Not to miss

Accra

Ghana's seaside capital is a savoury blend of big-city bustle and African ease. At once sprawling and accessible, rambunctious yet friendly, it's a city run by native Ghanaians, and their pride in their product shows. Best of all you won't trip over Westerners at every third step.

Makola Market, at the heart of central Accra, brims with bead and batik sellers. To the west of the city Kaneshie Market is the place to go for mouthwatering foods and spices. James Town, on a short peninsula south-west of the centre, is a handsome if dilapidated neighbourhood also worth a look.

A huge military parade ground backed by the sea, Independence Square is to Accra what Red Square is to Moscow, minus any building of note. While you practice your goose-stepping, notice Osu Castle - Accra's most historic structure - in the distance. Disappointingly, it's now the seat of government and off-limits to visitors.

Accra is famous throughout West Africa for its vibrant nightlife centred around Nkrumah Circle. Accra's beaches are another big draw, but the best ones are all a few kilometres outside of town. Accra has some well established Internet cafes and new spots to surf, with faster connection times, are springing up all the time.

Cape Coast

The former British colonial capital is lined with faded buildings whose ages are irrelevant in this now-vibrant town. Cape Coast was the largest slave-trading centre in West Africa and its waterfront castle is one of Ghana's most interesting sights. After dark, people take to the streets to escape the still baking heat and eat, chat and dance under the stars.

Capital of the Central Region, Cape Coast is home to one of the country's best universities and a logical base for trips to other destinations in the area, including Kakum National Park.

Kakum National Park

Tucked away in this small pocket of rainforest are endangered forest elephants, colobus monkeys, 300 species of bird and a staggering 600 species of butterfly. However, the main attraction is the canopy walkway suspended 30m (98ft) above the forest floor. It makes for great viewing (or a trouser-wetting experience, depending on your point of view).

The walkway aside, a guided hike is a good way to learn about the rainforest flora and its traditional uses. Your best shot to see any wildlife is to get here when the park opens or take a night hike.

Mole National Park

It's not everywhere you can get up close and personal with bus-sized elephants. Face-to-face encounters with these beasts, plus roving gangs of baboons, warthogs, water bucks and antelopes - 90 species of mammals in total - are possibilities at this national park, Ghana's largest at 4660 sq km and best as far as wildlife viewing goes.

It consists for the most part of flat savanna, with gallery forests along the rivers and streams.

Aburi Botanic Gardens

Just beyond the town of Aburi, the Aburi Botanic Gardens provide a welcome getaway from Accra's bustle. The gardens are well maintained and teem with exotic plant life from around the world. Two tall Brazilian 'monkey pot' trees are supposedly able to trap our tree-swinging ancestors - not that Aburi has too many wild monkeys to worry about.

The oldest tree is an approximately 150-year-old kapok facing the park's beautiful headquarters building. It's the only one the British didn't cut down when they were planting the gardens, which opened in 1890. The gardens are perched on a ridge 32km (20mi) north of Accra.