Attraction · Aburi
Aburi Botanical Gardens
Aburi Botanical Gardens is a 64.8-hectare botanical garden in Aburi, Eastern Region, Ghana, opened in March 1890 and known for its plant collections and recreation areas.
Photo: Nkansahrexford · Source
Explore Ghana
Things to do in Eastern Region
The Eastern Region packs a surprising range into a short journey from Accra. On the Akuapem Ridge, Aburi Botanical Gardens has welcomed visitors since March 1890, with plant collections, recreation areas and a hiking trail, while the nearby Aburi Craft Village offers an artisan market refurbished by GEPA in 2021. The ridge itself, the Aburi Mountain viewpoint, rises 350 to 500 metres above the town, bringing cooler weather and wide views towards Greater Accra.
Water and forest shape much of the region. At Atimpoku, the Adomi Bridge carries National Route N2 across the Volta as Ghana's first permanent river crossing and longest suspension bridge, close to the Akosombo Dam, which impounds Lake Volta. From Akosombo, Dodi World cruises aboard the three-deck MV Dodi Princess II sail to Dodi Island, roughly a two-hour trip with live band music and water sports.
Culture and community run through the rest. Koforidua has the Centre for National Culture, Jackson Park and the Thursday beads market in Gallaway, while Akim Oda, Akosombo and Bunso each keep their own market days. Elsewhere you find the Akonedi Shrine at Larteh, the Akwamu Gorge community forest and the palaces at Akwamufie and Akim Oda.
Good to know
Before you go
Many places here sit along the Accra to Kumasi highway, so a single trip can combine Aburi, Bunso and Akosombo, with Linda Dor Rest Stop at Bunso junction as a 24-hour highway stop. Elsewhere, plan around market days: Koforidua's beads market is weekly on Thursdays, Akim Oda and Akosombo markets trade mainly on Mondays and Thursdays. Some sites are reached by guided hike, including Umbrella Rock near Boti Falls and the Akwamu Gorge forest, and Dodi Island is reached by cruise boat from Akosombo. Before setting out, check current opening arrangements, tour and cruise schedules, and any local guidance or permissions for shrines, palaces and community forests, as these can change.
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Places to explore
Attraction · Aburi
Aburi Craft Village
Aburi Craft Village is an artisan market and craft centre near the Aburi Botanical Gardens in Ghana's Eastern Region, refurbished by GEPA in 2021.
Photo: Koby DDT · Source
Attraction · Atimpoku
Adomi Bridge
The Adomi Bridge is Ghana's first permanent Volta River crossing and longest suspension bridge, a steel crescent arch at Atimpoku on National Route N2.
Photo: Celestinesucess · Source
Attraction · Akosombo
Akosombo Dam
The Akosombo Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam on the Volta River in Ghana's Eastern Region, operated by the Volta River Authority and impounding Lake Volta.
Photo: Allison Stillwell at English Wikipedia · Source
Attraction · Bunso
Bunso Eco Park
Bunso Eco Park, formerly the Bunso Arboretum, is a forested ecotourism park and botanical garden at Bunso in Ghana's Eastern Region.
Photo: Roland Darko · Source
Attraction · Koforidua
Centre for National Culture, Eastern Region
The Eastern Regional office of Ghana's National Commission on Culture in Koforidua, with a craftshop, traditional training school and a reported 1,500-seat theatre.
Photo: Jude Hammond · Source
Attraction · Akosombo
Dodi Island
Dodi Island is an inhabited island in Lake Volta, Eastern Region, reached by a roughly two-hour cruise boat trip from Akosombo.
Photo: Hiroo Yamagata · Source
Attraction · Akosombo
Dodi World Cruise
Dodi World runs cruises on Lake Volta at Akosombo aboard the three-deck MV Dodi Princess II, sailing to Dodi Island with live band music and water sports.
Photo: Celestinesucess · Source
Attraction · Koforidua
Jackson Park
Jackson Park is a historic public park and community centre in central Koforidua, Eastern Region, redeveloped from 2021 with sports, event and civic facilities.
Photo: Nkansahrexford · Source
Attraction · Koforidua
Koforidua Beads Market
A weekly Thursday beads and crafts market in Koforidua's Gallaway neighbourhood, beside Jubilee Park, described by the local assembly as one of Africa's largest bead markets.
