What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Accra, Ghana.
Photo: edwardquarm10 / Pixabay
Accra is Ghana's capital, a coastal city on the Gulf of Guinea with a population of over 1,782,150. It mixes colonial-era streets in Jamestown with modern life in Osu and Cantonments. Visitors come for markets, museums tied to independence history, and beaches like Labadi. The best months to visit are January, February, July, and September, when conditions suit walking around the old town and the coast.
Accra's main sights, including Jamestown, Independence Square, Makola Market and the Arts Centre, can be covered in two to three days, with extra time for Osu's nightlife and a half-day beach trip to Labadi.
Central Accra
A memorial park and mausoleum for Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president, with a museum about his life and the independence movement. It is the best single place in Accra to learn how modern Ghana began.
Old Accra
One of Accra's oldest neighbourhoods, a working fishing community with colourful boats, the red-and-white Jamestown Lighthouse and the colonial-era Ussher Fort nearby. Local guides lead walking tours that explain its history and daily life.
Victoriaborg
A huge parade ground by the sea with the Independence Arch and the Black Star Gate, used for national ceremonies. It is a quick stop, best combined with the Nkrumah Memorial Park close by.
Central Accra
Accra's largest and busiest market, a maze of stalls selling fabric, food, household goods and much more. It is crowded and hot, but it is the most direct way to see the city's trading life up close.
Central Accra
A large craft market near the sea with stalls selling kente cloth, wood carvings, drums, beads and paintings. Expect firm sales pitches and be ready to bargain.
Cantonments
The former home of the African-American scholar and Pan-Africanist W.E.B. Du Bois, who spent his last years in Ghana and is buried here. A small museum covers his life and the links between Ghana and the African diaspora.
Osu
Osu is Accra's main area for restaurants, bars, shops and nightlife, centred on the busy Oxford Street. It is a good base for eating out and seeing the modern side of the city.
La
Accra's best-known city beach, with beach bars, music and horse riding, and especially lively at weekends. The sea has strong currents, so most people come to relax on the sand rather than swim.
Legon
A large green space next to the University of Ghana with forest walks, a canopy walkway and outdoor activities. It offers a quieter break from the traffic and noise of central Accra.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 31°C / 24°C | 5 days (17 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 28°C | 8.4/10 |
| Best month: February | 32°C / 25°C | 8 days (30 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 28°C | 7.9/10 |
| March | 31°C / 26°C | 13 days (53 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 28°C | 7.2/10 |
| April | 31°C / 26°C | 15 days (74 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 29°C | 7.1/10 |
| May | 30°C / 25°C | 21 days (130 mm) | 10.2 h/day | 29°C | 7.0/10 |
| June | 28°C / 24°C | 24 days (171 mm) | 9.3 h/day | 27°C | 7.0/10 |
| Best month: July | 27°C / 23°C | 17 days (86 mm) | 10.2 h/day | 24°C | 8.0/10 |
| August | 27°C / 23°C | 15 days (58 mm) | 9.8 h/day | 23°C | 7.7/10 |
| Best month: September | 28°C / 23°C | 20 days (89 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 24°C | 8.0/10 |
| October | 29°C / 24°C | 21 days (122 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 27°C | 7.0/10 |
| November | 30°C / 25°C | 14 days (51 mm) | 10.6 h/day | 29°C | 7.2/10 |
| December | 31°C / 24°C | 8 days (24 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 29°C | 7.9/10 |
Hot and mostly dry: 31°C highs, just 4.5 rain days. Scores best (8.4) — a top pick for sunny, low-rain travel.
Still hot at 31.5°C, but rain days rise to 8.4. Scored best (7.9), with mornings still largely dry.
Highs hold at 31.3°C while rain days climb to 13.3 and rainfall reaches 53mm. Rated good (7.2) as the wetter season builds.
31.1°C highs with 14.5 rain days and 74mm of rain. Good month (7.1), showers more frequent but temperatures stay warm.
Cooler at 30.1°C but much wetter, with 20.9 rain days and 130mm of rain — the main wet season deepens. Still scores good (7.0).
Temperatures drop to 28.1°C and rain peaks hardest, with 23.8 rain days and 171mm — the wettest month of the year. Scores good (7.0) despite the heavy rain.
Coolest high of the year at 27.1°C, rain eases to 17.3 days and 86mm. Scored best (8.0) as humidity and rain both drop back.
