๐ Quick Facts About Ghana ๐ฌ๐ญ
Ghana is a West African country on the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Cรดte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Its capital, Accra, is one of the region's most important coastal cities and the main entry point for many visitors.
The country is known for its independence history, the Black Star as a national symbol, and a strong cultural identity shaped by Akan, Ewe, Ga, and many other communities.
- ๐๏ธ CapitalAccra
- ๐ต CurrencyGhanaian cedi (GHS)
- ๐ฃ๏ธ LanguageEnglish, plus languages including Akan, Ewe and Ga
- ๐ก๏ธ ClimateTropical, hot, with wet and dry seasons
- ๐ Plug typeType G ยท *Anker Universal Travel Adapter
- ๐ RegionWest Africa
๐ Visa on Arrival at the Togo-Ghana Border
My short visit focused on Accra, the border route from Lomรฉ, the Volta Region, Black Star Square, vegan Ghanaian food, and one of the most expensive border "donations" of my journey.
The craziest part of visiting Ghana was that I did not actually have a visa before arriving. A friend had told me that it was apparently possible to get a visa on arrival at the border if you paid a little "donation" to the immigration officers.
I was not entirely convinced, but since Lomรฉ is located directly next to the Ghanaian border, I figured I would at least give it a try. Worst case, I would simply return to Togo and spend a few more days there.
Fortunately, it worked.
The process is surprisingly official. Ghana does issue emergency visas on arrival, and the visa itself is completely legitimate. The unofficial part is the additional payment that seems to make the process happen.
In total, I paid around $222. The visa itself cost roughly $150, and then there was another payment of around $70 straight into the officer's pockets. Once everything was done, I received an official visa, an official receipt, and was legally admitted into Ghana.
Massive thanks to my friend Jannis, who told me about this possibility after hearing about it from other travelers.
๐ Through the Volta Region
After crossing the border, I found a shared minivan heading toward Accra. The journey took several hours and passed through Ghana's Volta Region.
The Volta Region is named after Lake Volta, one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. Historically, the area has been important for fishing, agriculture, and hydroelectric power.
It was also fascinating for me because I had recently read *The Ten Types of Human, a book that discusses child trafficking issues around Lake Volta. Passing through the region made everything feel a lot more real.
Starting in Aflao, we later stopped in Sogakope, where I bought fried yams from street vendors serving passengers through the windows of the minivan.
๐๏ธ Arriving in Accra
Eventually, I arrived in Accra. I stayed at the Maple Leaf Korean Hotel for around โฌ23 per night. It was simple but comfortable and perfectly fine for a short stay.
If you are looking for something more upscale, some popular options in Accra include the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, the Labadi Beach Hotel, and the Mรถvenpick Ambassador Hotel.
The next morning, I started exploring the city. The first thing I bought was a fresh coconut from a street vendor. Ghana is extremely hot, so don't forget your sunscreen. I had been taking doxycycline as malaria prophylaxis after receiving far too many mosquito bites in Benin. One of the side effects of doxycycline is increased sensitivity to sunlight, and unfortunately, that doesn't help with the West African sun.
The result was a pretty bad sunburn.
โญ Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and a Failed Mali Visa
My first stop was the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, one of the most famous landmarks in Ghana. Kwame Nkrumah was the country's first president and one of the most important figures in African independence movements.
Unfortunately, the memorial was closed due to a ceremony when I visited, so I could only take photos through the fence.
After that, I went to the Malian Embassy to try and obtain a visa for Mali. I had been searching for a way into Mali for quite some time, and Accra was one of the few places where obtaining a visa was possible for me.
Sadly, the embassy required three working days to process the application, and I did not have enough time left in Ghana. So once again, my Mali plans were delayed.
๐๏ธ Markets, Art, and Accra's City Center
I continued exploring Accra's markets. I walked through some of the clothing markets and visited the Arts Centre for National Culture, one of the most famous places in Accra to buy souvenirs, artwork, handicrafts, and traditional clothing.
Nearby, you will also find the National Theatre and many government buildings.
๐๏ธ Independence Arch and Black Star Square
The biggest landmark in the city is probably the Independence Arch. It stands inside Black Star Square, a huge ceremonial plaza built to celebrate Ghana's independence from Britain in 1957.
The black star itself is one of the country's national symbols and even gives Ghana's national football team its nickname: The Black Stars.
I asked some Ghanaians to take photos of me at the Black Star Square.
๐ Vegan Ghanaian Jollof Rice
For lunch, I visited Tatale Vegan Restaurant, which I can highly recommend. There I tried vegan Ghanaian jollof rice.
Of course, mentioning jollof immediately starts arguments across West Africa. Ghanaians will tell you jollof is Ghanaian. Nigerians will tell you it is Nigerian. Everybody else will tell you both sides are wrong.
All I know is that it tasted fantastic.
I also tried kosai, which are bean fritters commonly eaten throughout parts of West Africa.
๐ Osu Castle and Accra's Waterfront
My final stop was Osu Castle. Historically, Osu Castle served as the seat of government in Ghana for many years and originally began as a Danish fort during the colonial period.
Unfortunately, it was closed when I visited. For some reason, I always visited the cool places when they're closed.
Even so, it was worth walking there because it sits right on the waterfront.
โ๏ธ Leaving Ghana
One funny thing throughout my time in Ghana was that people constantly told me I looked either like Jesus or Israeli. At the time, I had very long hair, and almost every hour somebody would stop me and shout, "Jesus!"
Then later, at the airport, one airport employee confidently asked me: "You are Israeli, right?" Apparently those were my two possible identities.
Eventually, it was time to leave. I headed to Accra Airport, visited the Sanbra Business & Priority Lounge using my Priority Pass, and boarded my KLM flight back to Amsterdam.
๐ญ Final Thoughts on Visiting Ghana
Looking back, Ghana was one of the most positive surprises of West Africa. Primarily because I could actually get a visa on arrival at the border. Beyond that, I found people friendly, transportation relatively straightforward, and Accra felt pretty safe.
If I return one day, I would love to explore more of the country beyond the coast, especially northern Ghana and the regions around Lake Volta. And I would recommend spending more than 2 full days in the country.
