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 |
Highs reach 31.3°C with just 4.5 rain days, making this a dry, sunny month. Score 8.4, rated best.
Still hot at 31.5°C, but rain days rise to 8.4 as the first showers return. Score 7.9, rated best.
Highs stay near 31.3°C while rain days climb to 13.3 and rainfall reaches 53mm. Score 7.2, rated good.
Expect 31.1°C highs with 14.5 rain days and 74mm of rain, as the wet season builds. Score 7.1, rated good.
Rain becomes frequent: 20.9 days and 130mm, with highs easing to 30.1°C. Score 7, rated good.
The wettest stretch continues with 23.8 rain days and 171mm of rain, while highs drop to 28.1°C. Score 7, rated good.
Rain eases to 17.3 days and 86mm, and highs cool further to 27.1°C in this drier spell. Score 8, rated best.
Coolest month with 27.1°C highs and sea temp down to 23.4°C; rain days fall to 14.9. Score 7.7, rated best.
Rain picks up again to 19.8 days and 89mm, while highs stay mild at 27.8°C. Score 8, rated best.
A second rainy peak brings 21.2 rain days and 122mm, with highs climbing back to 29°C. Score 7, rated good.
Rain drops sharply to 13.5 days and 51mm as highs rise to 30.3°C. Score 7.2, rated good.
A dry close to the year with 7.9 rain days and highs of 31.3°C. Score 7.9, rated best.
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 sold at breakfast and lunch stalls across Accra. It usually comes with spaghetti, boiled egg, gari and a spicy sauce on the side.
A one-pot rice dish cooked in a tomato and pepper base, served at most Ghanaian restaurants in Accra. It often comes with grilled chicken or fried fish and a side salad.
Banku is a fermented corn and cassava dough, eaten with grilled tilapia and a hot pepper sauce. It is a common evening meal near the coast, where fresh fish is easy to find.
Kenkey is another fermented corn dough, wrapped in corn husks or plantain leaves before cooking. Locals pair it with fried fish and shito, a dark pepper sauce, often as a weekend meal.
This dish is black-eyed peas stewed in palm oil with tomatoes and spices, giving it a deep red colour. It is usually served with fried ripe plantain and is a popular lunch option.
Kelewele is ripe plantain cut into cubes, spiced with ginger and chilli, then deep fried. Street vendors across Accra sell it as a snack, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
Yes, August scores 7.7 out of 10 and rates as a best-time month. Daytime highs reach 27.1°C and nights cool to 22.9°C, the coolest combination of the year. It has 14.9 rain days and 58mm of rain, with 9.8 hours of sun a day, so it's drier than the peak of the rainy season.
January, February, July and September are the top-rated months, each scoring 7.7 or higher. January leads with an 8.4 score, 4.5 rain days and 17mm of rain, the driest conditions of the year. July and September also score well despite some rain, because temperatures drop to a comfortable 27–28°C high.
Two to three days covers the main sights. Jamestown and Osu's Oxford Street each take half a day, while Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Makola Market and the Centre for National Culture need 1–2 hours each. Add a half day for Labadi Beach or Legon Botanical Garden if you want to slow down.
Yes, June is one of the wettest months, with 23.8 rain days and 171mm of rain, the highest monthly total of the year. Highs drop to 28.1°C and lows to 24°C, and sun hours fall to 9.3, the lowest in the calendar. It still scores 7 out of 10, so travel is possible, just expect frequent showers.
Accra stays warm all year, with highs ranging from 27.1°C in July and August to 31.5°C in February. Lows never drop below 22.9°C, recorded in August. There's no cold season, so pack for heat whenever you go, and expect the coolest daytime temperatures from June to September.
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