Attraction · Shama
Fort San Sebastian
Fort San Sebastian at Shama, Western Region, is a Portuguese fort of 1520–1526, later expanded by the Dutch and now a National Monument in Ghana's UNESCO-listed forts and castles.
Photo: Esthee2010 · Source
Explore Ghana
Things to do in Shama
Shama sits where the Pra River meets the Gulf of Guinea in Ghana's Western Region, and its six listed places share one thing: water. History arrived here by sea, and everyday life still revolves around the estuary, the shoreline and the fishing canoes drawn up on the sand. Fort San Sebastian, a Portuguese fort of 1520–1526 later expanded by the Dutch, is now a National Monument within Ghana's UNESCO-listed forts and castles, while the Cross in the Sea, or White Cross, stands in the water offshore and is linked to Portuguese arrival in 1471.
The places differ in mood and pace. Fort San Sebastian and the Cross in the Sea are for slow looking and quiet reflection. Anlo-Shama, a small fishing and farming community at the Pra River estuary, offers community tourism and a frank view of a coast facing severe erosion. The Pra River Estuary itself is a wide system of mangroves, salt marsh and swamp supporting a major fishery, and Prah River Golf Links, a private nine-hole course unveiled in 2009, adds easy family recreation to the mix.
Good to know
Before you go
Shama is a straightforward day out from the wider Western Region, but plan around the weather and the water. Coastal erosion affects parts of the shoreline, including around Anlo-Shama, so conditions and access can change; ask locally before setting out and treat the sea and estuary currents with respect. Heritage sites such as Fort San Sebastian and the Cross in the Sea are best visited with a local guide who can explain their Portuguese and Dutch history. Prah River Golf Links is a private course, so check in advance whether visitors are welcome and whether you need to book. Bring water, sun protection and cash, and allow unhurried time between stops.
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Places to explore
Attraction · Shama
Fort San Sebastian, Shama
Fort San Sebastian in Shama, Western Region, is a Portuguese-built fort of 1520–1526, now a National Monument and part of the UNESCO-listed Forts and Castles of Ghana.
Photo: Esthee2010 · Source
Attraction
Attraction · Shama
Anlo-Shama fishing community
Anlo-Shama (Anlo Beach) is a small fishing and farming community at the Pra River estuary in Ghana's Shama District, Western Region, facing severe coastal erosion.
Attraction
Attraction · Shama
Cross in the Sea (White Cross), Shama
The Cross in the Sea, or White Cross, is a historic cross monument standing in the sea off Shama in Ghana's Western Region, linked to Portuguese arrival in 1471.
Attraction
Attraction · Shama
Prah River Golf Links
Prah River Golf Links is a private nine-hole golf course at Shama in Ghana's Western Region, unveiled in 2009 as part of a wider Shama Beach Resort Limited recreation development.
Attraction
Attraction · Shama
Pra River Estuary (Pra Estuary), Shama
The Pra River Estuary is where the Pra River meets the Gulf of Guinea at Shama in Ghana's Western Region, a large mangrove, salt marsh and swamp system supporting a major fishery.