Nzulezo
Nzulezo is a world heritage listed remote stilt village in Western Ghana. Nzulezo was built over water for protection and safety during attacks in times of war. The main activities of its inhabitants is agriculture, while fishery plays a secondary role.
Understand
The lake is believed by the local population to protect against certain risks (e.g. a fire).
The name "Nzulezo" in the Nzema language means "water surface". The "Ewuture" maintained the waterways and transportation of goods and people. According to local legend, the village was built by a group of people from Oualata, a city in the ancient Ghana Empire and in present-day Mauritania, which came about from following a snail. The snail is therefore a totem and revered by the people of Nzulezo.
Get in
By boat
The village is located in the Amansuri wetland and accessible to the public by motorised canoe from the town of Beyin, on the coast about 40 kilometres east of the Ivorian border and 90km west of Takoradi.
Tickets (20 cedis) must be bought from the office. Life jackets are provided but parents may consider it wise to take their own for small children. At the beginning of the canoe journey, there is a modern, well-constructed cafe serving drinks, hot food, and European-style coffee. The canoe trip is 15 to 20 minutes in duration, and very scenic.
By 4-wheel drive
Nzulezo is about 7 hours' drive from Accra. To get there is one easy way because the road is very motorable.
Get around
The only way to access Nzulezo is by canoe.
See
Numerous canoes, each big enough to carry five adults, carry visitors through swamp and mangrove forest and across the Amansuri lake to the village every day.
Do
A local (probably your canoe captain) will take you on a tour of the village, enabling you to interact with the locals and observe them going about their day. After listening to the rich history of the village you will be asked for voluntary donations to support their school. The school's blackboards contain what look to be daily lessons, with the date written at the top of the blackboard.
Once at the village you are allowed to take photographs but not of the local people. If you want to do so please draw your tour guide's attention, who will then ask permission from the people. The locals are into craft making which they sell to the visitors as souvenirs. The people are very friendly so when you go there feel free to interact with them.
Buy
Village residents make a couple of different souvenirs that are available for purchase, the most common one being hand-carved mini-canoes 15 cm long. They also sell coconut oil, pure honey and herbal medicine.
Eat
Because they do not have a restaurant, eat at home boy spot in Beyin because their food is of higher quality than plenty of other basic places in Ghana. Unless you want something specific, there's no real need to bring your own food to Nzulezo.
Drink
The village has a small "spot" bar, which has beer, spirits, and soft drinks. The village is connected to electricity so cold beer is available.
Sleep
The village used to have a guest house but it closed. The old guest house is in total mess, so you stay there at your own risk. There are hotels and guest houses at the nearby town Beyin.
Go next
Back onto the canoe! There are tro tros (shared taxi vans) available from Beyin to Takoradi.