Accra sits on the Gulf of Guinea and has a coastline most cities would build their identity around. It largely has not, which means the beaches range from crowded and joyful to empty and slightly grim, sometimes within a kilometre.
Here is which is which.
Read this before you swim anywhere on this coast
The Gulf of Guinea has powerful rip currents, and people drown along this stretch every year — including strong swimmers and including locals. There are no lifeguards on most beaches.
Swim only where other people are already swimming. Never swim alone. Never swim after drinking. If you are caught in a current, do not fight it — swim parallel to the shore until it releases you, then come in.
Take this seriously. It is the most dangerous thing in this guide.
In the city
Labadi Beach (La Pleasure Beach) — the famous one, and the busiest. An entrance fee, live music at weekends, horses, food stalls, drumming and crowds. Sunday afternoon is the full experience. It is a scene rather than a swim.
Osu / Christiansborg — small beaches near the castle, close to everything, not really for swimming.
Teshie and Nungua — long stretches east, mixed, with fishing communities.
Sakumono — on the way to Tema, quieter, with the lagoon behind it.
Jamestown — the fishing harbour rather than a beach. Extraordinary to watch, especially early morning when the boats come in. Not a place to swim. — Things to do in Accra
West of the city
Bojo Beach — past Weija, maybe an hour out. You pay an entrance fee and take a small boat across the lagoon to a sandbar between lagoon and sea. Cleaner and calmer than Labadi, and the crossing makes it feel like an outing.
Kokrobite — about an hour west. The long-standing backpacker and drumming scene, with the Academy of African Music and Arts nearby. Live music at weekends, guesthouses, and a much more relaxed feel.
Langma, Gomoa Fetteh, Senya Beraku — further west, quieter, with a handful of beach resorts. Good for an overnight.
East of the city
Ada Foah — roughly two hours east, where the Volta River meets the sea. Estuary islands, sandbars, kayaking, river trips, and a cluster of guesthouses and eco-lodges. The best coastal weekend within easy reach of Accra, and a completely different landscape from the Accra beaches.
Prampram and Ningo — between Tema and Ada. Quiet, unfussy, with a few places to stay.
Practical
Entrance fees. Most managed beaches charge, typically a modest amount, with extra for parking. Free beaches exist and are correspondingly less maintained.
Getting there. Bolt or Uber to the near beaches. For Ada or Kokrobite, a chartered taxi for the day, a hired car, or trotro to the nearest town and a taxi in. — Getting around Accra
What to bring. Cash in small notes, water, sunscreen, a hat, a mat or towel, and a bag for your rubbish.
Food and drink are sold on every managed beach. Grilled tilapia, kebabs, fried yam. Good, and priced for the setting.
Weekends are busy, Sundays busiest. For an empty beach, go on a weekday.
Harmattan hazes the horizon from December to February. The light is strange and the swimming is fine. — Weather and seasons
Being honest about litter
Some Accra beaches carry a significant amount of plastic, and after heavy rain it is worse, because the city’s drains empty into the sea.
It is the visible end of the sachet water problem, and community clean-ups are a regular fixture that anyone can join. Taking your own rubbish home is the minimum.
Water in Accra Waste collection
Safety, beyond the water
- Do not leave belongings unattended while you swim.
- Avoid empty beaches after dark.
- Agree prices for horses, jet skis and anything else offered, before.
- Beach boys will approach you at Labadi and Kokrobite offering guiding, company or goods. Ordinary courtesy and a clear no both work.