South African Airways

The museum covers Ghanaian history and culture from prehistory to the present, though exhibits include clothing, thrones, carvings, paintings, pottery and a variety of instruments and tools. The slave trade is also well covered. Osu Castle was one of several slave trade centres, built by the Danes in the 17th century to store human cargo before shipping them overseas. It’s now the seat of government.

The park was created in honour of Kwame Nkrumah, who led Ghana to independence from Great Britain and became the first president. There’s a monument, the mausoleum in which he is buried and a small museum. Various trees in the park have been planted by visiting dignitaries.

Situated on La Beach Road, this artist-run gallery sells sculptures, fabrics and paintings, from cheap carvings to pricey works by top local artists. There’s a non-pushy atmosphere so you can browse without being hassled to buy.

There are several handicraft markets selling traditionally woven cloth, hand-made gold and silver jewellery, wooden carvings, leatherwork and baskets of multi-coloured raffia. The Centre for National Culture has more than 100 stalls selling all of that, as well as herbal medicines and artefacts from neighbouring countries. Other good craft shops are the AACD African Market and Global Mamas in Osu.

The oldest part of Accra is this run-down fishing area of narrow alleys, old stone houses and great views from the cliff top. There’s a lighthouse, the old colonial James Fort and an old Customs House. From the lighthouse a road leads to the harbour where you can watch dozens of small boats bring in the catch every morning.

Woodwork gets a heavenly slant at Nungua, about 30 minutes east of Accra, with coffins carved to represent what the deceased did in life for a traditional Ga burial. Seth Kane Kwei invented these designer coffins in the 1950s by carving them into shapes like a fish or a plane and his workshop is still there.

The beaches of Accra aren’t fabulous, but they’re entertaining. Most popular is Labadi, between La Palm and La Badi hotels. This short strip features several cafes, souvenir vendors and buskers to entertain you with drumming, dancing and acrobatics. There are sometimes live bands and a reggae DJ. Non-hotel guests can pay to use the pool and gym at La Palm.

Nima is one of the poorest areas in Accra, a sprawling shanty town which seems to get bigger every day despite the lack of basic amenities. Some enterprising locals have turned it into a tourist experience with a guided walking tour. You’ll meet members of the community and see the Nima and Markola markets.

The Osu district is renowned for its bars, restaurants and clubs. Chez Clarisse, also known to locals as Mama Afrika, is a must. Its decor features wooden masks and paintings of dancers holding Ghanaian flags. It manages to mix various West African tastes in a delicious yet affordable way.

Buka restaurant with a thatched roof and straw ceiling exudes a laid-back feel. A favourite meal here is boiled plantain with kontomire stew, the local name for cocoyam leaves, which are sliced thinly and boiled. Buka also serves Nigerian, Togolese and Senegalese meals.

This centre regularly stages social and cultural events, including concerts, film screenings, theatre, dance, traditional music and assorted exhibitions.

This is one of the most happening bars in Accra, in a tiny space which has patrons spilling out onto the street late on a Friday or Saturday. The walls are plastered with photos of music stars and local music blasts out, sometimes with a live band performing. It serves cocktails, beer and affordable food like Fire Go Burn You pepper soup.

Don’t leave town without trying waakye, one of the most popular Ghanaian dishes. It’s made of rice and beans, cooked with a leaf that gives it a reddish-brown colour. Kenkey is a filling dish of corn dough wrapped in a corn husk and served with hot ground pepper and fried fish. Most people add extras like eggs, corned beef, sardines or avocado. Jollof is another popular dish, consisting of rice cooked in a tomato sauce.

Eating fufu is like drinking beer: it’s an acquired taste and the more you have, the more you want. It’s a thick paste made from ground cassava and a big part of the local diet. Roll it between your fingers into a ball and dunk it in gravy or other sauces.

The evening entertainment zone is Oxford Street in Osu. There are more than a dozen clubs of various degrees of salubriousness and many are pick-up joints frequented by hookers. Some play international music and keep pumping well until 5am. Tantra only really gets going at midnight and attracts expats as well as locals with its Euro and American style music. Monsoon is a sushi bar and popular with the over 30s and mostly expats.