Accra accommodation: Rising Phoenix and photos

On this cloudy morning the only sunlight to break through shone a golden line over the horizon. You may just be able to see the glow.

On our recent trip to Accra we took these photos from the verandah of our room at The Rising Phoenix. The Rising Phoenix is the former Akuma Village that we refer to in Ghana Highlights Part 1 and which we've updated in the Insider's Guide to Ghana. For those living in Accra, Rising Phoenix will hold free yoga and meditation classes daily from 7 a.m. They also hold reggae nights on Fridays with a 5 GHC cover charge. And, they have an excellent vegetarian menu with Greek Salads ranging from 3.00 GHC and, for example, Ghanaian dishes with a twist: Jollof rice with tofu. It's very good value and the view is spectacular. It's also just a 5 minute walk to Kwame Nkrumah's mausoleum and the Cultural Centre and there is an excellent Vodaphone Internet Cafe directly behind.

Rooms sit on a cliff overlooking the ocean--the views from this photo--and cost between 20-30 GHC per night. A great budget option in the centre of Accra. We have this and plenty more in the new guide. Subscribe on the right if you would like to be updated upon the release. Discounts for the first 24 hours and a fun competition with prizes for travelers in Ghana.

When the sun finally broke through the clouds it cast a heavenly glow over the ocean and the fishermen pulling in their overnight haul.

Basket Day in Bolgatanga, Ghana

I took these photos on market day in Bolgatanga. Every third day, in rotation, basket makers come into town from outlying villages and sell their baskets to middle-men traders. Sometimes they may have only 2 or 3 baskets to sell, but this is enough to buy food for a few more days.

In the Insider's Guide to Ghana we outline a workshop you can do with women basket makers in a village just 5 minutes outside of town. Half-day and full-day workshops will include weaving and taking home your own basket, a village tour and experiencing a taste of life in northern Ghana. The workshop will cost 20 GHC for a full day and 15 GHC for half day, inclusive of finished basket--your gift. Look out for this and hundreds of other insider tips and off-the-beaten track attractions in the guide--coming soon!

Update: Insider's Guide to Ghana

We're cracking on the final legs now...

Here's a list of more of the stuff in the guide:

• The best hotels, in their price range, across the country, with a focus on those outside the mainstream and those that are lesser known, but excellent value for money.

• At least 3 transport options per regional capital with all departure times and prices, and a very detailed explanation of how they work.

• If you've ever traveled in Ghana you'll know that it's virtually impossible to get even one bus company's complete timetable, even when you visit them directly, let alone options for others to compare. This will give you total freedom to come and go at your convenience (we know there will still be issues, but this will take much of the planning hassle out of it) while traveling independently in Ghana.

• A printable map showing connections between major and smaller destinations across the country so you can plan and trace your own journeys without having to know anything about Ghana before you arrive--it's all there for you.

And loads more that we'll be updating over the next few days.