Assin Manso

Assin Manso lies on the old route from the interior to the coastal forts, and at the river here, called Nnonkonsuo, captives who had been marched south were washed and rested before the final stage to Cape Coast and Elmina for sale. The site has been developed as a memorial: a path leads down through trees to the river, and a burial ground holds the remains of two people repatriated in 1998 from the United States and Jamaica and reinterred here, with a wall of remembrance carrying names added by visitors from the diaspora. It is a principal stop on the Emancipation Day and Year of Return programmes, and many visitors come as part of a journey between the interior and the coastal castles.

What you actually see

• The river - the crossing where captives were washed before the coast.
• The burial ground - the graves of the two people reinterred in 1998.
• The wall of remembrance - names added by visitors from the diaspora.
• The forest path - the walk down from the road to the water.

When to go

November to March for the dry season and easier walking to the river. Emancipation Day at the start of August brings ceremonies and large numbers. Mornings are quieter and cooler.

Honest expectations

This is a memorial and burial ground, and visitors come for reflection rather than sightseeing; behaviour and photography should follow that. Facilities are basic. Guiding varies. The path to the river is muddy after rain.

Nearby

Cape Coast Castle lies south; Kakum national park is southwest.