If you’re looking to visit a part of the world that’s rich in diversity, cosmopolitan yet steeped in culture, look no farther than West Africa. With countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Mauritania offering a variety of travel treats for visitors including beaches, people, history, sights, and sounds, West Africa is a must for your bucket list. Checkout our curated list of top 10 travel must-sees in West Africa. By: Aphua Larbi-Amoah
Grande Marche du Dantokpa, Benin
A visit to the western part of Africa cannot be complete without a visit to a voodoo fetish. This is African styled market is world famous for the shopping and filled with various vendors. These charms include monkey skulls, lion paws and other charms believed to possess several powers, along with fabrics, clothes, fruits and handmade goods. People who visit will be interested, entertained, and mystified.
Djenne, Mali
One of the oldest cities of sub-Saharan Africa, this was a natural hub for traders who shuttled between the Saharan Desert and Guinea. The market day in the town is every Monday, where you could see an interesting, lively and typical African market filled with an array of goods to indulge in. Djenne is also home to the largest mud structure in the world, the Great Mosque, Djenne, Mali, which is considered by many architects to be one of the greatest achievements of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style.
Loango National Park, Gabon
This IPAs been touted as Africa’s Last Eden. Located in western Gabon, it is an Eco-tourist destination. It’s the only place one can see whales, chimps, gorillas, elephants and other wild life in one place. Ideally, 3 days should be spent exploring the treasure that is Loango.
Forts & Castles, Ghana
There are a scattering of forts and castles along the coastal areas of Ghana that were built by the Europeans for the purpose of slave trading. With more than forty “slave castles”, or largecommercial forts, Cape Coast Castle is one of the most popular of these structures. Used to hold slaves before they were loaded onto ships and sold in the Americas, this “gate of no return” was the last stop before crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Rich in history, visitors to these iconic structures feel a great sense of emotion and connection to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. A visit to these castles is a nice dose of Black History.
Saharan Oases, Mauritania
The Adrar region of Mauritania is where the Sahara deserts gets interesting. There are rocky escarpments, grand canyons that give way to oceans of sand, dotted with palm-fringed oases. Start at the gateway town of Atar and head into the desert by camel for a cool experience. There are remote caravan towns of Ouadane and Terjit that was part of the ancient network of trade and cultural exchange.
Basilica Of Our Lady Of Peace, Ivory Coast
It is known as the largest church in the world. One attraction of this basilica is that it is quite ostentatious and rivals the St. Peter’s Bsilica in Rome. Although it sits mostly empty, it can be visited just to watch the monument that has been renamed the basilica in the bush.
Coconut & Port Harcourt Tourist Beach, Nigeria
This tropical beach is located in the coastal town of Badagry, West of Lagos, Port Harcourt Tourist Beach is located on the artificial sand beach along Kolabi Creek. One of the most popular beaches in Nigeria, it’s clean, sandy and perfect for a walk by the sea-side while enjoying the breeze. There are many activities like horse-back riding, volleyball, football and other popular beach sports. Coconut Beach is another popular beachfront in Badagry. It’sappropriately named for the coconut trees that surround it, meaning that there are plenty of cool places to relax in the shade when the sun is at its hottest.
Chale Wote Street Art Festival, Ghana
This annual street art festival takes place at Jamestown a suburb of Accra in Ghana, providing an alternative platform for music, dance, art and other performances. Held in late August, this festival is sure to knock the socks off anyone who attends.
Le Privilege & VIP, Togo
This is the biggest nightclub in West Africa. It has 3 dance floors, two game rooms with pool, bar, disco and restaurant. It’s a relaxed environment to unwind and experience the magic of the city. It’s open till 6am, so definitely no pressure to show up early.
Mount Cameroon, Cameroon
West Africa cannot be visited without a look at the mountain ranges. Mount Cameroon, also known as the Mountain of Greatness, is one of Africa’s largest volcano’s located in Cameroon near the Gulf of Guinea. It’s the highest peak in West Africa and the 31st most prominent in the world. Huts, camps, rain forests, montane forests, forests and Savannah dot the trails, till you get to the rocky summit.
