AllThingsBiola

Our World, Our Adventure, Our Story

Exploring Ghana: A Fun Journey of Making Friends as a Solo Traveler

Welcome back, travel friends! For the past few months, I’ve been living in Accra, Ghana. This is my first non-solo travel experience, and it has been such a blessing. I totally understand now why many people enjoy group trips or traveling with friends and family. Having someone else who knows the country you’re visiting is a refreshing change. It’s a relief to kick back and hear someone say, “I’ve got you.” 

Reconnecting with My Roots

For those who don’t know, I’m half Ghanaian and half Nigerian but was born and raised in the US. (So if you start talking to me in Ga,Twi,Hausa or Yoruba, or Even Pidgin… 🙃  these are foreign languages to me, and I blame my parents)

This trip was all about reconnecting with my family. I hadn’t seen my uncle and brother since I was a teenager, and now I’m 30! It was incredibly exciting to step out of the airport and hug them in the hot, humid heat of Ghana. That day was beautiful, but I’ve had many more beautiful days living here.

Embracing Ghana Time

While you might enjoy hearing about my family, I’m sure you’re curious about the activities and places I’ve explored. So, relax—we’re on “Ghana time” now! Ghana time is typically 1 to 2 hours past the scheduled time. My Western brain struggles with this, but the slower pace of life here is a constant reminder to slow down and be present.

Making Friends as a Solo Traveler

Even though this trip is my first non-solo experience, parts of it still feel like a solo adventure. Here are my tips for making friends as a solo traveler in Ghana:

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Join Facebook Groups: Find groups related to the country you’re visiting.
  2. Follow IG Event Pages: Look for event pages specific to the country.
  3. Stay at Hostels or Hotels: These places are hubs for meeting new people.
  4. Visit Co-working Spaces: Great for meeting other expats and travelers.
  5. Join Tour Groups: An excellent way to explore and meet people.
  6. Find Dance Communities: Salsa, Kizomba, and more.
  7. Join Yoga Communities: A relaxing way to meet like-minded people.
  8. Engage in Consistent Communities: Places where you can see the same people regularly.
  9. Join Expat WhatsApp Groups: A must for staying connected.

Using Facebook Groups

The first thing I usually do is join a Facebook group for the city or country I’m visiting. I know Facebook might seem outdated, but it’s incredibly useful for travel. I joined two Ghana groups last year. They aren’t very active, but you can still find a few interesting activities.

Finding Accommodation

While I’m not much help with finding accommodations, I recommend starting with a hotel. Hotels usually have generators and water tanks, which are crucial given the frequent power outages (known as “dumsor”) in Ghana. Accra is hot, so having reliable electricity and water is essential.

Two hotels I recommend that aren’t mainstream are:

– La Villa Boutique (Labone)

– Chateau Nana Willne Boutique Hotel (Tse Addo)

Discovering Events and Activities

Instagram and blogs are great resources for finding events and activities. Some IG pages that helped me navigate Accra include:

– accra.events

– accraevents.gh

– accra_events

– languagecafeaccra

The blog BeingChristinajane.com is fantastic for finding general activities in Accra, like yoga, art, and dancing.

Dance Nights in Accra

The first activity I attended was Salsa Night at Afrokiko on Wednesdays. I love dancing, even though I’m not the best at it. Salsa Night in Ghana is unique—they switch between salsa and line dancing, which was confusing at first. However, going with the flow in Accra saves mental energy. I had so much fun that I returned the following week. I also discovered Kizomba on Saturday nights in East Legon, which was exciting and nerve-wracking as I learned a new dance.

Dance Venues in Accra

Here are some places where you can dance Salsa or Kizomba:

– Salsa: La Borracha in Labone (Wednesday Nights)

– Salsa: Jamrock off Spintex (Sunday Nights)

– Kizomba: Marriott Hotel in Airport (Thursday Nights)

– Kizomba: Mensvic Hotel in East Legon (Saturday Nights)

Afrokiko is a great place to start meeting people in the dance communities on Wednesdays or Thursday nights.

Meeting People in Hostels

Hostels are fantastic for meeting new friends, as most people there are foreigners looking to connect. Many hostels in Accra are in the Labone and Osu areas.

I would again recommend Beingchristinajane blog page

Language Cafes and Yoga Classes

Attending a Twi Language Cafe was another great way to make friends. Twi is one of the local languages in Accra, and language meet-ups are perfect for meeting people and learning about the culture. Yoga classes are also wonderful for consistent interaction and making friends.

Yoga class with Blissyogaaccra

Expat WhatsApp Groups

Joining expat WhatsApp groups is a key step to truly settling in. These groups provide information on various activities and events, and often have community meet-ups.

Final Thoughts

The trick to making friends as a solo traveler is knowing your interests and where people consistently connect in that country. I find it easier to make friends with other expats or foreigners first. Making friends with locals often requires working, studying, or volunteering.

If you’re only visiting Ghana for a week, making friends might be challenging. Short trips are often best enjoyed with travel friends or loved ones. However, if you’re staying longer, you’ll find it easier to connect and engage in local activities.

Instagram and TikTok are incredibly helpful for finding food and activities. Panama taught me how to deep dive through IG accounts and explore the different food and activities the city offers, and Ghana has been no different. The longer you stay, the easier it is to find exciting things to do.

Check out this list of IG accounts I saved for food, clubs, or activities. Thanks for following my journey, and I hope these tips help you on your own adventures in Ghana!

Ghana IG Accounts I followed while in Ghana 

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation or financial incentives to these businesses.

As Always Thank You for Reading My World, My Vision, My Adventure! 

Don’t forget to Subscribe, Follow, and Like my Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram pages. Until next time Happy Traveling!

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