Kumasi is still the heart of Ashanti country and the site
of West Africa’s largest cultural centre, the palace of the Ashanti
king. The city is surrounded by rolling green hills and has a vast and
vibrant central market.
Close to the market is the
city’s National Cultural Centre which encompasses a museum of Ashanti
history and you can even try your hand at traditional dance and drumming
classes!
Kumasi (Kejetia) Central Market
One
of the largest markets in West Africa with up to 11,000 stalls and four
times as many people working there, this throbbing market is utterly
captivating. Just 30 minutes from your PMGY base this chaotic and
buzzing spot is a labyrinth of stalls selling everything you could ever
want and quite a few things you didn’t! Definitely worth a visit.
Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary
The people in Boabeng and Fiema consider the monkeys to be sacred and in
the 70s actually came together to pass a law prohibiting causing harm
to the monkeys. The sanctuary holds about 400 Colobus and Mona monkeys.
They come into the village all the time to steal things, but as the
people are not allowed to hurt them, they simply get away with it!
The
guides at the sanctuary will take you on a tour of the rainforest and
local village, where you will see monkeys everywhere. There is also a
monkey cemetery in the forest, where the priests of the village have
been buried alongside monkeys that have passed away.
Further Afield:
Lake Bosomtwi
A
popular retreat for volunteers at the weekend looking to escape the
hustle and bustle of Kumasi. The lakeside area has a range of decent,
inexpensive hotels that you can go to for a night or two. You can take a
boat trip, go swimming, or just chill out by the lake.
Beaches & Surfing
Not far from Cape Coast you’ll find no shortage of great beaches such as Anomabo, Elimina and Busua.
And
if you fancy your hand at surfing then Busua is a small, laid back
coastal village with surfing at its heart. As surf destinations go,
Busua really is a frontier town: it’s home to the only two surf shops in
Ghana, and almost every one of the country’s surfers live in the
village. Not that there are very many of them.
With gentle waves,
warm water and an absence of sharks, the beach is an alluring
proposition for anyone looking to learn to surf in a tropical
destination off the usual circuit. It is perfect for beginner to
intermediate surfers, but the more experienced can make easy trips along
the coast to find more challenging and potentially unridden waves.
Kakum National Park
From Cape Coast, it is highly advised that you take a day-trip to Kakum National Park.
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