Keta Lagoon

Keta Lagoon, also called the Anlo-Keta lagoon, is the largest lagoon in Ghana and the centrepiece of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site. It lies on Ghana's eastern coast in the Volta Region, in Keta Municipal District, separated from the Gulf of Guinea by a narrow sandbar. The open brackish water is bordered by flood plains and mangrove swamps; together these form a Ramsar site with a management area of about 1,200 km², while the lagoon's water area is roughly 300 km². Rivers including the Aka, the Tordzi and the Belikpa stream drain in from the north, and sea water enters seasonally at high tide.

The lagoon was designated a Wetland of International Importance in 1992 — Ghana's first Ramsar site — and is managed by the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission under a multiple-use approach with significant local participation. The site protects thousands of migratory birds, mangrove forest and sea turtle breeding grounds, and its small islands are noted as points of interest for ornithologists and bird watchers.

For visitors, bird watching is the documented activity. The Ghana Wildlife Society and Ghana Tourism Authority recognise it as a service of the lagoon, with the Afiadenyigba, Fiahor, Woe, Tegbi and Adina communities identified as the main waterbird areas. The Forestry Commission lists bird watching as the site activity and states the site is "yet to be developed to receive tourists"; no formal visitor amenities are documented. Secondary sources mention birdwatching viewing points along the lagoon shores, boat trips across the lagoon using locally hired fishermen, and basic accommodation in Keta town, with guided birdwatching visits arrangeable through the Ghana Wildlife Society. Infrastructure for significant visitor numbers remains limited.

The lagoon is fringed by settlements including Keta, Anloga, Woe, Kedzi, Anyako, Anlo Afiadenyigba, Denu and Adina, and lies about 140 km east-northeast of Accra, east of the Volta estuary. Published coordinates differ slightly between sources, and the recorded coordinates describe the feature rather than a visitor entrance. Opening hours, fees and formal access arrangements are not documented in the available evidence, so visitors should confirm arrangements locally before travelling.