The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders C?te d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The chat Ghana agency “Warrior King,” and was the antecedent of the name “Guinea” (via French Guinoye) that is acclimated to accredit to the West African bank (as in Gulf of Guinea).

Ghana was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a cardinal of age-old kingdoms, including the Ga-Da?mes on the eastern coast, civil Empire of Ashanti and assorted Fante states forth the bank and inland. Trade with European states flourished afterwards acquaintance with the Portuguese in the 15th century, and the British accustomed a acme colony, Gold Coast, in 1874.

Upon actuality the aboriginal Sub-Saharan African nation to accomplish ability from the United Kingdom in 1957, the name Ghana was called for the fresh nation to reflect the age-old Empire of Ghana that already continued throughout abundant of western Africa. In the Ashanti accent it is spelled Gaana.

Visas and other Entry Requirements

All visitors to Ghana are required to have a visa unless you are a citizen of a West African country which belongs to ECOWAS. You must have a return ticket to Ghana before applying for a visa. Basic tourist visas are valid for 3 months from date of issue so don’t get it too early or it may expire before you arrive. A single entry tourist visa costs $50. Student visa applications must be submitted together with a letter of invitation from the principals in Ghana and or in the student’s home country.

Ghana also requires all visitors to have a valid certificate of immunization against yellow fever.

Health and Immunizations

Ghana is a tropical country and a poor country so you’ll need to pack a good basic medical kit for yourself when you go.

Ghana requires all visitors to have a valid certificate of immunization against yellow fever.

Malaria

There’s a risk of catching malaria pretty much everywhere you travel in Ghana. Ghana is home to the chloroquine-resistant strain of malaria as well as several others. Make sure your doctor or travel clinic knows you are traveling to Ghana (don’t just say Africa) so s/he can prescribe the right anti-malarial medication. Tips on how to avoid malaria will also help. For more details on Malaria in Ghana, click on this map from the WHO.

Safety

In general people are extremely friendly in Ghana and you will be humbled by their hospitality. It’s also one of Africa’s more stable countries politically and you should be able to travel safely to all areas. But, there is real poverty and you will still attract your fair share of souvenir hawkers and beggars. If you follow some basic safety rules, you shouldn’t have any problems. Accra is actually one of West Africa’s safest big cities but you do need to be aware of pickpockets and petty thieves especially around crowded areas like bus stops and markets. It’s also not a good idea to walk on the beach alone at night.

Ghana is generally considered to be the best West African country to visit if you’re a woman traveling alone.

Money Matters

The cedi is the unit of currency in Ghana. The cedi used to be broken down into 100 pesewas but inflation has made the pesewas obsolete. Check out this currency converter to find out how many cedis your dollar, yen or pound can get.

The best currencies to bring to Ghana are: US Dollars, Euros or British pounds. These will get you the best exchange rate at banks and foreign exchange bureaus. ATM machines are available in major cities but may not always work. If you’re planning on bringing traveler cheques, exchange them in the main cities, smaller towns may not exchange them. Don’t change too much money at one time unless you’re prepared to accommodate large wads of cedis. While larger cedi notes have recently come into circulation, you’ll still find it difficult to fit a lot of it in your wallet or money belt.

Banking hours are 8.30am – 3.00pm, Monday – Friday.

Climate and When to Go

Ghana is basically hot and humid all year round. The best time to travel is probably December to April since you’ll miss the rainy season. But this is also the hottest time of year and quite uncomfortable in the north of the country since it there’s the added bonus of Saharan sand blowing in the air. July and August are good months to travel if you’re planning to stay in the south, since there’s a lull in the rains during this time. For more about Ghana’s climate check the BBC’s weather section.

If you wish to see festivals, August and September are good months to visit Ghana since many communities celebrate their first harvests during these months.

Related posts:

1. Daily life in Ghana, West Africa
2. Make your holiday secured with travel insurance
3. West Africa’s Slave-Trade Tours
4. Accra, Ghana
5. People and Culture in Ghana
6. Mali Travel Guide
7. Zanzibar Travel Guide
8. Essaouira Travel Guide
9. Chefchaouen Travel Guide
10. Marrakech Travel Guide

Tags: Ghana, Ghana Information, Ghana Travel, Ghana Travel Guide, Republic of Ghana, West Africa

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