Africa Travel Guide: Accra, Ghana

At RUVA SKINCARE, we celebrate African skin legends, the gorgeous skin nourishing botanicals. I also love being in different African countries normally working but also traveling, exploring and getting some good sunshine. I always get to experience the richness of each country through my wonderful colleagues and sometimes having time to explore further. 

February bought two weeks of Ghana warmth and as it turns out visiting my 14th African country (Zimbabwe where I am from being the first). This is not a Detty December, February edition but a more chill, exploring focus. 

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This is a little Accra guide from my visit if you are visiting soon or a reference for what travel in a West African city can look like. 

• General: I visited February-March heading into the hottest season. You will sweat. A lot. Buy a handkerchief (or two) as soon as you can and always carry them, always have tissue, a mini electric fan would be a plus. When you are driving around there will be lots of roadside sellers with cold water and drinks at traffic lights to keep you well hydrated. 
• Food: Street food and drinks are incredible across Accra, especially in the shopping areas and near museums so seeing something you like gives it a go, I absolutely love the kebabs and milk-based tofu like snack (Wagashi) as well as the hibiscus drink (sobolo). There is of course a large range of café restaurants for all budgets up to very high end. You also have markets and supermarkets (melcom) you can go to buy ingredients to make your own food. 
• Moving around: You can get around very easily with Uber, Bolt or Yango apps – you can download them all and check prices. You can also hail local taxis if you are going somewhere you know well. Cost is cheaper compared to UK most trips for me were <£5 max including tip. Cash payment is essential so make sure you have some of the smaller notes like 50, 20, 10’s.
• Money: The currency is called Ghanaian Cedis (GHC), with an exchange rate of £1 ~ 20 GHC. Card was accepted at more formal establishments, I used my Monzo.
• Connectivity: There is free Wi-Fi in the airport (watch the 34 second video add to activate). I used an esim during my trip to stay connected and for uber etc airalo

Now to a small list of where to enjoy eating, dancing, drinking coffee, shopping and working remotely. 

CUTE CAFE'S & REMOTE WORKING SPOTS: 

   

Cute aesthetic, great (iced) coffee spots, good internet and lovely chill vibes, places you will want to spend several hours. 

• Theia coffee shop -  https://www.instagram.com/theiahouse/?hl=en
  • Garden café, my favourite café and the best coffee I had, their iced flat whites were  chefs kiss
• Jamestown coffee co - https://www.instagram.com/jamestowncoffeegh/?hl=en
  • Lovely coffee shop, sells their own single-origin Ghanaian coffee plus turns into a chill nightclub at night (Osu branch)
• Kukun co-working space - https://www.instagram.com/kukun_ghana/?hl=en
  • Lovely Café/Brunch spot a fave was the ginger lemonade and the little store inside to check out some artisanal brands
• The Good baker - https://www.instagram.com/thegoodbaker.gh/?hl=en
  • Great spot for coffee and homemade baked goods

BOUTIQUE STORES: 

        

• R&R skincare - https://www.instagram.com/randrskincareco/#
• The Velvet Hut Design Studio - https://www.instagram.com/the_velvethut/ 
• The shop Accra store - https://www.instagram.com/theshopaccra/?hl=en 
• Elle Lokko/lokko road – two shops across the road from each other with cool African brand/designers as well as vintage items - https://www.instagram.com/ellelokko/?hl=en 

MARKETS:

          

• Accra arts market (focused on artisanal goods)
• Mokola market (West Africa's biggest markets with a winding rows & range of good literally rows and rows of sellers selling literally anything you need for day-to-day life, also best place to do a street food tour as lots of sellers in one place) 

CHILL BAR'S & DANCING:

         

• Frozen Cabana (Top Tier Frozen Daiquiri Bar ) - https://www.instagram.com/frozencabanagh/?hl=en 
• Zen Garden (Bar with live music most evenings) - https://www.instagram.com/zengardengh/?hl=en 
• The Alley (Jamestown coffee co, Osu branch at night) - https://www.instagram.com/alleybargh/?hl=en 
  

   

OTHER

• Gelato - Pinocchio's  - https://www.instagram.com/pinocchio_la_piazza/?hl=en 
• Food - Celbridge pub nice selection with good local options too - https://www.celsbridge.com/ 

Hope this is useful! Let me know where you end up if you do visit bustling Accra! 

Glow always, 

Ruth 

Founder, RUVA SKINCARE