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Voykit pocket guide · Ghana
Accra
Accra is a morning-and-evening city: do Jamestown and the memorial park before 10:30, sit out the midday traffic and heat indoors, use a booked car or ride-hailing after dark — and leave for the coast early.
Accra's sights are spread over 8 km of coast with heavy traffic between them, and most pavements are broken or blocked by stalls. The trips that go wrong cross the city at rush hour, carry bags through Makola or leave Jamestown late in the day. Four clusters cover a first visit; the castles and the coast road to Cape Coast are a separate day from a kept Accra bed.
- Country
- Ghana
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Aug · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- Africa/Accra
- Stay
- 2 days: Jamestown and the memorial park, Makola morning
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GHS
- Money
- Cash (cedis) for chop bars, markets and taxis; cards in hotels, malls and many Osu restaurants. Mobile money (MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash) is used everywhere between locals.
- Daily spend
- Budget GH₵ 200–400 excl. bed · Mid GH₵ 400–900 excl. bed · High GH₵ 900+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Buy an MTN, Telecel or AirtelTigo SIM at the airport or a branded shop with your passport; registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 191 or 18555 · Fire 192 · Ambulance 193
- Plugs
- 230 V; UK-style three-pin sockets (type G). Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Not expected at chop bars. Round up drivers; 5–10% in upmarket restaurants if service is not already added.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; buy sealed bottled or sachet water from a reputable seller.
- Toilets
- Hotels, malls and larger restaurants; carry tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café, Osu) | GH₵ 25–50 |
| Waakye or jollof at a chop bar | GH₵ 20–50 |
| Beer (Club or Star), bar or spot | GH₵ 20–40 |
| Short ride-hailing ride, centre | GH₵ 25–60 |
| Trotro shared minibus ride | GH₵ 3–10 |
| Tourist SIM, about a week | GH₵ 50–100 |
| Museum or memorial park entry | GH₵ 20–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Kotoka International Airport (ACC)
- ACC to the city: one ride-hailing car or booked hotel car, 25–75 minutes depending on traffic — the risk is not the distance but the rush hour and a late-night ride you have not arranged.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Kaneshie / Circle bus stations (Kaneshie and Kwame Nkrumah Circle) | Domestic routes across Ghana; VIP and STC coach counters | Car 15–25 min |
| Hotel or operator pick-ups | Cape Coast, Kakum, Volta Region tours | Already there |
Typical fares
- Kotoka airport → Osu, app car
- GH₵ 60–120, 20–40 min depending on traffic
- Short ride-hailing ride, centre
- GH₵ 25–60
Get around
Walk inside a cluster by day; use a ride-hailing app between clusters and always after dark. There is no metro, so traffic sets the pace of every plan.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside Osu, Jamestown, Independence Square by day |
| Ride-hailing car (Uber, Bolt) | GH₵ 25–70 across the centre | Between clusters, bags, night |
| Metered or street taxi (yellow-striped) | Agree first: GH₵ 20–50 for a short ride | When apps are slow |
| Trotro (shared minibus) | GH₵ 3–10 | Local hops if you know the route |
| Rented car with driver | GH₵ 600–1,200 a day (check) | Day trips to Cape Coast, Kakum or the Volta Region |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Ride-hailing shows the fare upfront; agree taxi fares before you get in.
- Late at night
- No rail in the city. Ride-hailing and taxis run late but thin out in heavy rain: book the ride back before you go out.
See and do
01Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
Gardens, fountains and the mausoleum of Ghana's first president; the clearest introduction to the independence story.
Hours: best Morning · Price: GH₵ 20–50 · Time: 45–60 min
02Jamestown and the lighthouseJamestown Lighthouse
Colourful fishing canoes, colonial forts and a strong sense of the old Ga town; go with a local guide.
Hours: best Morning · Price: GH₵ 20–40 plus a guide fee · Time: 2–3 h with a guide
03Black Star Square
The Independence Arch and parade ground where Ghana's independence was declared in 1957.
Hours: best Morning, before the heat · Price: Free · Time: 20–30 min
04W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial CentreW. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre
The former home and grave of the pan-African scholar; a pilgrimage site for the African diaspora.
Hours: best Any time · Price: GH₵ 20–40 · Time: 45–60 min · 5.5670, -0.1740
05Makola marketMakola Market
West Africa's largest, most chaotic market; fabric, produce and everyday Accra commerce.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free to browse · Time: 1–1.5 h
06An Osu evening on Oxford StreetOxford Street
Restaurants, bars and shops on Accra's most walkable strip.
Hours: best Evening · Price: GH₵ 60–150 for a meal · Time: 2–3 h
07Labadi Beach
The closest easy beach to the centre; lively on weekends.
Hours: best Weekend afternoon · Price: Small entry fee at some sections · Time: 2–3 h
08Cape Coast castles
UNESCO slave-trade forts, 2.5–3 h west; a heavy, important history best done as an overnight.
