Facts About Accra City

Facts About Accra City

Accra is the capital city of Ghana situated on the Southern Coast of the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the business and administrative work on Ghana is done in Accra city. The name Accra is believed to have been derived from an Akan word called Nkran locally meaning Ants. This is believed to have been derived from the numerous soldier ants that surrounded the city.

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Filming in Accra

Accra being a coastal city is sometimes affected by change in weather and rise in the water level. The vegetation that would control the effects of floods around this area is affected by the ever growing population and urbanization.

Over time, Accra has evolved from a mere point of trade center during early Arab trade period and is now referred to as Accra Metropolitan District.

Brief history of Accra City in Ghana

During the Arab trade period, Accra city was one of the trading centers at the cost with ports like Prampram. Other in land centers close to this town were Akusa and Dodowa. When the European traders also joined this Tran Sahara trade, they set up Forts in Accra like Ussher Fort for the Dutch, James Fort and Christiansburg Castle for the British and Swedes respectively. Even other Europeans like the French, Portuguese and Danish also set up different forts round Accra.

The British started buying off the other European countries with Forts in Ghana and by 1874 and 1877, they finally captured Accra. However, this conquest didn’t rub smoothly with the local who later staged the Angulo Asante war turning Accra into the capita of the British Gold Coast from Cape Coast. This was because Accra had a drier climate compared to Cape Coast.

As Accra started growing, it was expanded by 1908 and native only neighborhood was formed and much more. Infrastructure development started in Accra in order to promote trade with thus the construction of Accra-Kumasi railway started in 1908. The construction if this railway line was to connect Accra with the Cocoa production area. By 1924, the railway line was completed and Ghana became the best exporter of Cocoa which became a lucrative business.

Over time, Accra city has evolved into the modern day city and growing at a high speed. Even the Ghana International Airport Kotoka International Airport is situated in this city. The railway transport to other towns in Ghana from Accra has been expanded to Sekondi-Takoradi, Kumasi, Tema and others have been constructed. Get in touch with us for more information.

What to do and see in Accra Ghana

Accra City Tour in Ghana

How do you depart Ghana before visiting where its heart beats Accra. During the city tour in Accra, you may visit the National Museum of Ghana, National Archives of Ghana, Craft shops with local made items, Accra center of National Culture, shopping malls where you may obtain the original Ghanaian Attire called Kente and much more.

Because of the busy city of Accra, expect jam from the so many vehicles in the city so an early start is a better plan in order to cover different part. You may also taste the Ghana delicacies like local food like Fufu prepared with locally grown food, different vegetables and others. there different Coffee shops were you may enjoy the taste and aromas of different beverages produced in Ghana like cocoa, coffee brewed to greatness.

Shopping in Accra

Ghana is one of the development countries in Africa and its capital Accra has plenty to take home as souvenirs. The unique attire of the Ghana made by Ghanaians sells like hot cake because of its exclusive print. The city also has craft shops where you can purchase some souvenirs.  The difference shopping malls distributed to different parts of the city make your time in Accra interesting.

Visit Education Centers in Accra

The education in Ghana is at a higher level compared to most of the other countries in Africa. You can apply for Education in Ghana as the city has pre-schools, primary schools both local and international, junior High School, Senior High School and different universities including the historical University of Ghana. There are government and private universities in Accra including Tertiary institutions too.

Beach Holiday in Accra

Accra has several Beach along the Atlantic ocean where you can spend some time walking by the beaches, enjoy the cool ocean breeze and much more. The beautiful palm trees that Accra coast has are famous for being luxurious. You can also engage in beach activities such as scuba, kayaking, cruise shipping, destination weddings and much more.

Visit the Nkwame Nkuruma Mausoleum

The history of Ghana‘s independence cannot be complete without speaking about Nkwame Nkuruma. He was the patriot of Ghana who led the country to its independence. He was a pan Africanist whose life stood by the need of an Independent Gold coast from the British rule. The bravery and legacy of Nkwame Nkuruma is celebrated  up to date.

What Transport Is Used In Accra

While on Accra, there are different means of transport to get around including road transport including both public operating between Accra and others cities. Private road transport including vehicle hire services, water transport with ports where ships and other water vessels dock. Contact our team to organize transport while on your safari in Accra.

The Kotoka International Airport allows you to take international business journeys. This Airport is used by both Civilians and the military.

What is the demography of Accra

It is estimated that by 2000, the population of Accra Metropolitan Area was about 10.03 people per hectare. Majority of the people in Accra are youthful and are in the average age range of 24 years.

What is the Accra Metropolitan District?

