ODO VALLEY

From the beach, a short footpath (on the right just after the old Busua iron bridge) takes you in five minutes to Odo Valley, a tropical valley in the process of reforestation. Some years ago, a Frenchman with a love of nature and a familiarity with Ghana decided to restore the original forest to its former glory by giving endemic species, once replaced by an oil palm plantation, a chance to grow again. Today, cocoa, ylang-ylang, black pepper and passion fruit planted according to agroforestry principles thrive in harmony alongside local species essential to biodiversity. On site, you'll find a small farm with free-ranging animals, an artists' residence housed in a tower whose top floor overlooks the canopy and the beach in the distance, an aromatic and medicinal botanical garden, hammocks in the shade and a restaurant (booking required) where you can savour authentic Ghanaian dishes prepared in the large kitchen using produce from the garden or the local market. At the heart of the site, a large octagonal wooden space topped with a straw roof welcomes visitors who come to relax or work in the heart of nature, thanks to a good Internet connection while sipping a sparkling homemade hibiscus-based drink. Workshops are also on offer: woodworking, pottery, distillation of artisanal alcohol and essential oils. In short, a rare, committed, lively place, not to be missed if you're passing through Busua.