7 reasons why Keta in the volta region should be your next holiday destination

Today on Travel Bucketlist Tuesday we take a look at one of Ghana’s hidden tourist gems; the town of Keta.

Situated in the Volta region of Ghana, Keta is the capital of the Keta Municipal District and is sixty-first most populous settlement in Ghana according to the national census with a population of 23,207.

Between the 1960s and 1980s, parts of the town was ravaged by coastal erosion. The Keta Sea Defense Program was performed to protect and stabilize the shoreline from Keta to Hlorve in the Republic of Ghana, West Africa by Ghana’s government.

Keta is mentioned in Maya Angelou‘s All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes.

READ MORE: City Guide: The names and meanings of these 10 cities in Ghana

With historical and cultural relevance, it is fast growing to become one of Ghana’s hotbed for tourist activities and alternative from the popular ones with too much human activities. If you’re looking a new travel experience this summer, the check out Keta.

Here are also 7 reasons to add Keta to your travel bucketlist

1. Treat your taste buds to sumptuous local delicacies.

A trip to Keta begins when you first have a taste of the various assortments of food. Keta is home to some top Ghanaian cuisines including the traditional dish of Akple and Abobitadzi or with Okra soup. Yakeyake (a grainy cassava dish), Abolo and fried yam with turkey.

2. Walk on the clean white sandy beaches

The beaches in Keta are among the best beaches in Ghana with its pristine sands, clear blue water and neat environs. Take a stroll on these beaches and watch the sun set

3.Hang out at the Hogbetstotso festivals

A rich and popular culture awaits visitors in November when the Awomefia and his people celebrate the Hogbetsotso festival. The name of the festival is derived from the Ewe language and translates as the festival of the exodus or “coming from Hogbe (Notsie)”

4. Take a dip into the lagoon or Atlantic Ocean.

Known as the Anglo-Keta lagoon, the Keta lagoon is the largest of the over 90 lagoons that cover the 550 km stretch of the coastline of Ghana. The lagoon is 126.13 km in length.

Venture into the new water sport that’s growing in the area, Kayaking or take a canoe ride on the lagoon. Head into the Gulf of Guinea which is part of the Atlantic ocean and swim with aquatic species.

5. Explore the mangrooves

Mangroves abound aplenty adding to the exquisite natural habitats of marine life in the area. The Lagoon which is an open salty body of water is surrounded by flood plains and mangrove swamps too.

6. Take a lesson in history and slave trade at the fort or a selfie at the lighthouse.

The town of Keta is historically linked with the transatlantic slave trade. Remnants of the colonizers and traders lie along the coastline in the form of a slave dungeon known as the Fort Prizenstein Slave Dungeon.

Take a short trip to Cape St. Paul Lighthouse (believed to be the oldest lighthouse in Ghana). Take a selfie if you can.

7. Catch a well-deserved pampering at the hotels

Experience the trademark hospitality of Ghanaians and the people of Keta through the several hotels and resorts that are springing up in the area. Keta Lagoon resort, Aborigines Beach Resort, Eli Boutique Hotel & Beach Resort, Meet Me There African Home Lodge and The Chill River Resort are just a few of these top tier hospitality institutions.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Osei Junior