Most resorts seem to make a good deal of their money in the restaurant and in the bar, and despite the fact that the food was quite good, this location was no exception to the rule. It is not generally uncommon at such locations for us to pay more 5 Ghana cedis for potato fries or fried rice, which is pretty steep by any standard, and outright theft by Ghanaian standards! Having noted this, there was a seaside barbecue on Saturday night, complete with a Ghanaian jazz band. The band was led by what I believe to be the world's oldest saxophone player, who also took the vocals for a few jazz standards. With the smooth jazz, the generous pile of lobster tails, and the steady, soft crashes of the ocean waves to accompany us, it is hard to complain about prices that are still mostly below what we'd pay on the prairies for anything comparable.
The ocean was the safest and most accessible we've seen because the beach is in a natural cove, and because a small island and rocky ledge provide for a breakwater (and scenic eye-candy!) just offshore. I woke up at five a.m. and watched the sunrise while the small village of Busua started to begin its work for the day. The small fishing village is pretty friendly, though I didn't venture too far at that time as I had read warnings about muggings and I like my camera. A couple of children who spoke no English, tagged along for my walk and insisted that I take pictures of them which, to be honest, I was happy to do because I'm quite shy about taking pictures of people here. It can often lead to conflict, an argument, or an intense negotiation.
There is a lot more to explore in the area and we have already vowed to return to explore the village, and the surrounding area on foot. One can walk to the next village and there are even a couple of old forts within hiking distance. Again, we have been advised to take a local guide, as this is one of the few areas in Ghana where robbery is said to be somewhat frequent. We also want to spend some time in the twin-cities of Takoradi and Sekondi, bustling market towns that we passed through along the way. There are supposed to be a few good restaurants in the area so we'll keep you posted when we return.
Before I close this entry, I have to give specific mention to the African Rainbow Resort, which sits just before the gate to where we stayed, and will likely be where we will stay next time. The co-owner and operator, a Canadian and former resident of Maidstone, Saskatchewan, has put together the sort of retreat that conjures up dreams of Casablanca, or an Ernest Hemingway novel (minus, of course, the bull-fighting, and misogyny), complete with a rooftop bar that must have one of the nicest views in Ghana. We went there specifically for the pizza and we were not disappointed, as the consensus was that it was the best pizza we have yet to have in Ghana. While I'm sure everything tastes better with a saltwater breeze in your nostrils, this pizza could have stood up against some of the best that Corydon Avenue and Little Italy have to offer.
There is no doubt that we will return (and soon!) to Busua Beach as we have covered many sandy spots along the Ghanaian coast, and this is the hands-down winner. We are thinking about staying at the African Rainbow, where we can get day passes for the pool area at BBR. I would not be at all surprised as this becomes a traditional Land family monthly excursion and it will be near the top of the list of "Things We Miss About Ghana" after we return to Canada. Of course sitting on a beach sipping a Star and being misted by ocean spray, while watching the children frolic in the ocean, does not turn one's mind to Canada very often, if at all.
As a former resident of Manitoba, "It's worth the trip!" always conjures images and jingles of Steinbach, the automobile city, but after a 500 km round trip to Busua Beach, along the west coast of Ghana, it will inevitably become the tag line for every conversation that I ever have about the beaches we have just returned from. I know I will have lost several Canadian readers (assuming that there are several to lose!) at this point with the mere mention of beaches in November. I say again, that you are more than welcome to join us here in Ghana, where it is forever summer! By any account that we have read, Busua Beach is the best, cleanest, most tame, and crowd-free beach in Ghana. I can honestly say that these accounts were completely true.
We spend the first hour or so of any trip simply getting out of Accra, and this trip was no exception, taking more than an hour and a half to escape the city. One or two wrong turns, some good ol' family tension, more than a half a dozen hours on the road, and we pulled into the Busua Beach Resort, which was to be the reward for our perseverance. While one does not have to stay at the resort to enjoy the beach, we could not resist the urge to enjoy all of the ammenities of an ocean-front suite with a view of the ocean. For a three-room suite (living room, bedroom, and small kitchen), it cost us a mere 125 Ghana cedis and this included a full English-African oceanside breakfast, use of the pools, playgrounds, and tennis courts, and access to one of the most incredible stretches of beach we've laid our toes and eyes on.
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