Why visit Ghana?

30 August 2017 0 comments

In reality, there are many unique and worthwhile experiences as a tourist or budget traveller but, have you been to Paris, Berlin and London? It's time to try something new! If you're looking for a trip off the usual tourist path, Ghana may be just the spot although planning a vacation, it isn’t too often you hear people choosing the country as their must-visit destination. Visiting Ghana is more about the experience than seeing monuments or landmarks. Be prepared to discover the unfamiliar.

Here are ten (10) reasons to visit the West African country.

 

  1. Welcoming People

Across the continent it is known that the Ghanaian people are the friendliest with the Forbes magazine ranking the country as the 11th friendliest country on earth. Ghana is where you are met with a smile, greeted with a smile, assisted with a smile and where everyone is willing to help, teach you one of the over 20 Ghanaian languages or even give you a local name within a  minute of encounter. Indeed, there is no other country in Africa that is so welcoming and hospitable.

 

  • Home Away From Home

As a tourist one of the main things you pay attention to when making a trip is, how safe you destination is? With this you have nothing to worry about. Why? While crime may be rampant in some other tourism destinations in Africa, it is virtually non-existent in Ghana, and visitors rarely have any problems regardless of where they travel. Guns are illegal in Ghana, so gun violence is almost non-existent.

The country has been a home for many people in the diaspora as well many others who wish to settle down away from their original counties. This sense of identity makes Ghana unique to many countries in Africa.

 

  • Stable Democracy

Many African countries have an unstable democracy but we have a history of a stable democracy in Ghana. Unnoticed in much of the world was the country's 2008 Presidential election, which was so incredibly close and botched in one constituency. It was like the American election dispute of Bush v. Gore. Emotions were high as the lone constituency of Tain had a re-vote and handed the Presidency to the opposition. The international media barely noticed because all this was done peacefully and in an orderly fashion with no violence or public disturbances that would have occurred elsewhere is such a situation.

 

There are a lot of affordable destinations for travel within Ghana and it doesn’t require much effort to find them and get the most value for your money, meeting friendly locals and travellers, eating well, and having fun. No matter what your financial situation is, it’s always nice to save money, especially on an international trip. Although in Ghana you will rarely find anything that’s free. You will usually be paying less than you would at home for the same things. Moreover, remember the first price you’re told in markets, small shops and when taking a taxi is the “oburoni price” (foreigner price), which is usually at least three times as much as a local would pay. Because of this, it is important to bring your best bartering skills and act confident that you know the local exchange, even if you don’t. You can read more on budget travel in Ghana on https://accratown.com/budget-travel-in-ghana/

 

  • Highly Diversified Tourism Resource Base

From historical to heritage tourism you have 32 castles dotted along the coast to choose from, from nature to adventure you have beautiful rocky and sandy beaches as well as mountains and forests to hike. You have the ability to visit wildlife in Ghana. Elephants and hippos are in the different wildlife parks where these animals are located. These animals are best seen during the dry season, as abundant water allows the wildlife to disburse widely.

More accessible are the many birds and butterflies, as well as monkey sanctuaries, crocodile ponds, and parks with antelope and baboons. Marine turtles can be found nesting on some beaches (Oct-Dec) and whales sighted at the correct season.

 

  • Unique Traditional and Social Events

From start of year in January to December, you there is always an event to partake in. all year round traditional festivals like the Akwambo by the Fantes, Homowo by the Ga among others will leave you with lifetime memories. New Year Concerts and Music Festivals, Valentine Chocolate Festival, Easter Paragliding, Bridal Festival, PANAFEST & Emancipation among others are all festive events in Ghana.

 

  • Enjoyable Natural Scenic Beauty

You will not believe what your eyes will see! The tropical Ghanaian climate offers one the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful beaches at all times, partake in outdoor events, have a view of lakes, rivers, lagoons, waterfalls, highlands, virgin forests, sacred rock formations, and Sahel bush and desert.

 

  • Unique dishes

Ethnic foods are common when you travel to a foreign country, there is often an overlap of ingredients between those and the foods you are used to at home. In Ghana, however, there are many foods that you may never have seen in all my travels, like fufubanku, and kenkey. Furthermore, a lot of their soups have a rich and spicy peanut base, something I was not used to but fell in love with. With beverages, there is a variety ranging from Asana to Pito which is made from fermented millet or sorghum or sometimes malt and it is popularly found in the Northern part of Ghana. It can be served warm or cold, and usually in a calabash. It is a strong alcoholic traditional beer that is sometimes used in performing certain traditional rites.

 

  • Lively drum and music culture

Everywhere you go in Ghana, you will find locals dancing to drum beats and listening to upbeat sounds. This makes it impossible to ever feel unhappy. Even walking down the street in the capital of Accra, one hears Pubs and local chop bars playing music. Drum lessons are also undertaken in various drum schools found across the country. An example of a drum school is the local Berlin Drum School at Kokrobite.

 

  • Magnificent North With Mud Mosques

Northern Ghana is studded with centuries-old West Sudanese-style whitewashed mud-and-stick mosques, the best-known of which is Larabanga Mosque. With its broadly rectangular timber-frame structure, whitewashed mud walls, and supported by around a dozen bulbous buttresses spiked with protruding timber struts, Larabanga is decidedly surreal and northern Ghana’s must-see attraction.

 

 

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