The big picture
Most visitors experience nothing worse than persistent hawking and inflated prices. Violent crime against tourists is uncommon, but opportunistic theft, phone snatching and bag-grabbing from moving vehicles happen in cities, and there are occasional reports of robbery on isolated roads at night. Avoid unlit areas after dark, keep phones out of sight, and use ride-hailing at night rather than walking.
- Register your trip with your embassy and save its emergency number before you land.
- Do not carry all your cash and cards together; split them between bag and pocket.
Classic scams
Watch for unofficial helpers at the airport who steer you to an overpriced taxi, drivers who claim the meter is broken or that your hotel has closed and offer an alternative, mobile-money reversal requests, card skimming on small terminals, and people who befriend you and then invent a crisis needing money. There is also a persistent black-money or fake-gold scam targeting visitors: if someone offers to multiply your cash or sell you discounted gold, it is fraud, full stop.
- Book airport transfers through your hotel or an app, and ignore anyone who approaches you inside the terminal.
- Never let a card leave your sight to be 'processed'.
- If a deal requires you to put up cash to get more cash back, walk away.
Police, checkpoints and documents
Police and immigration officers may ask for identification. Keep a copy of your passport and visa on your phone and a photocopy on you, and hand over the copy rather than the original unless you are at an official desk. Demands for on-the-spot cash are usually not legitimate, and politely asking to be taken to a station or for a receipt is a reasonable response. Stay calm; arguing escalates things quickly.
- If you believe a demand is improper, ask to go to the nearest police station and note the officer's details.
- Drug offences carry severe penalties: never carry anything for anyone, no matter how small or how friendly the request.
Women, LGBTQ+ travellers and night safety
Women travelling alone generally find Ghana manageable but will attract attention, especially in markets and on public transport; unwanted attention is common, and being firm and direct works better than being endlessly polite. LGBTQ+ travellers face a distinct legal risk, covered in a separate guide. At night, use apps, share your live location and never leave a drink unattended.
- Agree a check-in routine with someone at home for nights out.
- Trust your instincts about a person or a street; leaving early costs nothing.
Rules, fees and opening hours change. Confirm anything that matters before you rely on it.