Elmina Castle

Elmina became the center of Portuguese trade on the Gold Coast in gold and, later, slaves. The castle became a depot from which enslaved Africans from the interior were sold and shipped to Brazil and other Portuguese colonies. In the 16th century, the Dutch, the British, and the French took an increasing interest in the West African coast, and the Dutch attacked Elmina several times. In 1637 they successfully bombarded the castle into submission, and Elmina then became the main Dutch Gold Coast center. The Dutch greatly enlarged and strengthened the Portuguese castle in the 1770s, and they converted the chapel for use in staging slave auctions. The dungeons, where as many as 200 slaves at a time were held before shipment, can still be seen. However, in 1815, the Netherlands outlawed the slave trade. The Gold Coast, including Elmina, became a British colony in 1872.

Kakum National Park

Kakum National Park, located in the coastal environs of the Central Region of Ghana, covers an area of 375 square kilometres (145 sq mi). Established in 1931 as a reserve, it was gazetted as a national park only in 1992 after an initial survey of avifauna was conducted. The area is covered with tropical forest. The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that it was established at the initiative of the local people and not by the State Department of wildlife who are responsible for wildlife preservation in Ghana. It is one of only 3 locations in Africa with a canopy walkway, which is 350 meters (1,150 ft) long and connects seven tree tops which provides access to the forest.