Accra is hot, humid and loud, and it is built on a coast that has seen traders for more than five hundred years. Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Swedish and British merchants all built forts along this shore, and the city grew around a few of them: Jamestown, the old British quarter with its lighthouse and fishing harbour, and Osu, with the Danish castle that once served as the seat of government. Today Accra is the capital of Ghana, with nearly two million people in the city itself and many more in the sprawl around it.
Independence Arch, near the sea, commemorates the day in 1957 when Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to win independence from colonial rule, and Kwame Nkrumah, the leader of the movement, lies in a mausoleum nearby. The city's music, a mix of highlife and hip-hop, spills out of every taxi, and street food is plentiful, from grilled fish to fried plantain and spicy stews of beans.
Riding here demands energy. The traffic is heavy and unpredictable, with minibuses, taxis, lorries and motorcycles all competing for space, and the roads can be potholed. Drive defensively, watch for pedestrians crossing without warning, and avoid the peak hours, when roads grind to a halt. Fuel is easy to find, with stations all around, and food stalls line most main streets. A ride west toward the old forts begins on the coastal highway toward Kasoa, and early morning is the best time to set off, when the air is cooler and the roads are emptier.
The weather is warm all year, with a long rainy season from April to July and a shorter one in autumn. Carry water and wear sun protection. The sea breeze in the late afternoon is a relief, and in the evening the beaches fill with people playing football, selling snacks and watching the waves roll in.