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Voykit pocket guide · Sierra Leone
Banana Islands
Two nights on the islands, not a day trip: the boat schedule and island pace reward an overnight stay. A day trip from Freetown is possible but rushed.
Banana Islands are a pair of forested islands 40 km south of Freetown, reachable by local boat from Kent or a hired speedboat. There are no cars, two small fishing villages (Dublin and Ricketts), and a handful of guesthouses. The draw is quiet beaches, snorkelling, sport fishing, and a walking tour of colonial ruins — two churches, a cemetery, a fort, and a slaver's house. Most visitors stay two nights, which gives time for a historical walk, a snorkel trip, and a lazy beach day.
- Country
- Sierra Leone
- Best months
- November–April (dry season)
- Avoid
- May–October (rainy season; boats may be cancelled)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SLE
- Money
- Currency is the Sierra Leonean leone (SLE), redenominated in 2022 (1 new leone = 1,000 old); old prices are still sometimes quoted in thousands.
- Daily spend
- Budget SLE 300,000–500,000 (≈ $12–20) excl. bed · Mid SLE 500,000–800,000 (≈ $20–32) excl. bed · High SLE 800,000+ (≈ $32+) excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange and Africell sell SIMs with passport registration.
- Emergency
- Police 019 · Fire 019 · Ambulance 019
- Plugs
- Types G, D · 230 V · 50 Hz · Power cuts are common outside the better hotels; bring a power bank.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% if no service charge.; Driver day: SLE 100–200.; Guide: SLE 100–200 per group.; Porter: SLE 20–50.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap. Bottled water or sealed sachets from known brands.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; very basic elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Boat from Kent (return) | SLE 150,000 (≈ $6) |
| Guesthouse room per night | SLE 250,000–700,000 (≈ $10–28) |
| Meal at guesthouse | SLE 50,000–100,000 (≈ $2–4) |
| Snorkelling gear hire (per day) | SLE 50,000 (≈ $2) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FNA · Lungi International Airport
- Then taxi and ferry to Freetown (1–2 h), then onward to Kent (1–1.5 h by road).
Typical fares
- Boat Kent → Banana Islands
- about SLE 75,000 one way, 30–45 min (check)
- Taxi Freetown → Kent
- SLE 200,000–300,000 (≈ $8–12)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
On foot or by boat — no vehicles on the islands. The two villages are a 20-minute walk apart.
See and do
Known for
- Colonial ruins (fort, churches, slaver's house)
- Snorkelling and scuba diving
- Sport fishing
- No cars — walk or boat only
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Freetown | Boat to Kent, then shared taxi or minibus to Freetown (1–1.5 h) | About 2–3 h |
| Bureh Beach | Boat to Kent, then taxi (30 min) | About 1.5 h |
| Tiwai Island | Boat to Kent, then road to Tiwai (2–3 h), then boat to the island | About 4–5 h |
Sleep
- Dublin village
- All guesthouses are here: Daltons Banana Guest House and Banana Island Chalets. Walk to the beach and ruins.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Kushekoo-sheh |
| Thank you | Tenkiten-kee |
| How much? | Aw mota?aw moh-tah |
| Yes / No | Yes / Noyes / no |
| Please | Duyadoo-yah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Greet warmly and ask 'Aw di bodi?'; avoid: Skipping greetings
- Hands: Right hand for everything; avoid: Left-hand money
- Elders: Greet first; use 'Pa' and 'Ma'; avoid: First names
- Dress: Modest clothes in town and mosques; avoid: Beachwear away from the beach
- Photos: Ask first; avoid: Police, soldiers, society rituals
Scams and watch-outs
- Boat schedules are informal: confirm your return time with the captain before you leave Kent.
- No ATM on the islands — bring enough leones for your stay and any tips.
- Rainy season (May–Oct) can cancel boats for days; have a buffer in your itinerary.
The islands are safe and the community is welcoming. The main risks are boat safety (wear a life jacket, avoid overloaded boats) and sun exposure. No medical facilities on the islands — carry a basic first-aid kit.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Banana Islands yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Colonial ruins (fort, churches, slaver's house)
- Snorkelling and scuba diving
- Sport fishing
- No cars — walk or boat only
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Banana Islands, revision 5321123 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5321123
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/banana-islands). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.