Beaches & Islands in Sierra Leone
Tasso Island
This tiny island was virtually unknown before 2017, when an ecotourism camp was opened. Nowadays, it’s one of Sierra Leone’s premier ecotourism destinations, and an easy day trip from Freetown.
Lakka Beach
Lakka Beach is a wonderful option for a quick getaway from Freetown, if you don’t want to travel too far but still want to escape the crowds. This beach has striking golden sand surrounded by trees, a few good swimming spots and an island that can be reached on foot.
Turtle Islands
White, shimmering sand, palm-fringed beaches, clear aquamarine water, and a true castaway atmosphere – yes, the Turtle Islands are the tropical paradise you were looking for. The Turtle Islands are the ideal location to get away from it all, spending a few days between sea and sand.
Sherbro Island and Bonthe
Relax and slow down in Sherbro Island, best known for its coastal town Bonthe, once a bustling shipping port settled by freed enslaved people. Absorb its decadent atmosphere, with the remains of colonial buildings and Krio board houses, learn about history and enjoy home-cooked meals.
Kent Beach
Most travellers head to Kent to hop on a boat to the Banana Islands, but it’s worth stopping to check out Kent beach, a crescent of fine sand with calm waters surrounded by vegetation – perfect for a swim before or after making your way across.
John Obey Beach
Are you looking for a pristine beach with very few people, not too far from Freetown? Well, John Obey might just be the place for you. The beach is close to a river estuary creating a lagoon, offering easier swimming conditions compared to the ocean.
Black Johnson Beach
This pristine black sand beach is located in the central part of the Freetown Peninsula, where water from the Whale River flows through the rainforest into the sea. Palm trees and rainforest all around complete the picture-perfect image of stunning Black Johnson beach.
Tokeh Beach
With sparkling white sand, palms in the background and shining turquoise waters, Tokeh Beach is as close to ‘picture perfect’ as you get. This beach on the Freetown Peninsula is also home to two of the best beach resorts in Sierra Leone, making it perfect for a weekend getaway from Freetown.
Bureh Beach
A favourite of surfers ever since the 1990s, Bureh beach is a 4 km crescent of golden sand surrounded by forest and with great waves thanks to the regular winds. The beach is named after Bai Bureh, a village chief and independence leader who led the Hut Tax rebellion against the British colonizers.
Aberdeen Beach
Located just north of Lumley Beach, Aberdeen Beach is famous for its upscale hotels and restaurants, and for being the easiest place to escape the hustle and bustle of Lumley while staying in Freetown.
River No. 2 Beach
A world away from the Freetown traffic, River No.2 is a little corner of paradise, a white powdery beach fringed by palm trees, where the emerald waters of a river meet the turquoise Atlantic Ocean. It’s a place to get away from it all for a couple of days, eating with your feet in the sand and staying right on the beach at River No.2 guesthouse, run by the local community.
York Beach
Combine culture, history and wildlife with beach time on a visit to York Beach, close to the town of the same name in the central part of the Freetown Peninsula. Learn about Krio culture and the legacy of the slave trade, and marvel at humpback whales during the yearly migration.
Lumley Beach
Lumley is the main urban beach in the capital, located in the northernmost part of the Freetown Peninsula. The beach especially comes alive during weekends, when locals visit to go swimming, jogging, play beach volleyball or just spend time on the beach. It’s also a popular nightlife destination, with many restaurants and beach bars.
Bunce Island
Visit the remains of the largest slave fort in Sierra Leone, where thousands of enslaved Africans saw their homeland for the last time before being shipped off to the Americas. See how nature is slowly reclaiming what men built, with vegetation covering the ruins of
buildings.
