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TOURISTS SITES - Some Interesting Places In Ghana You Can Visit During Your Holidays
Some Interesting Places You Can Visit in Ghana
INTRODUCTION:
Do you want a place to visit during your holidays? Ghana is an interesting country you will like to visit during one of your holidays. Even though it is an interesting country, traveling to Ghana for your holidays can be as boring as anything if you do not know some of the interesting places in Ghana to visit. It is for this reason that I have found necessary to share with you in this article. I will like to take you through some of the tourist sites.
- The kintampo waterfalls:
The kintampo waterfalls located on the Kumasi-Tamale Highway provides a panoramic scene and superbly display the beauty of nature. It is about 4km away from Kintampo Township, on the Kumasi-Tamale road. The pumpu River falls about seventy (70) meters down beautiful rocky steps to continue its journey towards the Black Volta at Buipe. The superb falls mysteriously disappears and resurfaces 200 meters away from its original location. (Ghana travel and Tour) You don’t have to only be told visit Kintampo waterfalls to see for yourself the beauty of nature. Visit Kintampo waterfalls and ask anything you will like to know about the place and you will be answered.
- The Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary:
This is a 35 hectare patch of woodland including the villages of Boabeng and Fiema about a mile apart. I might not be able to tell you everything. That is why it is nice you even visit to see for yourself. The last time I visited there, I observed that the place was not fenced. The monkeys are just free to move, yet they are not running away, probably they just like to be there. I was told that there are two types, the Black and White (Geoffrey’s) Colobus, and Smaller Campbell’s Mona. The Colobus live on the higher parts of the trees. They eat just leaves. The Monas live on lower heights. They eat a wide variety of food including food from visitors. You can send something along on your visit, the monkeys will be happy. The smaller monkeys (Mona) travel in troupes of 10-50 and normally come down to take food like bread and bananas from visitors. Unfortunately I went there without a camera and for this reason, I could take any photo. I was told that there are about 500 Monas and 200 Colobus monkeys that form 13 troupes within the sanctuary. You will be very amazed to see monkeys behave as if they were humans.
Local folklore has it that a hunter, who once lived in Boabeng, came into contact with a spirit being called Daworo somewhere in the 1840s. In the course of the relationship, he went into the forest one day and saw five monkeys gathered around a spot covered with calico. The hunter was mesmerized and could not shoot them. When he consulted Daworo, it told him to treat the monkeys as relatives. Daworo asked the hunter to take the calico home and when he did that the monkeys followed him home.
With time, the monkeys increased in numbers and the fortunes of the hunter also increased. The hunter attributed his improved material condition to his association with the monkeys and this lead to a symbiotic relationship that has persisted to this day. Any monkey that died was buried and funeral rites held for it just as human beings.
Another settler came to settle in nearby Fiema. He was also in contact with a spirit being called Abodwo. The spirit beings got married because they lived as neighbours, according to the folklore. The physical manifestations of the marriage were the monkeys. Daworo is said to have given some of the monkeys to take them as its sons.
Although there are now local laws protecting the monkeys, however, according to the legends of the area, whoever kills a monkey suffers a calamity. The story is told of a man who killed a monkey in the 18th century and all his relatives died one after the other soon after. People of Boabeng-Fiema observe Fridays as special days for the monkey and do not go the farm.
- The Paga Crocodile Pond:
Located in the North in the north-eastern border of Ghana, Paga is a sacred crocodile sanctuary. Although crocodiles are considered as wild creatures, the Paga crocodiles are friendly and coexist with humans. The friendly relationship between the crocodiles and humans continue to baffle the minds of many.
This is in contrast to the perception of crocodiles as dangerous. It is a customary offence to harm, kill or show any sign of disrespect to the crocodile of Paga. It is not uncommon to find children and or visitors sitting at the back of or holding the tale of a crocodile without any harm, after a sacrifice of fowl. This is normal for the people of Paga but a mystery to visitors. Other tourist attractions in the area include the Paga-Nania slave camp, the mystery dam of Kayoro called Kukula and The Nasaga Game Reserve, eight kilometers away from Burkina –Faso and Paga – Ghana Tourism Authority.
Visit Paga Crocodile Pond to see what you thought was impossible made possible in your own presence.
- Kakum National Park:
It is made up of mostly undisturbed virgin rainforest and is one of the famous national parks in Ghana.
Location:
Kakum National Park is situated about 33km north of Cape Coast, Central Regional capital and about 170km from Accra.
Size:
It covers an area of 350km2 (including Assin Attandanso Resource Reserve).
Vegetation:
The vegetation type of this site is Moist evergreen rainforest with tall hardwood trees up to 65m in height.
Key fauna:
The park is enriched with different species of wildlife including 40 species of mammals (forest elephants, buffalo, leopard, bongo, yellow backed duiker, red river hog, primates), over 200 species of birds, large number of reptiles and amphibians, over 400 species of butterflies.
Other features:
40m high canopy walkway suspended between trees and from which different species of birds and butterflies can be observed. Also, from the canopy walkway, the structure of the forest canopy can be appreciated. Hidden connections:- interpretation center, The Afafranto campsite located 200m from Kakum visitors center.
Sun bird trail:- developed to incorporate three ecosystems: the rainforest, the secondary forest and a pond environment for visitors to watch birds.
Kakum Conservation Tree House Tourist Sites nearby: Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle.
Tourist activities: Game viewing, bird watching, hiking/ nature walk, camping. There is the availability of Guided Tour, Camping Facilities.
You can access this site by primary road from Accra to Cape Coast and then on main Dunkwa road. This place can be visited throughout the year. Will you like to be accommodated for a day or some number of days? We have the Elmina Beach Resort (4 star), Elmina Hans Cottage Hotel (3 star), Cape Coast off Dunkwa road, 10km away from Kakum National Park.
Light clothing is recommend in dry season while heavy clothing is recommended in the rainy season. (Ghana Tourism 2008)