Ada Foah

Ada Foah is a town on Ghana's southeast coast where the Volta River meets the Atlantic Ocean, known for palm-lined beaches and estuary islands. It is the capital of the Ada East District and a tourism centre with water sports, beaches, and boat cruises.

Don't miss

• Remains of Fort Kongenstein, an 18th-century Danish trading fort now half eroded into the sea
• Presbyterian Church built by the first generation of Ghanaian Christians, with an old missionary cemetery nearby
• Nkyinkyim installation by Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, featuring over 1,300 cement effigies representing those involved in the slave trade
• Songor Lagoon Protected Area, a Ramsar wetland site with salt deposits and bird migration activity
• Beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and Volta River, suitable for swimming, sailing, and fishing
• The Volta estuary, where river islands and palm-lined shores meet the Atlantic Ocean

Know before you go

• Ada Foah is located at the estuary of the Volta River and the Atlantic Ocean, offering both river and ocean activities.
• The river shore is mostly blocked by holiday chalets, as many people from Accra use the area as a weekend getaway.
• Only traces of Fort Kongenstein remain because the shoreline has eroded much of the structure into the sea.
• The Nkyinkyim installation at Nuhalenya Ada contains more than 1,300 cement effigies connected to the history of the slave trade.

A bit of history

Danish colonialism began in the 16th century, with a trading post established in 1775. Fort Kongenstein was built by the Danes in 1783 and used in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The fort was purchased by the English in 1850. Only traces remain, as it is half eroded and washing into the sea. British colonial rule was imposed at the end of the 19th century. Ada became a major slave trade market, later trading palm oil, palm kernels, and rubber. Its location at the estuary allowed quick transportation along the Volta River. The town lost importance with the cocoa industry and the construction of the Akosombo dam in 1965.