Ghana Transportation

In general Kumasi is a very safe and accessible city for travellers. It has Bureau de Change everywhere as well as a security guarded Barclays ATM for accessing money. Internet cafes are easy to find as well. Must sees are the Central Market- an amazing expanse of tinned rooves, get lost in the labrynth of meat, shoes, cloth and spices- you will love it. Also, the Cultural Museum and the Asantehene's Palace. I don't recommend the Zoo- it is overpriced and under cared for. It was depressing if anything. Try the amazing street food- the koko(maize meal drink) and roasted plantain at the Trotro station especially, the food at Lonely Planet recommended restaurants is overpriced and made me feel elitist and excluded. If you are missing your dairy products, which it is likely you will if you are a Westerner then Vic Baboo's Cafe is good for fruit smoothies that you can trust. Women, expect to be grabbed ta when winding your way through the pressing crowds on the street, don't take it as a threat. Keep your money mimimal and close by you at the Trotro station. Alway always greet someone on the street before asking for directions. Give to beggars, the locals do. Take a trotro when t you can, the prices are set and they are way more fun. Shared taxis are also reasonable. If you take a private taxi be prepared for a haggle- keep it lighthearted. Kumasi isn't as bad as Accra for this though. When I was there, there were incidents of taxi drivers stealing bags/purses etc., but just be alert, most are just trying it on.

Don't dress up, don't drive there yourself (but use public transportation = a tro tro), and don't stay at a luxurious hotel. Go shoe string on this one.

While crossing the Ghana/Lome border at Aflou is fairly straightforward (not too many hassles etc) beware the people who hang around borders waiting for tourists.  I had men demand money for pointing out the immigration sign (which I was already walking towards), demand money for speaking to me and fight over which taxi I was going to get in once I was across the border.  In the end I had five men holding various parts of my body and bags and pulling me in various directions all yelling!  It can be fairly intimidating, but survivable!  Also watch out for the taxi drivers- I was told the correct price before I got to the border and the taxi driver agreed to the amount I stated but when we got to the final destination he told me that was the price per seat and because I was the only person in the taxi I had to pay for the other 3 seats as well!  He got reasonably angry when I refused to give him 4 times the going rate...

Bicycle paradise of Ghana! Just rent a bike and go on an adventure to this relaxing setting of the town.