estled between Côte d'Ivoire and Togo on the West African Atlantic coast, Ghana has earned the title, "The Friendliest Country in Africa". With both a low crime rate and a very stable government, Ghana has become the envy of other African countries. Tourism has received a boost over the past decade as more Americans and Europeans visit this former English colony to experience its ecological wonders, tour historic monuments and soak up local cultures. Accra, the capital, has seen major growth in its hotels and tourist facilities. It now ranks as one of West Africa's most important Gateway cities. It is home to striking architecture such as the Independence Arch and the National Theatre. It is also the final resting place of great Pan-Africanists such as Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president. Visit the memorial and library of W.E.B. Dubois, a founder of the NAACP - and tour the George Padmore archives. During the evening, enjoy a night out in Osu - Accra’s upscale nightlife district - and dance to the “HiLife” sounds of West Africa! on Sunday, spend the afternoon at Labadi Beach where locals and tourists alike mingle in celebration of the sun and the sea. Roving troubadours, acrobats and traders provide the show.

Traveling west, you reach Cape Coast and Elmina, where the Portuguese established their presence in 1472. A decade later they built Elmina Castle, which later became a prison for slaves waiting to be shipped to the New World. Nearby is Cape Coast Castle, Ghana’s second major fort and also a slave prison. Both structures have been preserved and are World Heritage Sites. Each year Ghana commemorates the memory of those who were imprisoned or perished, with the observance of Emancipation Day. Every second year this remembrance is combined with “Panafest”, an international showcase of music, literature, and both visual and performing arts from across Africa and the Diaspora.

Just outside Cape Coast lies Kakum National Park, a pristine old growth tropical rain forest. In an eco-sensitive zone, Kakum has become an African success story and a showcase of Ghana's conservation efforts. It's featured attraction is a 1000 foot-long aerial walkway through the tree canopy that reaches a height of 150 above the forest floor. Kakum is home to many mammals such as the forest elephant, the endangered Mona monkey and the reclusive bongo antelope. Over 500 different types of butterflies have been identified within its boundaries. Journey into the interior and enter the Ashanti Kingdom of Gold. Kumasi, the “Garden City”, is home to Manhiyia Palace and the King of the Ashanti. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II often receives visitors when in residence. Spend a day touring Kumasi’s outlying craft villages – home to the woodcarvers of Ahwiaa, the funerary Adinkra textiles of Ntonso and the world-famous Kente cloth of Bonwire, worn by Ghana’s royal elite.  Before leaving Accra, visit the National Arts Center for more shopping, where you can find bargains on tie-dye and batik, baskets, carvings, masks, beads, jewelry, bronze and pottery.

Once you have seen the colorful ceremonies of Ghana's many cultures, tasted the local foods and sampled the fruits of the sea - and met the charming people of this ancient land, you will already be planning a return.

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