Ghana Vacation

A Friend of a Friend's Take on Ghana

2007-09-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

I spoke to a friend's Ghanaian friend about my upcoming trip to Ghana. Here's what she told me:

You will not blend in. People will realize you are a tourist and attempt to charge you more for things for that reason. It's not malicious, people just tend to assume you can afford it.
If you need public transportation, use the STC (as opposed to a tro-tro, I presume).
Taxis are shared unless you tell the driver you want to go straight to your destination without him picking up anyone else. Ask for a recommendation at your hotel, get the person's number, and use the same person throughout your trip. More on Ghana transportation here.
The dress for women is more conservative than in the states. You will get stared at if you wear a mini skirt, though people do wear them at times. Longer skirts will get less attention. Ghanaians may wear jeans or Western clothes at some times and more traditional clothing at other times. Sandals are fine.

It's above 80 degrees all the time, and very humid.
Men will tell you they're in love with you every minute. Don't be afraid to tell them to get the heck away from you, otherwise they will think you like it. They're harmless.
Eat all of your food cooked and hot. Eat fruits you can peel yourself. Drink bottled water. Be weary of street food vendors. This will all help you avoid getting traveler's diarrhea.
Take anti-malaria tablets, and carry anti-diarrheal tablets just in case.
Ghana has a very diverse population, so may be more tolerant than other African countries. People are very friendly and hospitable. It's a good introduction to the continent for first-time travelers.

Ghana Hiplife Music

2007-09-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Kwame Nkrumah by Obrafour

"Highlife is a musical genre that originated in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria in the 1920s and spread to other West African countries." - Wikipedia

"Hiplife music is an innovative Ghanaian fusion of Highlife and Hip hop." - Wikipedia

Ghana Money & The Price of An Orange

2007-08-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

So, the Ghanaian cedi was redenominated on July 1, 2007 so that what was once ¢ 10,000 is now 1 Ghana Cedis (GH¢). This is supposed to make the money a bit easier to manage and more easily correlate to the currency of other countries.

If you're used to the old system, for me the easiest way to remember the conversion is to move the decimal point 4 spaces to the left. So 50,000 is now 5; 500,000 is now 50, etc. Amounts less than GH¢ 1 are denoted Gp. More info can be found here.

At the time of this writing, GH¢ 1 is equal to $1.10 USD. (Currency Converter)

To get an idea of the buying power of a cedi, I asked a Ghanaian contact for the approximate costs of some common items:

1) a bottle of soda = Gp 30 (GH¢ .30, or ¢ 3,000)

2) a sachet of water = Gp 65 - Gp 75

3) an orange from a street vendor = Gp 5

4) a coconut from a street vendor = Gp 30

5) a cup of coffee in a coffee shop = GH¢ 2.50

6) a newspaper = Gp 50

7) a pizza = GH¢ 3.00 - GH¢ 15.00

Though some things in Ghana are very affordable from an American perspective, other things (especially those things directed at tourists) are not particularly cheap. Spending over $100 USD per night for a room is common for a 3 or 4 star hotel.

Obaahema - Celebrating the Ghanaian Woman

2007-08-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this isn't a travel related site exactly, but it will give you some insight into modern day Ghana.

clipped from www.obaahema.com

Obaahema's mission is to celebrate the achievements of enterprising women in Ghana to inspire others to emulate their success and reach their fullest potential.

New Ghana Travel Guide Coming Sept 1, 2007

2007-08-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

Bradt is releasing the 4th edition of their Ghana travel guide on the first of September. It is available for pre-order from Amazon, right now listed at $17.81.

I find the 3rd edition indispensable. Amazon.com says the Bradt guide has been the #1 selling guide to Ghana since '98, and I believe it. I'm surprised Lonely Planet hasn't bothered with Ghana yet - I've actually been hard pressed to find another Ghana travel guide at all. The Bradt guide has thousands of details you will never find online, and I can't wait to get the new one. If you're going to Ghana it's worth the space it takes up in your carry on.

Video: Kente Weaving in Ghana

2007-08-20T12:58:00.001-07:00

Just when I was dreaming about fabrics in Ghana, a friend emails me this.

From the video creator:

Last night, I put together a short video about traditional kente weaving in Ghana's Ashanti region. Kente, perhaps the most famous West African textile, is brightly colored, coming in a variety of patterns, some reserved for use by Ashanti royalty. The video was shot in the historic kente weaving village of Bonwire, about an hour south of Kumasi.

You must check out this post and watch the vid.

Buying Fabric in Ghana

2007-08-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

A friend on travbuddy.com tells me "Makola Market has the best selection of fabrics in Accra."

Ntonso, an Ashanti village north of Kumasi is known for Adinkra cloth, and Bonwire in the same vicinity is known for Kente cloth.

When my mom visited Ghana she had several outfits made inexpensively by local seamstresses.

You can also dye your own fabric to take home in a batiking workshop in Cape Coast.

Build Your Own Ghana Tour

2007-08-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

Fill out this handy form to customize your own tour arrangements and receive a quote.

