Top Things to do in Western Region
Top Restaurants in Western Region
The 10 Best Things to Do in Western Region, Ghana
Discover the best top things to do in Western Region, Ghana including Ahanta Waves Surf School & Camp, Busua Beach, Mr Brights Surf School, Black Star Surf Shop, Fort Metal Cross, Nzulezo -The Village on Stilts, Fort William, Fort Santo Antonio, The Big Tree, Fort San Sebastian.
Restaurants in Western Region
1. Ahanta Waves Surf School & Camp
Overall Ratings
5 based on 22 reviews
Ahanta Waves is the first locally owned surf school and surf camp in Ghana. Founded in 2014 by Peter Ansah, a Busua Beach native surfer with unrivalled knowledge of Surfing in Ghana! Our Surf School offers surf lessons on beginner & intermediate levels, with highly qualified instructors who are also trained lifeguards. Surfing with Ahanta Waves is all about fun, safety and fast progress!
Reviewed By meganmh2 - Kumasi, Ghana
I've been to Ahanta Waves three times in the last year and each experience has been wonderful! Peter and company are super helpful both in the surf lessons and with any questions you have about Busua in general. The staff are friendly, fun and professional, and the cost of lessons are a fraction of what I paid for surf lessons in Mexico. Additionally my instruction has always been either one on one or in a group of two. I've seen instructors from other surf schools in Busua give lessons and the lessons take place on the beach only, but the Ahanta Waves crew will be with you in the water the entire time. I would highly recommend this surf school to anyone!
2. Busua Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12 reviews
3. Mr Brights Surf School
Overall Ratings
5 based on 25 reviews
Surf Shop and surf school, offering professional Surfing lessons, Surfboard, Body Board, Skimboard and standup paddle board hire. The shop also sells Surfing equipment for all your needs. Surfing lessons are open from 5 years plus and we can teach from beginner to advance Surfing. Located at the Kangaroo pouch beach resort.
Reviewed By young_happy_tourist - London, United Kingdom
Four of us booked with Brett to have a surf lesson in his new location at Big Millie's in Kokrobite.
We agreed to midday on Saturday but when we arrived, he was still drunk from the night before and suggested we wait until Sunday as he wasn't going to teach that day. We were suitably annoyed as had left Accra early to get to Kokrobite by lunchtime, but agreed. On the beach later that afternoon we saw Brett teaching two girls (he hadn't invited us to join even though he said each class could have a maximum of eight).
On the Sunday, he didn't recognise us at all so we gave up. Very disappointed at how unprofessional and rude Brett was, and that we didn't get a chance to surf.
4. Black Star Surf Shop
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
Ghana's longest running surf shop offers surf lessons from experienced and qualified instructors. We also have a good selection of surf boards for rent. Black Star Surf Camps are perfect for those looking to learn Surfing and have a relaxing beach holiday. Black Star Surfari is the ultimate Surfing adventure. We'll take you to some of Ghana's best breaks. No crowds - no worries!
Reviewed By stephennoless - London, United Kingdom
Busua has a couple of Surfing schools and I tried this one for 5 days after doing a couple of weeks volunteering as a science teacher in the secondary schools. Virtually every bruni ( white person ) that you meet in Ghana is a volunteer.
The surf was just right for a complete novice and the teaching by three Ghanaians was excellent though I need a lot more practice before I look good in a video that can go up on youtube
Price was very reasonable and the bay is perfect for the beginner and the beach is so shallow that I very rarely went inot the water deeper than my waist so - nice and gentle.
5. Fort Metal Cross
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By PietroMorrizio - Accra, Ghana
Fort Metal Cross is a former Dutch/British fort at Dixcove, on the Western Region coast in Ghana.
Unlike many of the forts in Ghana, of which I have seen 95% of them, Fort Metal Cross has been very well restored, with fresh whitewash and stonework. I don't know if this was due to private funding or from the Ghana Monuments & Museums Board, but I hope that this can eventually happen to all the historic forts along the coast.
The fort is easy to find - from the main road into Dixcove, there is a T-Junction that fronts the fishing bay. You turn left at the junction and you are right there. There are a series of stone steps up to the fort, which is on a hilltop peninsula overlooking the fishing bay.
The thing I liked about the fort is that in most of the other forts I have seen in Ghana, the cannons have had their trolleys clearly rotted away over time, so the cannons are just lying on the battlements. But at Fort Metal Cross, whoever has done the restoration has also built new wooden trolleys, so th cannons appear how the would have in the last few centuries.
