Location: Freetown
Top Things to do in Freetown
The 8 Best Things to do Good for Big Groups in Freetown, Western Area
First settled in the 18th century by freed slaves from America, Nova Scotia and Great Britain, Freetown is a thriving cultural capital on the Atlantic coast of Sierra Leone. Standing in the center of downtown is the majestic cotton tree, a symbol of freedom said to have been standing since the first arrival of the free settlers. Other attractions include numerous beaches and nightclubs, as well as the Sierra Leone Museum, housing the Ruiter Stone and the original drum of Bai Bureh.
Restaurants in Freetown
1. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 175 reviews
40 minutes outside of Freetown, Sierra Leone, Tacugama is set high in the hills of the Western Area Forest Reserve. The 100-acre sanctuary is 10 minutes past the historic mountain village of Regent. To come and see the chimpanzees at Tacugama, please reserve a place on one of our guided tours. There are two daily tours available: at 10:30am and 4:00pm, every day of the year. All tours are by appointment only and group sizes are limited. Please contact us in advance to confirm your reservation and arrive in good time to avoid disappointment. Tour prices: Expat adult $15 or Le 65.000 Expat child $ 5 or Le 25.000 SL adult Le 20.000 SL child Le 5.000
Reviewed By tacugamae
The whole experience was incredible and we enjoyed it a lot! We would definitely come back again! The staff is amazing and the chimps are well mannered as well lol!
2. John Obey Beach
3. St George's cathedral
4. Bunce Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By Africache - Freetown, Sierra Leone
I went with VSL travel to Bunce Island and the guide Kamara was fabulous. You could tell he wasn't just doing this as a job but he loved to tell people about the history of Sierra Leone. The boat ride from the Sea Coach terminal on Aberdeen took about 45 minutes, and you have beautiful views of Freetown from the water. The dock has been fixed so we didn't have to wade through water! On the island you take a local guide and then start the tour. It isn't a huge island but it does have a lot of history about the slave trade. Kamara also told us about some people who traced their heritage back to Sierra Leone and it was highly likely that their ancestors passed through this beautiful but tragic place. The buildings are in ruins but they are pretty none-the-less. The vegetation when I went was lush (I went right after the rains stopped). I think the whole tour took maybe 2 or 2.5 hours. It isn't long but it is well worth it. If you get to try the Baobab fruit, I would encourage you to at least try it once. Oh there is a fee once you get on the island. I forget how much it is I think about 10USD per foreigner.
5. Aberdeen
6. SEA BIRD EXPRESS
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 13 reviews
7. Lumley Beach
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 155 reviews
Reviewed By Yahans-16 - Freetown, Sierra Leone
The stretch has a line of different range of hotels (budget, luxury and a mix) and bars overlooking the sea (seafoods, Chinese, Filipino European and local). Sunset is just great and there is a nearby landing beach where you can actually buy freshly brought-in fish. The beach front is quite clean except for periods where the tidal wave brings in lots of sea weed, but in all it’s a lovely place for relaxation and to share fun moments with family and friends. Several spots for free parking were also available and most of the facilities actually had free internet. It’s worth visiting
8. Cotton Tree
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 86 reviews
Freetown, settled by freed American slaves, regards this tree as a lasting landmark of freedom.
Reviewed By Dakota57 - Poughkeepsie, United States
This tree has been here forever (or so it would seem)! It is a place to meet people, and a place to remember the history of returned slaves from the US to Freetown. The tree experienced a fire during our visit, but seems to be recovering ok. It is a landmark, and important piece of history.
