CAPE COAST: THROUGH THE DOORS OF NO RETURN…

Located in the Central Region of Ghana, West Africa, Cape Coast is a laid-back coastal city with rich history, academic pedigree, lots of sunshine, sand and sea, and warm people. It is a great escape from the bustle of Accra, the capital of the nation and one of the best places for a good education on the Transatlantic slave trade.

Cape Coast is about 144km away from Accra and that means about 3 to 4-hours drive, depending on your mode of transportation. Thankfully, the road is quite good. The Intercity STC buses are comfortable and quite cheap, costing less than GH¢10. They are dark orange coloured Marco Polo or Ford luxury buses.

If you want to live like a local and travel like one, head on to Kaneshie bus station where you can board a tro-tro which are minibuses. I suppose those will be cheaper than the STC buses… You can opt for a private ride instead and hire a cab to take you.

Once you arrive in Cape Coast, you can take a cab to nearby Elmina to see the slave castle there. About a 15-minute drive from Cape Coast, Elmina is a relatively small and active fishing community. Pay the entry fee at the castle and dive into a dark historical account of man’s inhumanity.

Across the castle is the Fort Sao Jago or Fort Coenraadsburg. It was originally a church, before it was converted into a fort for the defence of the castle. Unfortunately, like other forts in Ghana, it has not been maintained for its touristy values. But all the same it offers great views of the surrounding areas.

If you still have time and you’re not tired from the drive from Accra, coupled with the tour of Elmina Castle, you can go check out Cape Coast Castle, but it most likely wont be possible, because the castle closes by 4pm, and except you had arrived early from Accra, you have to save that for the following day.

In the evening, you can hang out at the beach front of Oasis Beach Hotel in Cape Coast for some exciting time, or check out the restaurants near the castle area to enjoy some of Cape Coast’s cuisine…

To round up your visits to the castles, before your return journey to Accra, you should get to Kakum National Park for some adventure…