Discover Ghana Differently: ASA BAAKO Music and Surf Festival 2023

Discover Ghana Differently: ASA BAAKO Music and Surf Festival 2023

Asa Baako oo_! Asa baako! Have you heard of one of Ghana’s largest and most patronized music festivals of the year? Well, let me reintroduce Africa’s long-standing superstar to you.

Ghana is undoubtedly becoming a top destination for travel and tour for many across the globe. Fortunately, Asa Baako is one of the surest ways to start the Ghana month: with a weekend of music, beach and fun.

“Asa Baako” is an Akan phrase which translates as “one dance.” The festival has been on the cultural calendar of Ghana since its inception in 2011.

The Asa Baako music festival is among the many music festivals in the country that take  place every year at the shores of the Atlantic ocean in Busua, a fishing village in the Western Region of Ghana.

The festival is renowned for uniting thousands of patrons from around the globe under the umbrella of music.

This year, Melanin Travels Magic joined the fun as two of our finest interns from Accra Ghana, Janice and Maame, took the weekend off school to discover Busua and the highly anticipated music and surf festival.

The festival usually attracts from across Africa and the world, DJs who give patrons a one in a lifetime taste of good African and world music from diverse genre such as: Afrobeats, Afrobeats House, Old School, Funk, Hip-hop, Afro-Edm, AfroHouse, Dancehall, Afro UK Bass among others.

Counted among the top music festivals on the continent, the ‘One Dance’ music festival usually features a three or four day coastal getaway from the bustle of everyday life.

ACTIVITIES:

During the day, patrons have the opportunity to go on organized boat tours around the coastal region, surfing, trekking by the beach, touring the Busua and Butre towns, beach parties among others.

Of all the many itinerary items to enjoy, the climaxing event of the festival takes place in the evening with the iconic ‘Jungle Party.’ Yes, you heard it right, a party in the jungle.

This year, the festival opened on the 4th with a traditional dance display, live performances by some underground artists and dance groups. The second day saw diversity as celebrants had the option to go fort partying at Dixcove, go surfing or enjoy more music and dance by the beach side. Unfortunately however, the tides did not favour surfers this year so not much surfing was done.

The evening came and streets leading to the long awaited Jungle Party were choked. Dancing and drinks was popular as every soul in that space was carried away by the DJs who dropped magical and soul-wrecking music from 7pm till dawn. The morning saw the departure of some celebrants as the the Independence Day celebration on the 6th loomed. It as well was a day of rest for many who still had time to party and explore Busua.

One outstanding thing about the Asa Baako music festival is its dedication to environmental sustainability and economic drive for the local economy of Busua. The festival organizers work closely with local communities to minimize the festival's impact on the environment, and they encourage visitors to take part in beach clean-up activities and other eco-friendly initiatives. In 2018, Asa Baako was awarded the "Best Event with Environmental Sustainability" at the Ghana Event Awards.

The festival is as well loved and cherished by the locals of Busua as it is a season where most businesses experience tremendous profits due to the thousands of celebrants that honour the event.

ACCOMODATION AND HOSPITALITY SERVICES

As part of its commitment to promote eco-friendly tourism and events, the Asa Baako music festival usually house patrons in tents designed for two. This adds more adventure and fun to the event as many get to experience tent living courtesy Asa Baako. Others who look to having hotel and traditional housing have numerous resorts, hotels and guests houses to choose from. The town is also flooded with incredible restaurants and food joints that serve both local and continental dishes. To discover Busua in its totality, we admonish you go for a full treat of local dishes while witnessing the festival.

From an Afro-chilling December to an Asa-thrilling March, you sure want to add Ghana to your bucket list as there is more than music and art to discover in this beautiful country.

Well, now you know exactly what fun Ghana offers every March in Busua. So get your itinerary in order and start planning your trip with us. It is a guarantee that you’d be in for an exhilarating experience of west Africa.

Highlights of the Festival and Jungle Party

Fancy help with planning your next African cultural and leisure getaway?

We have also expanded massively and can now help you plan some unforgettable holidays activities, transport and accommodation in the following destinations: Tanzania, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Zambia, Namibia, Madagascar, Kenya, South Africa , Sao Tome, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Turkey, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Congo, Nigeria, Benin. If you need help planning your next holidays whether you are a solo traveler, a duo, a group of friends or a corporate retreat. If you fancy a mixture of black heritage and leisure experiences, we got you!

