Nzulezu is a unique community built on stilts in Lake Tadane. It is home to hundreds of people and includes a school, church and main street. To the amazement of visitors, villagers carry on daily life as if they don’t live on stilts.
But a visit to this site offers much more. The one-hour dugout canoe trip from the Beyin visitor centre to Nzulezu passes through a pristine series of marshes, swamp forest (the largest stand left in Ghana) and open pools rich with wildlife, including crocodiles, egret, heron and kingfishers. This natural area has been designated as an Important Bird Area based on criteria from Birdlife International.
In addition, the beach adjacent to the visitor centre is the site of a sea turtle conservation project in cooperation with the Ghana Wildlife Society. The project seeks to protect three endangered turtle species that nest on the beach. Evening tours are offered to see the massive turtles laying eggs and their tiny hatchlings making their way to the sea.
When To Visit
More birds and monkeys are seen on the canoe trip to Nzulezu during the rainy season (May 15 through August) and you can canoe the entire way, versus walking the first 1 km during the dry season. Guided sea turtle walks are offered October through August.
What To Do
From the visitor centre you will travel 5 km by dugout canoe for one hour through a succession of lush water habitats that finally open to Lake Tadane. Time: 3 hours. Difficulty: 
Take a guided evening tour of the beach during the months of October through August to see endangered sea turtle nesting or hatchlings emerging. Time: variable. Difficulty:
Enjoy evening drumming and dancing by a local cultural group by special arrangement. Time: variable
Visit Fort Apollonia in Beyin, one of the smaller of Ghana’s many historic coastal forts. The interior isn’t open to tourists, but you can view the exterior and its picturesque setting on the beach. Time: 30 minutes. Difficulty:
Region:
Western
Hours
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily
Fees
Entrance: Adults: Ghanaian 4.00 GHc; Non-Ghanaian 10.00 GHc
Students: Ghanaian 4.00 GHc; Non-Ghanaian 7.00 GHc