Still mild at 27.1°C with 14.9 rain days and 58mm of rain, the driest stretch of the mid-year dip. Scores best (7.7).
Highs rise slightly to 27.8°C but rain returns, with 19.8 rain days and 89mm. Still rated best (8.0).
Warming to 29°C, rain stays frequent at 21.2 days and 122mm — a second wet peak. Scored good (7.0).
Highs climb to 30.3°C as rain eases to 13.5 days and 51mm. Good month (7.2) with drier, sunnier conditions returning.
Hot and dry again at 31.3°C with only 7.9 rain days and 24mm of rain. Scores best (7.9) to close the year.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Ghana →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers
Osu is Accra's busiest area for restaurants, bars, shops and live music. Oxford Street runs through its centre. It is a good first base because so much is within walking distance. The drawback is noise and traffic, especially on weekend nights.
Good for business travellers, short stays
This calm, leafy district sits next to Kotoka International Airport. It has wide streets, offices and many modern places to eat. It is convenient for early flights and feels orderly, but it is quiet at night and you will need taxis to reach the old town and the coast.
Good for couples, longer stays, quiet
Cantonments is an upmarket residential area with embassies, tree-lined roads and smart cafés. It sits between Osu and the airport, so both are a short drive away. It feels safe and relaxed, but it is spread out and not easy to explore on foot.
Good for families, relaxed stays
Labone is a quieter neighbourhood just north-east of Osu, with small guesthouses, cafés and art spaces. You get easy access to Osu's nightlife without the late-night noise. Some streets have few pavements, and walking after dark is less comfortable.
Good for beach lovers, weekend vibe
Labadi, also called La, is a coastal district known for Labadi Beach, with music, horse rides and beach bars at weekends. It suits travellers who want the sea close by. The beach gets crowded and loud on Sundays, and hawkers can be persistent.
Good for repeat visitors, residential feel
East Legon is a well-off suburb north of the airport, with malls, newer restaurants and a local, residential feel. It suits visitors with friends or family in the area. It is far from the coast and central sights, and traffic on the main roads can be slow.
This is rice and beans cooked together, often turning a reddish-brown color from dried millet leaves or sorghum stalks. Street vendors in Accra sell it as a popular breakfast or lunch, usually with egg, fish, or meat on the side.
Kenkey is fermented corn dough wrapped in corn husks or plantain leaves, giving it a sour taste. Locals in Accra pair it with fried fish and a spicy pepper sauce called shito, often as a weekend meal.
Banku is a smooth, fermented corn and cassava dough, similar in texture to kenkey but less sour. In Accra, it's commonly served with grilled tilapia and a hot pepper sauce, especially in the evening at street food stalls.
This dish is made from black-eyed peas stewed in palm oil, which gives it a deep red color, served with fried ripe plantains. It's a common lunch option found at food stands across Accra.
Fufu is pounded cassava and plantain formed into a soft, stretchy ball, eaten with the hands. In Accra, it's typically dipped into a light, spicy soup made with tomatoes, meat, or fish, often enjoyed as a filling dinner.
This one-pot rice dish is cooked in a tomato and pepper sauce, giving it a smoky orange color. In Accra, it appears at parties, Sunday lunches, and from roadside vendors throughout the week.
Yes, August is one of Accra's best months, scoring 7.7. It's the coolest time of year, with highs of only 27.1°C and lows near 22.9°C. Rain drops off from June's peak too, with 14.9 rain days and 58mm of rain, so it's drier and milder than the middle of the wet season.
The top months are January, July, September and February. January and February are driest, with highs around 31°C, low rain days (4.5 and 8.4), and sunny skies near 10.3 hours a day. July and September score well too because temperatures cool to 27–28°C even though some rain still falls.
Yes, June is Accra's wettest month. It averages 23.8 rain days and 171mm of rain, the highest totals of the year. Temperatures also dip, with highs of just 28.1°C and lows of 24°C, and sunshine drops to 9.3 hours a day, the lowest of any month.
Two to three days cover the main sights. Jamestown takes 2–3 hours, Osu and Oxford Street or Labadi Beach each need half a day, and smaller stops like the Nkrumah Memorial Park, Makola Market or the Arts Centre take 1–2 hours each, so a short trip can fit them all in comfortably.
Yes, most of the year. Sea temperatures stay between 27°C and 29.2°C from November to May, peaking at 29.2°C in May. It cools in the mid-year months, dropping to 23.4°C in August and 24.2°C in July, which is still swimmable but noticeably cooler.
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