Ghana's a cool cat
Thursday, February 22, 2018 METRO 37
News | Deals | Round-ups
New nightclubs, a restaurant boom and Black Panther fashion haunts mean Accra is on the up, says Richard Mellor
D
espite being safe, politically stable, largely English-speaking and located in the Greenwich Mean Time zone – meaning no jetlag – Ghana is rarely floated as a holiday option. Ditto energetic capital Accra, one of West Africa’s coolest cities. The fashion, art and clubbing scenes are superb here – so too is the gastronomy. ‘There’s never been a better time to eat in Accra,’ cheered the Daily Guide Africa recently, citing a glut of new restaurants catering to the city’s growing middle class. Newest is the Northern Bazaar café (Commodore Street), staunchly serving local eats such as bowls of ‘wasa wasa’, yampeel crisps. Barely a year old and located near the airport is a swanky rooftop club by British nightlife entrepreneur Nick House. Carbon promises cool cocktails and forms part of Yolo (You Only Live Once) Experiences
Escape Escape Escape Escape
Hit the slopes Accra attractions: The market, the Tea Baa in seaside Osu (top) and Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther, whose costumes were inspired by Accra
Ghana’s a cool cat (yoloxperiences.com), whose Accra empire spans restaurants including acclaimed Japanese joint Santoku. At the Alliance Française d’Accra (afaccra.org), millennials gather after dark for concerts. By day, the same crowd are at Tea Baa (instagram.com/ teabaagh) in seaside Osu, sipping iced tea as they work on laptops. One creative associated with Accra is Ruth Carter, costume designer for
Black Panther. She has named the city’s textile dealers as an inspiration for the hit film’s eclectic garb. Among the best clothes shops is womenswear specialist Elle Lokko (ellelokko.com). Another tip is the seafront Art Centre, says Marian Thompson from Urban Adventures, which offers day tours (from £28, urbanadventures.com). ‘It’s an incredible place in which you can find fabrics, carvings, baskets,
bags and rugs to take home,’ she says. Nearby is arts institution ANO’s new space (anoghana.org), devoted to contemporary works. The Kempinski Hotel is the city’s fanciest address (doubles from £215, kempinski.com), while for something more boutique try the Olma Colonial Suites, a flower-ringed haven also in Osu (doubles from £108, olmacolonialsuites.com).
If the Winter Olympics have you yearning for some South Korean snow-based action, sign up to a tour of the Games’ slopes. Yongpyong, Alpensia and Phoenix Park resorts are all located in Pyeongchang county and can be explored on a seven-night trip with Ski Safari, which includes five nights at the three-star Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong resort, a spot that is partial to night skiing and has a slope named Gold Fantastic. There’s not much happening between the resorts but you can get a flavour of backcountry life in the town of Daegwallyeongmyeon. The trip includes two nights in exciting Seoul too. £1,460 per person, including international flights, travelling in March, skisafari.com
News | Deals | Round-ups
New nightclubs, a restaurant boom and Black Panther fashion haunts mean Accra is on the up, says Richard Mellor
D
espite being safe, politically stable, largely English-speaking and located in the Greenwich Mean Time zone – meaning no jetlag – Ghana is rarely floated as a holiday option. Ditto energetic capital Accra, one of West Africa’s coolest cities. The fashion, art and clubbing scenes are superb here – so too is the gastronomy. ‘There’s never been a better time to eat in Accra,’ cheered the Daily Guide Africa recently, citing a glut of new restaurants catering to the city’s growing middle class. Newest is the Northern Bazaar café (Commodore Street), staunchly serving local eats such as bowls of ‘wasa wasa’, yampeel crisps. Barely a year old and located near the airport is a swanky rooftop club by British nightlife entrepreneur Nick House. Carbon promises cool cocktails and forms part of Yolo (You Only Live Once) Experiences
Escape Escape Escape Escape
Hit the slopes Accra attractions: The market, the Tea Baa in seaside Osu (top) and Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther, whose costumes were inspired by Accra
Ghana’s a cool cat (yoloxperiences.com), whose Accra empire spans restaurants including acclaimed Japanese joint Santoku. At the Alliance Française d’Accra (afaccra.org), millennials gather after dark for concerts. By day, the same crowd are at Tea Baa (instagram.com/ teabaagh) in seaside Osu, sipping iced tea as they work on laptops. One creative associated with Accra is Ruth Carter, costume designer for
Black Panther. She has named the city’s textile dealers as an inspiration for the hit film’s eclectic garb. Among the best clothes shops is womenswear specialist Elle Lokko (ellelokko.com). Another tip is the seafront Art Centre, says Marian Thompson from Urban Adventures, which offers day tours (from £28, urbanadventures.com). ‘It’s an incredible place in which you can find fabrics, carvings, baskets,
bags and rugs to take home,’ she says. Nearby is arts institution ANO’s new space (anoghana.org), devoted to contemporary works. The Kempinski Hotel is the city’s fanciest address (doubles from £215, kempinski.com), while for something more boutique try the Olma Colonial Suites, a flower-ringed haven also in Osu (doubles from £108, olmacolonialsuites.com).
If the Winter Olympics have you yearning for some South Korean snow-based action, sign up to a tour of the Games’ slopes. Yongpyong, Alpensia and Phoenix Park resorts are all located in Pyeongchang county and can be explored on a seven-night trip with Ski Safari, which includes five nights at the three-star Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong resort, a spot that is partial to night skiing and has a slope named Gold Fantastic. There’s not much happening between the resorts but you can get a flavour of backcountry life in the town of Daegwallyeongmyeon. The trip includes two nights in exciting Seoul too. £1,460 per person, including international flights, travelling in March, skisafari.com