There is a guided tour which is pretty good, although the guides are often locals who know more about the practical running of the fort & what the various functions of the rooms there, rather that any accurate history. Built in 1692 by the British, it's history is almost exclusively British, except for a very brief period of Dutch ownership from 1868-72. Thus, the restoration includes the Union Jack flying at the front of the fort. Of interest is that the fort saw more sieges that any other in Ghana, due to the proximity of the Dutch fort at Butre. When the terrible slave trade ended, Fort Metal Cross, like most of the forts along the coast, lost their value as structures & fell into decline. Some became administrative centres, and this fort became the local government administration building during the late period of colonial British rule.
The site gives a great view of the town of Discove, and the bay. The interior of the fort is immaculate. Like many of the forts, there are some local residents living there, but it is more tourist friendly & I think they have an appreciation of the tourists coming through.
Sadly, the only thing missing is a souvenir industry - like with much of Ghana, you will not find any souvenirs of the fort (not only western-style souvenirs, but even local craft seems to be lacking).
There was supposed to be a series of chalets being built at the base of the fort for tourists, but I don't know if they have since opened.
6. Nzulezo -The Village on Stilts
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 51 reviews
Nzulezo is a village built entirely on stilts on Lake Amansuri. It is constructed out of wood and raffia with one central walkway and to dozen houses on either side. The only way to get there is to travel 5km on the lake in a local canoe. The most striking feature thet catches the eye at nzulezo are the wooden accommodation facilities hanging some five feet above the lake level. Visitors to the village are welcomed by the chief of the village.
Reviewed By Rafiki56 - Stavanger, Norway
Definitely worth a visit at least once. Take the dugout and paddle and forget using an outboard motor. Enjoy the tranquility of moving slowly along the narrow waterways that open out into larger lakes. The trip around the village takes about 30 minutes, a meeting...MoreThanks. Donations to the school is voluntary.
7. Fort William
Overall Ratings
4 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By Robert C - Redlands, California
My third great grandfather was involved in the slave trade as an English sailor in the 1790s and visited Anomabo in the early 1790s. I visited Ghana, in part, to learn more about his life and to learn more about the slave trade and how it was done and how it impacted the local population.
We visited other slave forts, Elmina, Cape Coast, Santo Antonio, Fort Amsterdam, but I particularly enjoyed Fort William. There is a local man who lives in the fort and has for years. He's written a pamphlet which he sells for a reasonable price which talks about the history. There is no charge for the fort, but this man will give you a tour and we tipped him for spending the time and sharing with us his knowledge.
Wooden ships line the front of the fort, on the beach. Locals are busy doing their own thing. Several huge tree trunks are in front, being hollowed out to make canoes, just as they did in the 1790s when my ancestor visited. The fort is still in relatively good shape.
I appreciate the attitude of the locals who say they are there not to condemn, but to look back and learn from the mistakes that were made.
The only downside were a few local boys who were near the entrance and quite aggressive in demanding "cash."
8. Fort Santo Antonio
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By Carl H - Port Elizabeth, South Africa
The Fort has been recently renovated in 2012. It has a museum with good information and exhibits. I took the guided tour which was very informative and cost about 10USD. It is easily accessible in the fishing village of Axim and has beautiful views out into the fishing bay. A must do if you are in the area.
9. The Big Tree
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By NYCSavage - Liverpool
I've been a victim of racial discrimination!!!
Just went to see the largest tree in the whole of Africa. My driver asked the ticket guy how much to see it. He said 5 cedis. I said I'd pay for Richard my driver as well. He said "25 cedis" I said "no, it's 10 cedis", he replied "its 20 cedis for you, 5 for him".
When I asked him why he shrugged his shoulders and said "because it is"!
I was angry and asked was it because of the colour of my skin?
Demanded a refund, threw the tickets at him and walked away!!!
Tourists beware of this scam! They charge you more and you will notice they give you more than one ticket. I received 4 tickets priced 5 Ghana cedis each. That totals 20 cedis so where would the other 5 cedis have gone? In his pocket I suspect. Obviously stealing from his boss as well!
10. Fort San Sebastian
Overall Ratings
3 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By Beahive - Europe
This 400 year old fort could, with a little effort, be much much better. Get rid of all the stuff (rubbish, ladders, election boxes etc.) that is stored there, paint it and add a few information boards. The fort symbolises a really interesting part of the regions history but it represents it very poorly. The only redeeming part was the guide who was informative. Not worth going out of your way to visit this.
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