To find out more email us at: melanintravelsmagic@gmail.com

Or schedule a Zoom Discovery call to find out we could help you plan your next holidays.

Client testimonials we have helped exploring & planning their trip to Ghana

REBOUND staff & Teenagers, Group of 10 Travelers from MINNEAPOLIS, USA, Corporate retreat, July 2023

Review 1: Christy Botts, Minneapolis, USA, August 2023

Our non-profit organisation took a group of young people to Ghana in July 2023. The experience was an amazing one that was spiritually moving as well as fun! We had an excellent tour guide who brought the country to life for us. Our youth were able to connect to one another and to the country in ways we could only have dreamed possible.

The Cooking Class was my favourite activity- being invited to our guide’s relative's home to cook "with the aunties" and hang out, listen to music, dance, laugh, get to know people, and eat was SO FUN. We felt like family!

It was a good occasion to bond with other group members and Ghanaian Culture.

Review 2: Danielle Draughn, Minneapolis, USA, August 2023

"I am an educator so I really enjoyed visiting with the children at the school. However, words can't even begin to explain the experience and tell all the wonderful things we were exposed to.

Best tour guide ever. The cameraman and driver were also good. Kwame was the absolute best tour guide who turned i to a friend I have ever experienced. He is very knowledgeable, caring and professional. He made sure we all had whatever we needed and made sure we were comfortable.

He was highly motivated to make sure we had the best knowledge and experience regarding our culture. This is a trip every black person should take. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to experience Africa in such an amazing and spiritual way..."

Review 3: Samm Joyner, Minneapolis, USA, August 2023

"Excellent experience, beyond my expectations. Our guide was a Godsend. My favourite activity was visiting the school for the charity day."

Adrien, France, UK, Solo trip to Ghana, Travel planner on service and 10 day package

"Christina was able to show me the right direction when I was looking for a trip to West Africa. She had the right connections, and helped me build up a relevant agenda according to my ideal trip. She made sure I was safe and everything went according to plan in Ghana.I highly recommend Melanin Travels Magic for any trip related enquiries!"

Candy, Germany, December 2021 Group Trip to Ghana, 10-day Black heritage and leisure package.

"I went to Ghana with Melanin Travels Magic, and Freelancenana Travels was their local partner who helped coordinate our 10-day tour of the country. Many thanks to Nana and his team for the personal attention given to us. I can’t speak highly enough of Michael, our amazing driver, who was always very protective and respectful and got us to places safely. Our tour guide, Thompson, was with us the whole trip and made sure we were well taken care of. He gave us an outstanding personal tour that exceeded all my expectations!

He was a brilliant ambassador for his country, very knowledgeable, warm, organized and honest. He is extremely amiable and takes pride in his work and in the community that he serves. We were lucky to have him to gain such an insight into the history and culture of Ghana. He was quick to accommodate our requests as well as needed changes in the itinerary. Most of all, he was great company and we thoroughly enjoyed our time together. Thompson is also the founder of Creating Smiles Foundation, an NGO, which distributes stationery to underprivileged children and food to street kids.

The itinerary arranged for us included so many wonderful things- First, we toured Accra and visited must-see landmarks like the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park

and the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial. We also went to Accra’s Art Centre, where Thomson helped us haggle. We crossed the Kakum National Park’s canopy walkway for a view of the wildlife and landscape; gained insight into the history of the Ashanti Kingdom and the Slave River and drove to Elmina and Cape Coast Castle to learn about the thought-provoking history of the transatlantic slave trade.  We saw a variety of crafts, from learning how to play the drums, cook African food to Kente cloth making.

I thoroughly recommend Melanin Travels Magic and Feelancenana Travels to help shape your journey and enable you, too, to have a memorable experience in Ghana. Wishing you both every success with your tour businesses. Thank you Thompson for treating us like family, I fell in love with Ghana and its people through you. Someday I hope to return to Ghana and explore more of the country with you. I know you are going to do great things with your foundation. Medaase to all of you."

Imani, USA, December 2021 Group Trip to Ghana, 10 day Black heritage and leisure package

"My first visit to West Africa was with Melanin Travels Magic. Because I had no experience with the company I will admit I was a little hesitant. I am so grateful that even in Christina’s absentia she ensured we were connected with our country host and in constant communication. I commend her for doing her due diligence to connect with local contacts to make sure there is a heartfelt connection. I look forward to seeing what else comes from this budding travel group!"