grim history. Already in the late 15th century, the Portuguese set up a trading post here to get their hands on the West African gold production. The post eventually turned into to a full-blown slave fort with cannons and dungeons for slaves waiting to be shipped. The Dutch managed to conquer Elmina fort in the mid 17th century, before they sold it off to the British in late 19th century. It's estimated between 12 and 20 millions slaves were shipped from the Gold Coast in West Africa, a five-week journey under so grim conditions that it wasn't unusual that half of the human cargo have died in passage. Walking around the fort not only gives you idea of the past, but it also offers panoramic views over Elmina town and the sea. Elmina is of course a UNESCO World Heritage site along with Cape Coast slave fort.

For anyone who wants to change their travel routines to something other than the buses and tro-tros that crisscross Ghana's road network, the Yapei Queen is a welcoming surprise. The passenger-cum-cargo ferry sails the full length of Lake Volta once a week – 430 km. The going is slow and pleasant, with both food and plenty of drinks available from the bar/restaurant. It's a change of pace, giving travellers plenty of time to chat with the locals – including the captain – and enjoy the views. The Queen has two first class cabins that come with two bunks and air-condition – which can be reserved a few days ahead by showing up at the administration building by the docks. Everybody else sleeps on the benches in the restaurant, though the crew can usually find a foam mattress if you prefer to sleep on the upper deck. The journey used to take anywhere between 36 and 60 hours, but a new engine has reduced this to 30 hours sharp. The ferry leaves Akosombo, in the south, Monday afternoon and departs northern Yeji for the return journey on 4 am Wednesday.

The main attraction in Kakum National Park is the canopy walk. Seven suspension-bridges span over the top of trees in the primary forest. If you're not fond of heights, it can be a bit terrifying tumbling across the swinging and wobbling bridges, but they are proper made. Unless you want to join local church groups, try to come on a weekday. Beside the canopy walk, you can also do a jungle walk with guide who will eagerly point out plants and explain their use - and if you're lucky, you might also see a few monkeys.

All over West Africa, Ghana is famed for its cloth and the colourful rolls you often see elsewhere in the region originate from Ghana. Paradoxically, much fabric on Ghana's markets are made in China. There's usually small stickers on cloth made in Ghana, so watch out of those. Most famous is the kente cloth. Made by hand in long narrow strips, weavers from villages all over the country travel to the nearest markets from where it'll be passed on to the big market towns, such as Kumasi. Kente is made from interwoven cloth strips made from silk and cotton and was traditionally worn to symbolise the wearer's social status. Bright and multi-coloured the kente cloth have had a significant influence on the colourful clothing schemes seen all over the region today. For clothes, kente tends to be too rough, and most people chose softer cotton cloth, which is then made into a shirt or pagne, the traditional colourful African dress.

Not many travellers make it all the way to Keta, though it's a favoured weekend hideout for locals, who are happy to have the town's resorts all to themselves. Beside the peace and quiet, and the long sandy beach, most foreign visitors come out here to visit Keta Lagoon and Fort Prinzenstein. Prinzenstein is the only Danish fort still standing on the Ghanaian coast – though the sea has tried its best to swallow it. The Danes were the third major player (along with the British and the Dutch) during 400 years of gold and slave trade. Until Christiansborg Castle in Accra opens to the public, Prinzenstein is the only Danish-built fortification it's possible to visit. Around the fort is a small colonial town, and further down the coast is an awkward-looking stilt lighthouse that's climbable.

Ghana's favourite beach hangout for volunteers, backpackers and better-off locals from Accra is all about sand, surf and sun. The beach here is equally shared between fun-seekers, souvenir sellers and fishers, but it's kept clean and fit for swimming. As the sun sets, night time here is heavily focused on drinking and dancing until the sun returns. Most activities are centred on legendary Big Milly's Backyard with its 24-hour bar, but there are plenty of other places to stay and party that satellite Big Milly's. Should you get enough of the party vibe is Accra's more grown up attractions only a few hours tro-tro (minibus) ride away.

Ghana's second city is all about its Ashanti history. Home to one of the most famous pre-colonial empires in Sub-Saharan Africa, primarily because they gave the British a lot of grief until they were finally "pacified" in 1902. Presently, locals wear their Ashanti history as a batch of honour, and it's still possible to visit a number of Ashanti related sights around town. The most interesting of these are the former royal palace – today the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum – thoroughly displaying the Ashanti history. Among many memorable pieces is a fake golden stool that was used to fool the British in 1900. Also worth a visit is the museum in the old British Kumasi Fort that documents the three Anglo-Ashanti Wars. Lastly, on the grounds of Okomfo Anokey Hospital is a sword stuck in the soil around the year 1700 when Kumasi was chosen as the Ashanti capital. Legend has it that if the sword is ever pulled from the ground, the Ashanti nation will collapse. The hospital was built around the sword to fulfil another legend: that people would be born and die around its location.

With more than 11,000 stalls and shops, Kumasi's Central Market is known as the largest in West Africa (though we haven't been able to find out which one is the biggest in all of Africa). It's insanely chaotic as you approach the outskirts of the market, but as you venture deeper in along the cramped alleyways, the more calm and relax it gets. Losing yourself for hours is part of the fun, and it's particular pleasant due to the surprising lack of hassle. Kente cloth is probably the most popular merchandise, but really, there's not much you can't get here, like smoked rodents. However, if your want something specific or if you're looking for a more comprehensive introduction to the market, you could ally yourself with a guide. If for nothing else, simply to have a chance of finding what you're looking for in the first place.

Perfectly round Lake Bosomtwe is the result of a water filled meteorite crater. 8 km in diameter, it's the largest natural lake in Ghana. It's located amid lush greenery and hills rising some 400 metres above its shores, making the lake a superb place to unwind from the hectic streets of Kumasi. If nothing else, it's a great lunch spot. Locals still hold the lake sacred and traditions have it that nothing made of metal is allowed to touch the water. To complicate things further the only permissible form of transport on the lake used to be traditional boats paddled with small calabash scoops not much larger than a grown man's hand. However, realising the tourist potential of the lake, these taboos are quickly losing their importance.