Photo: Warmglow · Source
Attraction · Bunso
Linda Dor Rest Stop
Linda Dor Rest Stop (Bunso Junction) is a long-established restaurant, hotel and 24-hour highway rest stop at Bunso junction on the Accra–Kumasi highway in the Eastern Region.
Photo: Harunaamadu95 · Source
Attraction · Opersika
Umbrella Rock
Umbrella Rock is a balancing rock formation near Boti Falls in Ghana's Eastern Region, reached mainly by a guided forest hike and known for its overhang and valley views.
Photo: ZSM · Source
Attraction
Attraction · Aburi
Aburi Forest Reserve
A protected forest area on the Akuapem Ridge at Aburi, Eastern Region, reported for birdlife and quiet trails, though sources conflate it with the adjacent Aburi Botanical Gardens.
Attraction
Attraction · Aburi
Aburi Mountain / Akuapem Ridge Viewpoint
A 350–500 m hill range above Aburi in Ghana's Eastern Region, known for panoramic viewpoints over Greater Accra, cooler weather and hiking routes.
Attraction
Attraction · Akim Oda
Akim Oda Market
Akim Oda Market (Kotoku Market Complex) is the central market of Akim Oda, Birim Central Municipality, Eastern Region, trading mainly in foodstuffs on Mondays and Thursdays.
Attraction
Attraction · Larteh
Akonedi Shrine, Larteh
The Akonedi Shrine is a traditional shrine and heritage site at Larteh Kubeasi in the Akuapem Hills, Eastern Region, dedicated chiefly to the female spirit Akonedi.
Attraction
Attraction · Akosombo
Akosombo Market
Akosombo Market is a market centre in Akosombo, Asuogyaman District, Eastern Region, trading yam, maize, cassava and vegetables, with main market days on Mondays and Thursdays.
Attraction
Attraction · Akwamufie
Akwamufie Palace
Akwamufie Palace (Bogyawe Palace) is the seat and official residence of the Akwamuhene at Akwamufie on the Volta River, Eastern Region, and houses a museum of Akwamu artefacts.
Attraction
Attraction · Akwamufie
Akwamu Gorge
A community-owned forest and hill in the Asuogyaman District, Eastern Region, guided-hike access to Volta Gorge views, primates and about 150 recorded bird species.
Attraction
Attraction · Akim Oda
Akyem Kotoku Palace
The Akyem Kotoku Palace at Akim Oda is the paramount palace and seat of the Omanhene, Oseadeeyo Dr. Frimpong Manso IV, in the Birim Central Municipal District, Eastern Region.
Attraction
Attraction · Akim Oda
Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area
Akyem Kotoku is an Akyem state of southern Ghana whose traditional capital and Omanhene's seat is Akim Oda, also the capital of Birim Central Municipal District.
Attraction
Attraction · Atibie
Atibie Palace
Traditional palace of the Atibiehene in Kwahu Atibie, Kwahu South District, and the recorded setting for the chief's oral history of the town's founding.
Attraction
Attraction · Atimpoku
Atimpoku Abolo Market
Atimpoku Abolo Market is a local market in Atimpoku, Asuogyaman District, Eastern Region, trading mainly in yam, fish, tomatoes, charcoal and cassava on Mondays and Thursdays.
Attraction
Attraction · New Tafo
Awansa Palace, Akyem Old Tafo
Awansa Palace is the traditional palace of the Omanhene of Akyem Tafo in Akyem Old Tafo, Eastern Region, Ghana, and a working seat of traditional authority.
Wider area
Closer in
More in Eastern Region
- Hotels in Eastern Region
- Resorts in Eastern Region
- Waterfalls in Eastern Region
- Boat trips in Eastern Region
- Hiking trails in Eastern Region
- Heritage sites in Eastern Region
- Rivers in Eastern Region
- Viewpoints in Eastern Region
- Lakes in Eastern Region
- Markets in Eastern Region
- Palaces in Eastern Region
- Craft centres in Eastern Region
- Islands in Eastern Region
- Mountains and hills in Eastern Region
- Museums in Eastern Region