The most exciting place to visit in Africa is now an extraordinary nation better known for tragic headlines than tourist attraction: Welcome to a shiny new Sierra Leone.
Now, free of Ebola and more than two decades after the end of a devastating civil war, Sweet Salone (the local nickname) is once again ready to welcome travelers to its golden, pebble-strewn shores.
It’s offering a new solar-powered airport (the first fully green terminal in all of West Africa), relaxed visa restrictions and the kind of authentic cultural experiences that can be challenging to find in more crowded destinations with mainland people.
A surprise champion of Sierra Leone’s tourism push? Actor Idris Elba (yes, that “Sexiest Man Alive”) whose father was born in Salone and became a citizen himself in 2019. The charismatic star has spoken of wanting to “rebrand” the West African country and his it stands for the word. Elba is building a sustainable smart city on Sherbro Island with his business partner Siaka Stevens, the nephew of the former Sierra Leonean president of the same name.
The project will develop the rural island, which is the size of Chicago and is currently home to about 40,000 people, and will bring wind-powered electricity to the country for the first time. Current plans include a resort and ecotourism experiences nestled alongside Sherbro’s 50 miles of palm-fringed beaches, vibrant Krio homestead villages, and mangrove forests—an essential habitat for West Africa’s endangered giant tarpon and manatee.
Last February, I visited Sherbro to stay at Bonthe Holiday Village, after a shocking tour of its more famous neighbor, Bunce Island, the largest British slave stronghold on West Africa’s Rice Coast.
Named by some experts as the most important historical site in Africa for the United States, it is where Gen. Colin Powell, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was inspired to say: “I am an American… But today, I am something more. I am also African. I feel my roots here on this continent .”
The crumbling ruins, many lost in the claustrophobic grasp of the great branches, are an essential stop for any traveler.
Sierra Leone’s tragic past lives on, yet these events also inform the resilient and emotionally generous nation that Salone has become.
Today. Sierra Leone feels safe, youthful, optimistic and above all friendly.
This enthusiasm is evident in the work of Maryann Kaikai, the fashion designer behind Mrs Wokie, whose kaleidoscopic, wildly cheery dresses have been worn by Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and Gabourey Sidibe.
More good vibes can be found with West African champion surfer Kadiatu “KK” Kamara at Bureh Beach Surf Club on an idyllic stretch of sand that wouldn’t be out of place in the Maldives.
Another critical point: endangered western chimpanzees are being rescued from conservationist Bala Amarasekaran’s Tacugama Sanctuary.
Elsewhere, the country’s first real restaurant, Cole Street, founded by human rights lawyer Chef Miatta Marke, is creating fresh dishes that honor the country’s new taste.
Meet them all in Sierra Leone, a corner of Africa that offers adventure with a warm welcome.
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Image Source : nypost.com