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Tourist Attractions in the Region
Natural attraction
Beaches
Beach lovers are assured of a relaxing experience on the Region's beaches. There is 12-hours of sunshine nearly every day (especially from January - June and October - December) and a surf that varies from absolute calm to sizeable waves. Some of the best beaches in the Central Region are listed below.
Brenu Beach
Between the villages of Ankwanda and Brenu Akyinim, about 15 minutes by car from Elmina, is a 3km stretch of palm-fringed, virgin beach where the water is clean and cool and excellent for swimming.
There is also a peaceful lagoon nearby which is the Winter home of hundreds of migratory birds. To reach Brenu Beach, travel 10km west of Elmina on the Accra-Takoradi Highway. Turn at the sign, and follow the beach road for 5km to its end.
Winneba
A 1-hour drive west from Accra will take you to Sir Charles Beach Resort. The resort has a hotel and restaurant and is a favourite spot among international tourists. The 4km stretch of beach adjacent to the hotel has gentle waters that are ideal for swimming.
Gomoa Fetteh
Just 30km from Accra, this interesting coastal settlement is hidden away at the end of a 13km beach road off the Accra-Takoradi Highway. Its lovely, undisturbed beach is perfect for picnics and the mild surge is safe for swimming.
Kakum and Assin Atandanso Nature Reserve
30km north of Cape Coast, on the Dunkwa-On-Offin Road at Abrafo, is the newly established 350 sq km nature park. This reserve was formed to protect one of the last vestiges of Ghana's rapidly-vanishing tropical rain forest and the rare wildlife it contains. If you are one of the growing numbers of people around the world who are concerned about the environment, then you will appreciate the importance of the Kakum and Assin Atandanso Reserve.
Guided Nature Tours
Trained park guides provide 2-hour nature tours, on one of several trails, that will acquaint you with more than 40 fascinating plants and trees, such as the "Strangling Fig", that silently embraces its host - to death, or the "Otuwere", whose huge thorns were removed, then carved and used like rubber stamps in the past.
Besides a description of the economic and cultural uses of many of these trees, guides also explain their medicinal value. The forest provides ingredients for treatment of a wide variety of ailments - from serious ones like leprosy, small pox or tumors to simpler problems like an upset stomach or a toothache. (For your comfort and protection against minor scratches and fire ants, bring along walking shoes, socks and long pants).
Guided tours of the reserve are available daily from 7am to 3pm. Since groups are limited to eight people each, advance reservations are recommended.
Please contact the Ghana Tourist Board
Tel: 233-042-2934 or CEDECOM Tel: 233-042-2288 to confirm availability.
Wildlife Tours
Since 1992 there is an established additional tours which will take anyone deeper into the 350 sq km reserve to discover the habitats of some of the world's rare and most endangered wildlife species, for example; the nearly extinct Mona Monkey, Bongos, Royals Antelopes, Duikers, Forest Elephants, Giant Forest Hogs, Honey Badgers, African Civet Cats and Forest Buffalos.
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