The Banana Islands are the number one tourist attraction in Sierra Leone, praised for its many activities and beauty. Apart from the tropical allure, the three little islands are loaded with a painful history, framed by swaying palm trees, villagers enjoying their palmwine, and the sound of eternal waves. From Kent, about 1 hour from […]
When mentioning Sierra Leone, some might immediately think of the civil war, the Ebola virus outbreak, collapsing mountains and sad children with round eyes and even rounder bellies. All of this is/was true- let’s not act as though Sierra Leone isn’t one of the poorest countries in the world. But what I want to convey […]
One of the most mesmerizing experiences you can have in Sierra Leone is spending a couple of nights at the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary. Rise with the sun, learn about the forests’ many medicinal plants, swim in the river and completely detach from the stresses of daily modern life on this uninhabited tropical island.
Bo is the second city in Sierra Leone, and home to the Mende, the largest tribe in Sierra Leone. It is quieter, cleaner, more tranquil and hotter than Freetown, with less options in terms of lodging and eating. At a first glance, Bo seems more like a large town with not much going on. But […]
Waterloo normally has no spot on the tourist map. The most attention it gets is as a town where you pass through on your way to Bureh beach or Kent. However, there is a true hidden gem in this seemingly unadventurous town; the Ategbeh Garden. With cultural workshops and eco-lodges built with local materials, this […]
Most people know of the remnants of Sierra Leone’s colonial history on Bunce Island and Banana Island. But you don’t have to step on a boat to experience the rich cultural history of the country. Freetown in itself has plenty of historical sites that you can visit, such as the Cotton Tree, Wilberforce and the […]
How safe is Sierra Leone? An insider’s perspective It is baffling that still, 16 years after the war ended, the most common response I get when I say I live in Sierra Leone is: “Sierra Leone? That must be intense, it is very dangerous, right?” Wrong. Having travelled extensively through Europe, Asia and Northern America, […]
Sierra Leone is known by tourists for astonishing beaches, Freetown madness and tropical islands. But there is much more to Sierra Leone than just the coast; the provinces, also called up line and up country, are a great place to visit and explore. One of the cities that is both easy and interesting to visit […]
To most people civil war, ebola, poverty, or pot-belly kids with hungry eyes come to mind when they think of Sierra Leone. Of course, this is a very one-dimensional view of the country. In fact, Sierra Leone is very safe and an amazing country to visit. It is far from touristy and assures a unique […]
River No. 2 “Ecotourism is the echo of the waves, the echo of the birds in the mangroves, the echo from the mountains. Come and explore our white sand beach, turquoise waters and view of the Banana and Plantain islands not far from the shore.” Mr. Barrie, representative of the N.D.A. Its name might be […]