The Accra Metropolitan district is part of the 13 local government districts composing of Ashiedu, Ablekuma south metropolitan district, Okaikoi south and others. The administrative work of Accra city is under the leadership of a Mayor.  Each day, people  from all walks of life spend time in Accra city dealing in different activities including  trade, government business like the Parliament of Ghana and most ministerial offices are in Accra

Why Visit Accra in Ghana

Accra is the capital city of Ghana where most activities that support the politics and economy of the country are done. When on a visit in Accra, you have the chance to enjoy the beauties within the city. You can plan activities like weddings, holiday gets way by the beach, honeymoon and much more during the visit in Accra. 

Visiting Accra is like walking into the history of Ghana as you get to appreciate the evolution that the city has undergone since the Arab trade error. The Infrastructure of Accra is one of the best in Africa and this is part of why it is put amongst the middle income status countries. Many political personals from cities allover Africa visit Accra to pick a leaf on how the city runs its administrative work.

Accra is an economic hub in Ghana with big opportunities for all people both educated and those who received no education.

The education of Accra school is of higher standard compared to other parts of the Ghana. You can visit Accra for education tourism. Even other services like health, banking sector in Ghana are of better quality and variety of options are availed to choose from.

Is Accra In Ghana Safe To Tour

In general, Accra is a safe city to visit however, be ware of petty thieves. When in the city, ensure you keep your precious valuables away from the people you are not familiar with. When stepping out of your room, securely lock it to prevent uninvited intruders from getting in.

While walking on the streets of Accra note that every city has its bad sneaky dwellers so keep your travel documents far from the reach of their eyes.

Follow the traffic rules when on self drive in Accra and note that keep left while driving. In case you are not familiar with the roads in Accra, hire a driver to take you around to whichever destination you wish to get too. At Encounter Africa Safaris, we help you plan your stay in Ghana including logistics that support this as a friendly cost. Contact us to help you make the best plan for your time in Ghana.

How much is the cost of Accra City Tour

The cost of tour in Accra city depends on the activities you wish to engage in. In case the Accra city tour includes accommodation booking, they are categorized into luxury, Mid-range and basic. The cost of the Accra city tour also includes transport booking that is vehicle hire, gas and the driver guide fee.

Ensure to include the cost of entrance fees for some attractions such as the Ghana National Museum while calculating this cost. To save time, start the Accra city tour early in order to catch up with time to get to these destinations before Jam time.

In case you wish to make on ground purchases during the Accra city tour, it is best to use cash because credit cards are not used everywhere in the country. The process of getting money from credit cards in Africa is quite lengthy making it slightly challenging to obtain money from them. During the Accra city tour, you may also engage in shopping from the city center situated within different positions. You can also take some breaks to the coffee shops to taste some of the best beverages brewed perfectly in Ghana during the city tour.

How long Is The Accra City Tour?

The time taken during Accra city tour varies with the points included in the itinerary. In order to cover most of the points included in the itinerary, it is best to start early before being obstructed by Jam. To learn more about Accra, you need to be in the company of a guide in order not to spend much time.

 In case you wish to get better experience by the beaches of Accra as part of your city tour plan, you need to include this in advance. You may get to watch the sun cast its rays on the surface of the ocean as daytime gives way for night to take over. You can also take some time to do shopping before departing Ghana.

What To Accommodations To Book In Accra City  

Accra is a fast growing city in Ghana with several categories of accommodations ranging from luxury to midrange to basic. Most of the accommodations in Accra serve Bed and breakfast packages. Some of the accommodations in Accra include Airport View Hotel, Labadi Hotel, The Ritzz Exclusive Guest House, Midindi Hotel, Bel Crest, Peemen’s Guest House, Aqua Safari Resort, Elmina Bay Resort, Pleasant Hotel, Phoenix Lodge, Fouzzy Lodge and others.

What to Do And Not To Do on Tour In Accra

Accra as the capital is ever busy with people from all walks of life so even though the city has security, there are lawbreakers too. Some of the things not to do and do in Accra include;

• Do not carry your precious belongings around because there are petty thieves.
• Carry some cash on you to use for on ground purchases because in Africa, credits cards are not commonly used because of the lengthy process of obtaining money from them.
• Do not dump garbage in the city but in the dustbin so as to keep the environment clean.
• Don’t engage in unlawful activities while in Accra as you may end in the prisons of Africa.
• Trust no other to do any transactions for you other than the secured places as you may be conned
• If on self-drive in Ghana, follow the necessary traffic rules and keep left as Accra was a British colony.
• In case you are to walk on the streets of Accra, be in company of a person you trust so as not to get lost. Even in case you are stepping out of your hotel, inform the people you have traveled with or the hotel receptionist so that you can be traced in case of any uncertainties.
• Carry a mask or more as you expect some dusty places in Accra or to prevent any chances of catching any communicable infection.
• Purchase some insurance before traveling to Ghana just in case of anything unexpected.
• Although not compulsory, so tip your guide during the Accra city tour as a token of appreciation. This is an encouragement to them to venture more into the information about this city.
• Pack just what you can lift and pay attention to as sometimes you may have to load and offload your bags.

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