More Ghana Photos

2007-08-13T20:03:00.000-07:00

Ghana 2007:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdinphoenix/sets/72157601144604603/

Faces of Ghana:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdinphoenix/sets/72157594166679697/

12 Days of Ghana:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdinphoenix/sets/72157594165370851/

Elmina Castle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdinphoenix/sets/72157594165594612/

Cape Coast Castle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdinphoenix/sets/72157594168709506/

Cape Coast Daily Photos

2007-08-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

Cape Coast Daily Photos is another great Ghana blog. A departure from the more touristy photos you may find online.

Addy In Ghana

2007-08-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Addy in Ghana is an excellent blog to find out how things work in Ghana. Little details like this are priceless:

In Ghana; tire is spelled "tyre", french fries are nonsense ("chips" are how to order them), gas is for cooking, petrol is for cars and being a radio announcer makes you a big celebrity.

Win a Trip to Ghana (for Travel Agents)

2007-08-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Lloyd Murray
Palace Travel, Inc
1.800.683.7731
info@palacetravel.com
www.palacetravel.com

August 10, 2007

Palace Travel Announces West Africa Vacation Sweepstakes
Enter to Win a Trip for Two to Africa

Philadelphia, PA - Palace Travel, Inc is offering registered travel agents the chance to win vacation packages to Africa. One lucky agent will win a seven day Ghana Arts & Culture Tour for two; another agent will win a trip for two to the world renowned Festival in the Desert held near the legendary city of Timbuktu in Mali.

"This is a great opportunity for travel agents to familiarize themselves with West Africa," says Lloyd Murray, West Africa Operations Manager. "Ghana and Mali have become hot destinations in recent years, and Palace Travel is the only U. S. based travel company with offices in both countries."

Prizes are valued at up to $4,100. Agents may enter to win at booth #1730 at the upcoming Travel Retailing and Destination Expo, "The Trade Show," scheduled for September 9-11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

About Palace Travel, Inc

West Africa is our backyard. No one knows this region better than our operations personnel, strategically located throughout West Africa. Our operations staff has extensive experience in all aspects of tourism, in addition to in depth knowledge of the local culture, languages and traditions.

For more information visit us online at www.palacetravel.com, call 1.800.683.7731 or email info@palacetravel.com.

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Kakum National Park

2007-08-10T15:20:00.001-07:00

Kakum National Park is a dense rain forest located about an hour drive north of Cape Coast.

clipped from en.wikipedia.org

Besides the impressive plant world, which partly also comprises rare species, the Kakum National Park presents rare animals, including the very rare and endangered Mona-meerkat, as well as pygmy elephants, forest buffalo, zibetkatzen, and a highly developed bird world. Still, the observation of animals in this forest is extremely difficult because of the dense rainforest.

According to my research, your best bet in getting a glimpse of the wildlife that tend to hide out during the day is to stay overnight in Kakum's semi-new campgrounds or arrange with a guide to meet early in the morning before the park opens at 8:00. Butterflies (about 400 species are known to the area) can be seen later in the morning.

Kakum is also known for the seven bridge canopy walkway suspended between the treetops up to 100 feet above the forest floor. The bridges are quite narrow, made of rope and wood, and will give you an amazing view of the forest.

The Ashanti of Ghana

2007-08-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

clipped from en.wikipedia.org

The Ashanti, or Asante, are a major ethnic group in Ghana. The Ashanti speak Twi, an Akan language similar to Fante.

clipped from en.wikipedia.org

The most important god in the pantheon of the Ashanti of Ghana is Nyame (also Nyankopon), the omniscient, omnipotent sky god. His wife is Asase Yaa and they have two children, Bia and Tano. Asase Yaa is an earth goddess of fertility.

The Ashanti believe lower gods, more akin to spirits, assist humans on earth. Onyame was traditionally supposed to be aloof and away from the Earth. As Ashanti's adopted Christianity, their word for God is Onyame.

Anansi the Spider is a folk hero who plays no role in Ashanti mythology. He is, however, prominent in Ashanti folktales where he is depicted as a trickster.

Fantasy Coffins

2007-08-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Ghanaians traditionally believe in life after death. In keeping with this, skilled wood carvers create "Fantasy Coffins" in the shape of airplanes, vegetables, cars, and other objects. The object chosen typically represents what the person did for a living. These coffins are often painted in bright colors with a gloss finish, and are relatively expensive so not everyone can afford them. One fantasy coffin shop is located in Teshie Nungua, a village near Accra.

Check out the book Going into Darkness for more info and pictures of these coffins, which have also been featured in National Geographic.

clipped from www.amazon.com

Going into Darkness: Fantastic Coffins from Africa

From a giant onion to a crayfish and a butterfly, these photos portray the craft and culture of a unique fishing community's perfection of the coffin into an art form. People are actually buried in these fantastic coffins, presented in an intriguing collection of excellent, varied images; from makers at work to burial.

Ashanti Craft Villages

2007-08-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Ashantis of Ghana are known worldwide for various traditional crafts. Just north of Kumasi, there is a string of villages, each specializing in a particular craft. Pankrono is known for pottery, Ahwiaa, woodcarving, Ntonso, adinkra cloth, and Bonwire, kente cloth.

Welcome to the Ghana Vacation Blog

2007-08-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

In the past few months I have become quite a Ghanaphile through lots of research on the country, its traditions and culture. In this blog I will share some of the best things about Ghana.

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy.