Accra Shopping

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Koala shopping mall in the Osu district of Accra is mentioned several times on the web. Actually it's nothing there for tourists besides of beeing an exclusive mall for the rich middle class. This shop is more expensive than other places.

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Africa is a big market for second hand mobile phones and cheap China copies. Ghana and Accra is not an exception. Some streets in the city are packed with shops and stalls where you can buy phones, decode, unlock, flash or repair them. And the prices are really cheap.

What to buy: Second hand mobile phones and cheap China copies.

What to pay: From 75 USD for a new phone

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There are a lot of streetsellers in Accra. When the cars stop at red light or in queue many of them rush to the cars to sell their items. Even though the salesmen doesn't work together, it looks like they collaborate. Ask the seller if you need a special item he doesn't have and he will shout for another seller who got it. I didn't see one any cheating among them. They give you back the change if you don't have the exact amount.

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Kaneshie Market is the second largest marked in Accra. The marked is mainly inside a large, yellow warehouse build in the 1970's. But the pavement outside is all occupied by market women. It is a hectic place of vendors, like Makola Market. The goods sold here are mostly for household use.

What to buy: Second hand clothes, shoes, all kinds of metall works, food of all flavors.

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Makola Market is Accra's central market, located close to Tema Tro-tro station. You can enter the market from all sides, but the place seams to have a main entrance where you see the signboard of Makola Market. The signboard Lonely planet says doesn't exist in their guidebook. The market is a hectic, almost choatic place of vendors and hawkers. The goods sold here are mostly for household use.

What to buy: Second hand clothes, shoes, all kinds of metall works, food of all flavors.

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Kwame Nkrumah Circle station is a central point in Accra, and the outdoor market and stalls follow the pathway from the station. Hundreds of vendors gather every day to sell their homemade foods to the travelers.

I guess every modern city needs one and Accra is no exception. There is not a lot here as this place tends to cater to well to do locals and expats. We went in here looking for some warm cloths since it was snowing in NYC and we did not bring anything heavy with us on the trip.

What to buy: It has the usual chain stores where you can get everything from a Nike shirt to an iPod. There is a book store with used and new books as well as a decent food court. If you need to kill some time in Accra then head over here. It is 5 min from the airport...sits on the edge of it.

What to pay: There are no deals here

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At the Centre of National Culture also known as Arts Centre in Accra you can find hundreds of stalls and small shops, which sell all kind of artisan goods from all over the Ghana. You can find wooden carvings, masks, beads, brass work, leather work, cloth, drums, but also African music and paintings, made by local artists.

Louis Zeboah Kofi, a rasta-boy I met at Akuma Village invited me in his Powerful Drums (work)shop. He and his friends showed me all kind of drums and other music instruments, especially by playing them.