Labadi Beach on a Sunday: horses, highlife and grilled tilapia
Greater Accra
Photos3
Photos: Ghassan Mroue and Cca Raheem / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 / CC BY 4.0)
Accra’s busiest and most sociable stretch of sand, run by the La traditional council and best visited at the weekend.
La Pleasure Beach, known to everyone as Labadi, is the capital’s public beach and the easiest introduction to how Accra spends its weekends. Horse owners walk the sand, drummers set up near the entrance and bands play highlife and reggae into the evening.
Food stalls grill tilapia and banku along the back of the beach, and the hotels at either end sell day passes with quieter sun loungers for visitors who want them.
The Atlantic here has a strong undertow. Swim only in the patrolled area near the lifeguard stand and never after dark.
Quick facts
- Region
- Greater Accra
- Location
- La, 8 km east of central Accra
- Opening hours
- Daily, 6:00 to 22:00
- Entrance
- Gate fee collected by the La council
- Best time
- Sunday afternoon
What to see
- Weekend live highlife bands and drumming circles
- Horse rides along the shoreline
- Grilled tilapia with banku and shito from the beach stalls
- Sunday afternoon, the busiest and best time to visit
Getting there
- Fifteen to thirty minutes by taxi or ride-hailing app from central Accra.
- Trotros along the Labadi road drop passengers at the beach junction.
Get directions
Visitor tips
- Keep valuables with you and use the paid lockers at the hotels.
- Agree horse and photograph prices before, not after.
