Locals think that Kumasi's past and traditions will last forever, and it looks like they are right. The city is full of historical sites, making it a popular place for tourists from all over the world to visit. If Kumasi is on your list of places to visit, here are the best things to do there.
Kumasi is a famous city in southern Ghana. It is in the Ashanti Region, which is less than 500 miles north of the Equator. Kumasi, which is often called "The Garden City" and is the culture capital of Ghana, is a place that everyone who visits the country should check out. Not only are cultural highlights among the best things to do in Kumasi, Ghana, but so are special foods, attractions, and parts of daily life.
Even though Kumasi is Ghana's most culturally interesting city, tourists often overlook it. If you don't go to Kumasi, you won't get to see the beautiful masks and carvings made by the city's artists and handicraft sellers.
Mrpocu.com has put together a list of things to do in Kumasi in this piece. from going to historical sites and having fun at night.
Activities in Kumasi
Go to the Manhyia Palace Museum.
When Prempeh I came back from living in exile in the Seychelles in 1925, the British government built him a house called the Manhyia Palace. Both Prempeh I and Prempeh II lived there until the early 1970s. The Asantehene's Palace is now home to the Manhyia Palace Museum, which opened in 1995 to show off the residence's original furniture and royal treasures, such as Asanteman's first TV and wax figures of different Ashanti kings and queens. Aside from the museum's collection, the building is a great example of traditional Ashanti construction from the turn of the century. About a million people visit the house every year.
Activities in Kumasi
Take a look around the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum
The National Cultural Centre is home to the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, which tells the story of the Asante Kingdom, which was one of the most powerful and wealthy states in Africa in the 18th century.
The small museum has things that have to do with the Asante people and their royal family. Some of the most interesting things are Asante King Prempeh II's war and ceremonial clothes, palace furniture, jewelry, and royal symbols. There is also a copy of the Golden Stool, which was the actual seat of power in the Asante Kingdom and the thing that led to the final fight between the British Empire and the Asante Empire.
A 300-year-old leather treasure bag given to the king by a fetish priest is also on display. No one knows what's inside because local legend says that opening the bag would cause the Asante country to fall apart. The whole collection is on show in a 19th-century Asante regalia house that looks like a copy.
Activities in Kumasi
Buy things at Kejetia Market
Even though you can go to the Kejetia Market on your own and feel pretty safe doing so, getting a helper who can explain some of the trade goods and help you haggle for purchases will make the trip more enjoyable.
Kejetia Market is the heart of Kumasi's economy. It is the biggest open-air market in all of West Africa. Every day, more than 12,000 shops open to sell food, clothes, handmade glass beads, souvenirs, Ashanti sandals, fabric, and other things you didn't know you needed until you saw them.
Kejetia Market is a busy place for locals to shop, and when tourists come, they often become the center of attention. A trip to the market is still one of the best ways to get a taste of real Ghana, despite (or maybe because of) the crowds, shoving, noise, and explosion of color at every turn.
Activities in Kumasi
Inside the Kumasi Fort and Military Museum, you can listen to history.
In 1820, Ashanti king Osei Tutu Kwamina built the Kumasi Fort in the style of forts built by European traders in Africa. After the British destroyed it in 1874, the fort was rebuilt from scratch in 1897. During World War II, the British government took over the fort and turned it into a museum.
The Kumasi Fort and Military Museum now has a collection of British-Ashanti war and World War II weapons, medals, pictures, anti-aircraft guns, and other things. Guided walks of the museum try to bring Ghana's famous military history to life by going into detail about the country's long and sometimes troubled relationship with the United Kingdom.
Activities in Kumasi
Spending Time at Lake Bosumtwi
Lake Bosumtwi is Ghana's only natural lake. It was made when a meteorite hit a hole about 17 miles (27 kilometers) southeast of Kumasi, and now dozens of small towns have grown up around it. Since the 1970s, people have gone to the lake for fun because the water is calm and safe to swim in. Due to the lack of surface exits, the water level has steadily grown over the years, and settlements on the lake's banks have had to move up the slopes from time to time.
Traditional Ashanti views say that the ghosts of the dead come to Lake Bosumtwi to say goodbye to the god Twi. Metal can't touch the water because it is thought to be sacred, so locals can only fish in the lake with huge boards of wood.
At Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary, you can see birds.
When you are in Ghana, go to the Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary west of Kumasi to get a taste of the African jungle. A 13-square-kilometer (five-square-mile) area of secondary forest surrounds a big reservoir. This area is home to a lot of wildlife, including 160 species of birds. Many of the sanctuary's animal species, like antelope, are shy and hard to see, but monkeys are often seen.
