“This is the official last door of no return,” Peter Momoh Bassie, a tour guide with Tourism Is Life, says as we’re standing on Bunce Island in Sierra Leone.
“People taken from all over Africa would make the last stop here to ‘train’ before they were taken to the West,” Bassie explains.
I was overwhelmed with emotion by his words. As I stood there, tears flowed behind my sunglasses, reflecting on how I was possibly standing in the very place where my ancestors took their last steps before being taken to a foreign land with unimaginable horror ahead. I was also disappointed that I knew so little about Bunce Island.
My knowledge of Sierra Leone growing up, thanks to books and music, was a once beautiful land that became afflicted by the Transatlantic Slave Trade, a convoluted diamond mining industry – dare I say blood diamonds, a brutal civil war that killed hundreds of thousands, and the Ebola epidemic.
Yet, the beauty is still there, and Sierra Leone is ready to change this negative narrative – especially for people who look like me. Like Ghana’s Year of the Return campaign, Sierra Leone wants people of African descent to return for heritage tours. There’s vital history to learn and a direct cultural connection between the Gullah Geechee community in the United States and Sierra Leone.
The tourism industry is experiencing a renaissance. Sierra Leone has endured an unfair number of misfortunes, including an epidemic, the Ebola outbreak between 2013 and 2016, followed by a devastating mudslide in 2017 that killed more than 1,140 people. No one knows the exact number. Three years later, another health crisis, the coronavirus. Any other country would have rightfully folded or given up. But like any diamond, the beloved gem reaches its potential with extreme pressure, which is the case for Sierra Leone.
“There are still lots of traumas, and we’re still healing from all of that,” Kadijatu Grace Ahene Kamara, deputy minister of tourism for Sierra Leone, tells Travel Noire. “We’ve come a long way.”
Opening Its Doors to Tourists
The new airport in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, opened in 2023, signaling new investment, growth, and an invitation for travelers. If the strides of country leaders aren’t convincing enough, the sexiest man alive — or as Sabrina Elba calls him, “our husband,” Idris Elba—announced plans to build a “smart eco-city” on Sherbo Island. Elba recently received citizenship because Sierra Leone is his dad’s native country. The eco-city will provide power to residents using both wind and solar. It’s a telling move for the British actor, who says it will make tourism more attractive. Most of the country uses hydroelectric power to generate electricity, and there are dozens of daily blackouts.
With all change, it takes patience and care, and Sierra Leone is no different. It’s a diamond in the rough destination and needs travelers open to help it shine bright.
“We’re trying to make sure our voices are heard and that we tell Sierra Leone’s story, but not in a way that makes people feel sorry for us,” Kamara says. “We want to do it in a way that uses it as an opportunity to bring attention to who we are as a people.”
Traveling to Sierra Leone provides an authentic and raw experience of a destination transforming right before the world’s eyes. It’s a destination that’s not easy to travel through alone, and I wouldn’t recommend it for first-time travelers. It’s still one of the poorest countries in the world. The best way to navigate Sierra Leone is with a tour guide because the current infrastructure can be challenging. Local guides will streamline the process of necessary visas, transportation, and exchanging money because ATMs are scarce, and many local shops do not take credit cards.
Tourism is Life and Hello, Sierra Leone are great tour operating companies for visitors.
Where To Stay in Sierra Leone
Traveling to Sierra Leone will be a long travel day. The airport is Lungi – a roughly 40-minute water taxi to Freetown.
Travelers who want to take a break upon arrival can stay the night at Tariq’s Resort. It’s a Black and locally-owned resort that’s close to the airport. Cole Street Guest House is another Black and locally-owned option. Owned by husband and wife duo Chef Miatta Marke and her husband Matthew Short, the home holds plenty of history within its walls. The late Lati Hyde-Forster built it, the first woman to graduate from Fourah Bay College and the first African woman school principal in Sierra Leone.
Toma Resort is a Black and locally owned resort in the old Aberdeen village. It’s visually stunning, surrounded by banana trees and a captivating art collection of old masks and other objects.
Travelers who want to stay in a hotel with Sierra Leone’s stunning coastal views can stay at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel. It’s one of the largest hotels in Freetown, and visitors should expect a three-star experience. There’s a pool on-site, and the hotel is close to Lumley Beach.
What To Do In Sierra Leone
The beaches in Sierra Leone are stunning and should be at the top of your itinerary. Lumley Beach, Beach No. 2, and Bureh Beach are great options for swimming and relaxing. Bureh Beach is the surfing capital of Sierra Leone, where the Bureh Beach Surf Club is located.
The National Museum is where visitors can learn more about rich cultural heritage. The museum, which has existed since 1957, is located in the heart of Freetown.
Chimpanzees, Sierra Leone’s national animal, are celebrated on the outskirts of Freetown. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is Sierra Leone’s primary conservation organization. Staff is on a mission to educate the community and save critically endangered species. The sanctuary has rescued and cared for more than 100 chimpanzees who are orphans, victims of the bushmeat trade, illegal wildlife trade, or human-wildlife conflict.
Places To Eat and Shop in Sierra Leone
Some of the best restaurants in Sierra Leone are Toma Bar & Restaurant at Toma Resort and Cole Street Guest House. Chef Miatta brings a fine dining experience to the guest house, where guests can try local dishes.
Other great options that serve as both a restaurant and accommodation include The Place, Country Lodge Hotel, and Olba Beach Resort & Restaurant.
Other restaurant options for local cuisine are Roof Garden Restaurant, Crown Bakery, and DeVillage Beach Bar.
For shopping, brace yourself and be ready to bargain at The Big Markit, one of Sierra Leone’s oldest markets. Visitors will find arts and crafts, jewelry, paintings, clothing, drums, masks, traditional baskets, and more.
Two local artists who are worth getting in touch with and visiting are Madam Wokie and Josephine Dauda. Madam Wokie is a Sierra Leone-based fashion brand founded by Marynn Kaikai. Idris Elba has worn her exclusive designs. Dauda is a local artist popular for her hand-painted coasters and wall paintings.
