Shama

Western, Ghana

Why visit Shama?

Shama is a coastal town at the mouth of the Pra River, about 20 km east of Sekondi-Takoradi, best known for Fort San Sebastian — Ghana's third-oldest fortification, built by the Portuguese between 1520 and 1526 to protect Shama's trade from English interlopers. The fort passed to the Dutch, who substantially rebuilt it in the 1640s after it had fallen into ruin, and later to the British in 1872. It was rehabilitated in 1957 and today functions as a post office, magistrate's court, and Electoral Commission office rather than a dedicated museum. Along with several other Ghanaian coastal forts and castles, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 for its role in the history of European trade and colonization on the coast.

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What are the things to do?

Fort San Sebastian — a UNESCO-listed 16th-century fort, now in government office use; exterior viewing is generally possible but interior access may be limited by its current administrative function.

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Where to go next?

Sekondi-Takoradi (20 km west), Cape Coast (90 km east).

Nearby in Western

More places to explore around Shama.

Guide content as of June 2026. Portions adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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