The refuge is important to history because Kumasi's water comes from its reservoir, which was made when the Barekese Dam was built in 1971.
The refuge is a great place to get away from the busyness of Kumasi, whether you want to see wildlife, enjoy the scenery, or see where the water for Kumasi comes from.
Bantama High Street has a lot going on at night.
Ghana's second-busiest city, Kumasi, has a thriving nightlife scene. Bantama High Street is one of the best places to watch people on the weekend or have a drink after dark. This part of the road is very busy from Thursday to Sunday, when open-air bars serving drinks and kebabs are set up.
Even though it's not a fancy place to go out at night (plastic chairs and tables are set up on the sidewalk), it's a fun and laid-back place to have a drink and enjoy the Ghanaian evening vibe.
The National Culture Center of Kumasi
Go to the Center for National Culture in Kumasi.
The Kejetia Market in Kumasi is about a five-minute walk from the Center for National Culture. The complex, which opened in 1952 as one of the first cultural centers in Sub-Saharan Africa, gives guests to Ghana a good crash course in Ashanti culture.
Start by going to the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum. It has a collection of historical items and memorabilia, such as King Prempeh II's war costume, old brass weights used for trading gold, and a 300-year-old treasure bag, which all help to tell the story of Ashanti.
Visitors to the Craft Centre can watch artists use traditional methods to make kente cloth, brass items, and ceramics. Many of these things can be bought at a nearby gift shop for a reasonable price.
Sanctuary for monkeys in Boabeng Fiema
Visit the monkey sanctuary at Boabeng Fiema.
Around 700 monkeys, like the black-and-white Geoffrey's Colobus Monkey and the Campbell's Mona Monkey, live in this beautiful haven. Even though they are not native to the area, other species like the Patas and Dinah Monkey are often seen. The monkeys are cared for and respected in the nearby towns, so they are used to being fed and talking to. A local legend from the 1800s tells of a shooter who was told to protect the monkeys and whose luck got better as the number of monkeys grew. In keeping with this idea, the site also has a cemetery where priestesses and monkeys are buried together to show how sacred they are.
Forest Reserve of Bobiri
Look around the Bobiri Forest Reserve.
This is the only butterfly refuge in West Africa, and it is home to 400 different kinds of butterflies. The building has an arboretum, hiking trails through the woods, housing, and guide services. It is in the middle of a bush that hasn't been touched, and it's far from where most people go. This place is great for nature lovers who want to get away from the busy city. It has a lot of different kinds of trees that make a cool canopy cover.
Activities in Kumasi
Go to View Bar and Grill to eat.
Their grilled chicken and fried rice haven't changed since they moved to Kumasi. View is the first restaurant, bar, and lounge in Kumasi that is all about style. View bar and grill has great food from all over the world, a modern atmosphere, and great service. It's one of the most Instagrammable places to eat dinner in Kumasi. It's also one of the best places to eat for a great break.
Activities in Kumasi
Go to Momo's pool and bar to hang out.
At Momo's pool bar, your dinner isn't complete (lol) if you don't get served by the pool. If you're in Kumasi and want to have fun all day, this is where you should go. Bring the family along for a nice late-Sunday trip; they'll have a great time.
Go to Noble House Restaurant to eat.
Noble is the best place to try local and Asian food, as well as African-Asian food. It's like you've gone back to your home country in Asia. The restaurant offers many different kinds of Asian food, such as Chinese and Indian. The place has a nice atmosphere and prices that won't break your budget. Noble is not only a restaurant, but also one of the best motels and restaurants in Kumasi.
Places to visit in Ghana
The Okomfo Anokye Sword Museum is worth a visit.
Okomfo Anokye is the best fetish priest in history. He has a 333-year-old sword stuck in the side of a rock. In the long past of the Asante nation, the sword museum is one of the most important things and stories. Since then, no one has been able to get rid of it. On the grounds is the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. When you go to the sword site, you can learn a lot about how the Ashanti Kingdom got started. The historic spot has been kept safe for people who come after us. At this famous place, people remember the Legendary Okomfo Anokye Sword.
The park is in Kumasi.
Picnic in Kumasi Rattray Park
The Rattray area is Ghana's biggest and most modern amusement park in terms of technology. The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly built the park so that Kumasi could once again be known as the Garden City of West Africa. It was opened by John Mahama, the former president of Ghana, and Otumfuo Osei Tutu, the king of Kumasi. It is one of the places in Kumasi that look good on Instagram.
