3 Best Sights in Takoradi, Ghana

Make a day of sunbathing, swimming, and exploring at this beach about 32 km (20 miles) down the coast. The Takoradi–Tarkwa Road leads to Agona Junction. A left turn from there lands at gentle surf that's great for swimming. An outdoor bar and restaurant serves light meals. Chalets are available. Just 5 km (3 miles) away, you can discover the Fort Metal Cross, over which the British and Dutch fought for more than 200 years. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; walking.

Ghana’s third-oldest fort shows both Portuguese and Dutch influences in its distinctive white walls. Described as a small-scale copy of St. George’s Castle, the fort was built in the 1520s by the Portuguese to deter English sailors from interfering in Shama trade. The Dutch took over and renovated the structure in the mid-1600s, and traded gold and slaves there until it came under British rule in 1872. The fort is a landmark, but not well tended. It helps to read up before visiting.

Get up into the rain forest canopy and see how the monkeys live at this park about 90 minutes northwest of Tarkoradi. Six treetop platforms and a canopy walkway, all reaching 30 meters (98 feet) above the ground, provide an unparalleled view of the rainforest ecosystem. The jungle-like habitat is home to seven primate species, more than 500 butterfly species, and about 250 bird species. Don’t forget to look down, too—you might see elephants foraging for fallen fruit.