Hours: best Weekday · Price: Car hire or tour, ask your hotel · Time: Full day or overnight
09Jamestown lighthouse and Ussher FortJamestown Lighthouse
Climb the lighthouse for a view over the fishing harbour and Ussher Fort; go with a local guide for the neighbourhood's history.
Hours: Daily, day hours (check) · Price: GH₵ 20–40
10W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African CultureW. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre
The former home, and grave, of the African-American scholar and activist W. E. B. Du Bois, who settled in Accra in his final years; a pilgrimage site for the African diaspora.
Hours: Daily except public holidays, day hours (check) · Price: GH₵ 20–40 · 5.5670, -0.1740
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Coast and Elmina castles | Car or bus about 2.5–3 h west | Full day, better as an overnight |
| Kakum National Park (canopy walkway) | Car about 3 h west, near Cape Coast | Full day, combine with the castles |
| Shai Hills Resource Reserve | Car about 1–1.5 h east | Half day |
| Aburi Botanical Gardens | Car about 1 h north into the hills | Half day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waakye corner, Makola | Waakye (rice and beans with sides) · Makola | GH₵ 20–40 | Budget |
| Fish and kenkey stalls near Jamestown harbour | Kenkey and fried fish · Jamestown | GH₵ 25–45 | Budget |
| Red-red (bean stew and fried plantain) | Red-red · Chop bars citywide | GH₵ 20–35 | Budget |
| Jollof rice, Independence Avenue | Jollof rice with chicken or fish · Independence Square area | GH₵ 40–70 | Mid-range |
| Grilled tilapia and banku, Osu | Grilled tilapia and banku · Osu | GH₵ 80–150 | Mid-range |
| Chop bar in Osu (waakye, jollof, banku) | Waakye, jollof, banku · Osu | GH₵ 40–90 | Mid-range |
| Osu and East Legon fine-dining rooms | International and modern Ghanaian menus · Osu, East Legon | GH₵ 250–500 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | GH₵ 250–500 | Osu, Adabraka guesthouses | Budget hotels and guesthouses |
| mid | GH₵ 600–1,200 | Osu, Ridge | 3–4 star business and boutique hotels |
| splurge | GH₵ 2,000–5,000+ | Airport Residential, Ridge international chains | 5-star hotels |
Per room per night in GH₵, 2026 estimate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Akwaaba (welcome) / Ɛte sɛn (how are you)ah-kwah-bah / eh-teh-sen |
| Thank you | Medaasemeh-dah-seh |
| How much is this? | Yɛ sɛn?yeh sen |
| Not spicy, please | Mma me pepperm-mah meh peh-per |
| The bill, please | Mesrɛ wo, kan sika nomeh-sreh woh kahn see-kah noh |
| Please take me to this address | Mesrɛ wo, fa me kɔ hameh-sreh woh fah meh koh hah |
| It's fine / no problem | Ɛyɛeh-yeh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Greet before asking a question or starting a transaction; a handshake is normal and expected.
- Right hand: Give and receive money, food and objects with the right hand or both hands, not the left alone.
- Churches and mosques: Shoulders and knees covered; remove shoes before entering a mosque prayer hall.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, especially fishermen at Jamestown; never photograph police, soldiers or government buildings.
- Paying and haggling: Haggle at markets with a smile; never at chop bars or shops with posted prices.
Red lines
- Keep cameras away from police, soldiers and the presidential buildings.
- Ask before photographing people, especially at Jamestown and the market.
- Dress modestly at churches and mosques; cover shoulders and knees.
Scams and watch-outs
- Self-appointed 'guides' at Jamestown or the markets who attach themselves uninvited and demand payment: agree nothing, or decline firmly.
- Shared taxis and trotro touts quoting a higher 'dropping' fare for foreigners: ask a local the going rate, or use a ride-hailing app with a shown price.
- Street money-changers offering better rates than banks: short-changing risk — use a bank or hotel desk.
- Fake 'orphanage' or charity collectors near hotels and tourist sites: donate through a registered organisation instead.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover between flights or before a Cape Coast trip. Skip: Labadi Beach and Cape Coast: both need their own half or full day.
- 08:00Jamestown and the lighthouse with a guide
- 11:00Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Black Star Square
- 13:00Waakye lunch near Makola
- 15:00Rest indoors (AC) through the heat
- 17:30Oxford Street, Osu, for dinner
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- UK FCDO travel advice — Ghana: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ghana
- Wikivoyage — Accra: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Accra
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Accra
Mesrɛ wo, fa me kɔ ha
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Jamestown LighthouseJamestown lighthouse and Ussher Fort
- W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial CentreW. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture
- Makola MarketMakola market
- Oxford StreetOxford Street, Osu
- Police191 or 18555
- Fire192
- Ambulance193
Most embassies are in Ridge and Cantonments; write your own embassy's 24-hour line below.
Give your driver the district and a landmark — Accra addresses are unreliable by house number alone.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/accra). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.