Ghana’s sunny coastline, with its golden sands and lively resorts, often tempts travelers to stay by the sea. But limiting a trip to the beach shortchanges clients who crave a deeper cultural experience. Travel agents who recommend Ghana can offer far more than waves and weather.
Going beyond the beach: Ghana’s rich cultural heritage provides a rewarding experience for travelers eager to understand history, art, community traditions, and spiritual landmarks. This vibrant West African country invites visitors to connect with its past, interact with its present, and return home changed.
Cape Coast and Elmina: Echoes of History
Few places on earth leave such a powerful emotional impact as Cape Coast and Elmina. These towns hold some of the most historically significant landmarks in West Africa: Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle.
European traders and later colonizers once used these whitewashed forts to hold enslaved Africans before sending them on a forced journey across the Atlantic. Guided tours walk visitors through the dungeons, courtyards, and “Door of No Return,” a haunting exit that once led directly to the slave ships.
For travelers of African descent, these sites often become emotional touchstones. Many describe a sense of connection, grief, and reflection. But regardless of background, visitors leave with a deeper understanding of the transatlantic slave trade’s enormity and its human toll.
Cape Coast also boasts the West African Historical Museum and a lively fishing port where visitors can observe traditional fishing practices. In Elmina, travelers can explore Fort St. Jago, perched on a hill with panoramic views of the Atlantic and the town below. By highlighting these historical landmarks, travel agents help clients go beyond surface-level sightseeing and engage in meaningful travel.
Kumasi: The Heart of the Ashanti Kingdom
Travelers looking to explore cultural identity and royal legacy find Kumasi irresistible. As the seat of the Ashanti Kingdom, Kumasi brims with tradition, color, and pageantry.
The Manhyia Palace, still the residence of the Asantehene (king), operates both as a living seat of power and a museum open to visitors. Exhibits explain the Ashanti people’s governance, regalia, and resistance to colonial rule.
Markets in Kumasi rank among the largest in West Africa. The Kejetia Market functions as a cultural and economic hub where artisans sell Kente cloth, gold jewelry, carved stools, and ceremonial items. It’s more than a place to shop; it’s a crash course in Ghanaian life, trade, and social structure.
Those interested in cultural crafts can visit Bonwire, a nearby town known as the birthplace of Kente weaving. Here, travelers witness the intricate hand-weaving process that transforms silk and cotton into symbolic patterns worn at celebrations, funerals, and festivals. In Kumasi, culture surrounds visitors at every corner and invites them to listen, learn, and participate, not just observe from afar.
Volta Region: Tradition, Nature, and Spiritual Sites
The Volta Region offers a beautiful blend of culture and nature. Its lush landscapes, defined by the Akwapim-Togo mountain range, cradle waterfalls, traditional villages, and sacred sites. Clients who want a more immersive Ghana tour should head inland, where storytelling and ceremony remain woven into everyday life.
A visit to the town of Tafi Atome allows travelers to interact with a protected colony of mona monkeys, regarded as sacred by locals. The town’s sanctuary blends wildlife conservation with cultural preservation, offering visitors an unusual but meaningful experience.
Further east, the town of Kpando invites guests to observe and purchase Kpando pottery, a centuries-old tradition still practiced by local women. These artists work with red clay to create household and ceremonial items with beauty and functionality.
The region’s spiritual landmarks include the shrine of Togbui Tsali in Dagbamate, where traditional Ewe religious practices remain vibrant. Visitors may witness drumming, dance, libations, and rituals performed to honor ancestral spirits. For clients who value culture but also want soft adventure, the Volta Region delivers both, offering warm community encounters that turn a simple trip into a soulful journey.
Accra: Art, Music, and Modern Ghanaian Life
Ghana’s capital city of Accra serves as a dynamic gateway to the country’s modern identity. It buzzes with energy, innovation, and a youthful, creative spirit that redefines what cultural travel can look like. While Accra moves fast, its roots remain deep.
One standout site, the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre, honors the African-American scholar and civil rights leader who spent his final years in Ghana. The center includes Du Bois’ mausoleum, personal library, and a museum that contextualizes Pan-African movements.
For art lovers, the Nubuke Foundation and Gallery 1957 showcases contemporary Ghanaian artists whose work addresses politics, identity, and social change. Travelers can attend artist talks, purchase original pieces, or simply enjoy rotating exhibitions.
Music forms the city’s lifeblood. Live performances of highlife, Afrobeat, and hiplife happen nightly in venues large and small.
Street vendors sell grilled plantains, kelewele (spiced fried bananas), and fresh coconut water, perfect snacks between cultural outings. Accra doesn’t ask travelers to choose between history and now. It offers both with flair.
Cultural Festivals and Living Traditions
No cultural journey to Ghana feels complete without witnessing one of its vibrant festivals. These events offer a front-row seat to the country’s living traditions and often serve as the highlight of Ghana tours. Each region, ethnic group, and town celebrates its heritage through unique combinations of dance, music, food, and storytelling.
- Homowo Festival (Ga people): A harvest celebration marked by drumming, feasting, and the sprinkling of traditional food to honor ancestors.
- Aboakyer Festival (Effutu people): Features a ceremonial deer hunt followed by a procession, honoring the migration history of the Effutu.
- Panafest: Held every two years, this festival promotes Pan-African unity and remembrance. It often includes dramatic performances, academic panels, and symbolic homecomings.
- Ashanti Adae Festival: Royal ceremonies in Kumasi allow visitors to witness the Asantehene receive homage from his chiefs, dressed in vibrant regalia.
Travel agents can plan entire itineraries around these events, ensuring that clients experience Ghana at its most joyful and authentic. These celebrations provide meaningful insight into the values, stories, and resilience that shape Ghanaian identity.
Ghana’s Rich Cultural Heritage: A Journey Worth Recommending
Travel agents serve as cultural translators, helping clients find experiences that go beyond souvenirs and selfies. For those seeking a rich, soulful destination, going beyond the beach: Ghana’s rich cultural heritage opens the door to unforgettable travel.
Whether your clients want to reflect on history, witness traditional arts, or celebrate with a community, Ghana delivers in full. And when they return home, they won’t just show off tan lines, they’ll share stories that stick. To start planning a journey that blends heritage, heart, and adventure, visit Palace Travel, your trusted partner for expertly curated Ghana tours.
