Princes Town is one of the best stops for tourists in Ghana. It is also known as Pokesu or Kpokezoe. It is located in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region of Ghana. It is one of the south-most communities in Ghana.
The town is about 17km from Abora junction on the Agona-Elubo Road. The branch road at Abora is not very smooth but worthy of travel because of the serenity and vegetation on the stretch leading to the town.
The people of the town speak Evalue, but the most dominant language in the area is Ahanta.
Attraction
The Princes Town is about less than three kilometres in radius. The town is surrounded by natural forests with beautiful sandy beaches decorated with coconut trees. The canoes of its fishing inhabitants enhance the beauty of its coast.
Fort Gross Fredericksburg is the first building that steals the attention of everyone who visits the community. This fort was set on a hill in the neighbourhood that was ceded to the Brandenburgers in exchange for the protection of the inhabitants against the Dutch in the 17th Century.
Fort Gross Fredericksburg (German: Groß Friedrichsburg)
The fort is one of the sister forts built by the Brandenburgers for trading and defensive purposes during the era of slave trading. It was completed in 1863. The fort was built with stones transported by sea between 1681-83 from Prussia.
The fort was named after Prince Frederick Wilhelm of Prussia. The fort was converted into a UNESCO Heritage site in 1971.
The fort is the community’s centrepiece today, as many people visit the town because of the fort. The fort has huge dungeons, a guest room, and a hallway where pictures and information on the fort and community are exhibited.
John Canoe/Connie Ruined House
John Canoe was a wealthy merchant and a chief who took over Fort Gross Fredericksburg after the departure of the Brandenburgers.
He became a competition for nearby Dutch traders. For over a decade, there was military confrontation between John Canoe and the Dutch.
His continuous resistance made him more than a hero for his people and for enslaved people who heard of him. This may be the folk hero celebrated in the Caribbeans by ancestors of slave sugar plantations.
There is a ruined building in the community which is believed to have belonged to John Connie but was bombarded by the Dutch. The ruin bares much memory of a whole community and symbolizes one of Africa’s earliest resistances to European powers.
The Crocodile Pond Close to Princes Town
Crocodiles are sacred in this area and are worshipped by some indigenes. A few meters’ walk to Akatekyi Crocodile Pond may be rewarding as you can watch a traditional fetish priest call a crocodile out of the pond for a fee.
This is open to visitors every day except Wednesday. However, if you are lucky, you may see crocodiles in the Ehunli Lagoon.
The Sandy Beach
If you are a fishing enthusiast, you can join local fishermen on a fishing trip in a canoe. This can be rewarding as you will get your share of the catch and prepare it on the beach.
You can walk the beach and enjoy some fresh coconut fruit but don’t swim as it’s dangerous. Between July and February, you may catch a glimpse of whales or dolphins.
Monkey Sanctuary
You can glimpse monkeys on a boat ride or a 2km walk to Egyambra town.
Also, you can enjoy a canoe ride on the Ehunli Lagoon. Keep your eyes open: you might see some monkeys on your trip!
Natural Environment
Hike through the forest paths in the appealing green Cape Three Points Forest Reserve to discover the incredible biodiversity of this tropical rainforest.
Enjoy learning about flora and the different therapeutic plant applications.
The birds and monkeys are best seen in the mornings and late evenings.
Stephen Baidoo is a writer who loves to research about Ghana's past. He brings Ghana's history to life with each unearthed fact and forgotten narrative, transforming dry dates into passionate stories.
