Cape Coast castle

Cape Coast Castle is the largest of the buildings which contains the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like most ancient fortifications in Ghana, Cape Coast Castle played a significant role in the gold and slave trades. But also, two significant contributions were made here: the arrival of Christianity, and the establishment of the first formal education system through Castle Schools.

A guided tour of the Cape Coast Castle will acquaint you with its many interesting features including Dalzel Tower, the slave dungeons, and the cannons and mortars used in the Castle’s defense. The West African Historical Museum is located inside Cape Coast Castle and contains a growing collection of art and cultural objects, including ceremonial drums, old muskets, shackles from the slave trade and ancient pottery.

The castle’s opening hours are 9:00am to 4:30pm daily

Kakum National Park

Kakum National Park  is a home for nature lovers. Trained guides are on hand to explain the economic, cultural, and medicinal values of plants and farming. Officially opened the park in 1994. USAID/Ghana provides institutional support to the Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust to ensure the sustainability of Kakum National Park. Located in Central Region of Ghana, about 20 kilometres north of Cape Coast and covers 360 square kilometres of Ghana's rapidly dwindling rainforest.

The most notable endangered species of fauna in the park are Diana monkey, giant bongo antelope, yellow-backed duiker and African elephant. It is also an Important Bird Area recognized by the Bird Life International with the bird area fully overlapping the park area. The bird inventory confirmed 266 species in the park, including eight species of global conservation concern. One of these species of concern is the white-breasted guineafowl. Nine species of hornbill and the grey parrot have been recorded. It is very rich in butterflies as well, and a new species was discovered in 1993. As of 2012, the densest population of forest elephants in Ghana is located in Kakum. It is best to arrive at 7 a.m. to see as much wildlife as possible.

The park is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to dusk.

Hans Cottage Hotel

The Hans Cottage, Botel is a restaurant on stilts in a large manmade pond or lagoon, that crocodiles and turtles inhabit together with a range of birds. The lagoon is the home of crocodiles, that are normally visible in evenings when feeding, and turtles. There are  a lot of birds, including white birds that are/or similar to Cattle Egrets, Purple Herons, and a large colony of Weaver Birds with their nests around the lagoon, including some only feet from the restaurant. The best time to see crocodiles is in the evening and the best tome to see the Weaver and other birds is in the morning, so an overnight stay here may be the solution. If you are lucky you may also see visiting monkeys that include the Lesser Spotted-Nosed monkey and Patas monkeys.

Off the side of this, on solid ground is a hotel. The hotel is a little expensive compared to many others in Ghana. This varies from houses and suites down to economy hostel accommodation and camping.

Elmina Castle

St. George Castle, also known as Elmina castle, is located in Central Region of Ghana, about a 20 min (13.4 km) drive from cape coast. It is the oldest European structure in sub-Saharan Africa. Construction of Elmina castle was started by the Portuguese in 1482 and was originally completed in 1486. Later colonized by the Dutch in 1637, it was during this time that Elmina attained its highest status.

Upon visiting, you will experience the physical history of the slave trade, the impact of which is still felt beyond the shores of Africa today. Most visitors to Ghana tour Elmina Castle, because of its history as a major trans-Atlantic slave hub. Originally, Elmina Castle was not built for the purpose of holding and trading slaves, but instead as a trading post for gold and other African goods. It is from this trade that the name "Elmina" was derived from the Portuguese name for "Da Costa de el Mina de Ouro" (The Coast of Gold Mines).