List of the best beaches in Freetown

The beaches on the Freetown peninsula are some of the best in Africa. Discover pristine white sands backed by lush vegetation, with gentle azure waves and hardly a soul in sight for miles.

Possibly Sierra Leone's most beautiful beach, River Number Two is just 30km south of Freetown. However, like most beaches on the peninsula it's totally unspoilt - and during the week, virtually deserted. Run by a cooperative set up following the civil war, all profits go straight back into the community. Deck chairs let visitors sit and soak up the stunning backdrop of rolling green mountains, while freshly caught barracuda and prawns are grilled to order and ice cold drinks brought to your seat. It's no wonder that the beach was chosen as the location for Bounty™'s ‘Taste of Paradise' advert. Visit the village's craft boutiques, sample fresh coconuts and mangoes, or if you're feeling energetic, take a dip in the ocean and swim past the colorful fishing boats in the lagoon.

Located a few kilometers to the north of River Number Two, Sussex Beach is home to a popular restaurant run by Florence and her Italian husband Franco, who arrived in the 1960s to go diving and never left. The long, golden beach is the ideal place to savor a cold beer and the restaurant's excellent lobster and pasta dishes, while watching the sunset illuminate the Atlantic Ocean. Visit the salt water lagoon, surrounded by mangroves and an ancient cotton tree, or watch local craftspeople making wooden canoes.

Towards the south of the peninsula, Bureh Beach boasts Sierra Leone's first surf club. Launched in 2012, the Bureh Beach Surf Club was founded by Irishman Shane O'Connor, with the help of fundraising efforts and donated equipment. The club is now run by local members, with all revenue returning to the community. Bureh Town residents are mostly fishermen and farmers, so there's a vast array of local produce on offer, including oysters hand-dived to order.

Tokeh is one of the Freetown peninsula's most developed beaches and one of the most popular. Its vast stretches of white sands are just a ten-minute drive by 4x4 from River Number Two, or under an hour from Freetown. The town itself is buzzing with activity; visit the local palm wine or poyo bar, stock up on fresh fruits at the food market or take a boat to nearby Tokeh Island.

An easy 30 minute journey from our Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel, Freetown, Lakka Beach is a welcome haven of tranquillity for those escaping the city. Restaurants serving outstanding seafood are perched on the golden sands, and service from the local beach boys is impeccable.

Just off the coast at the southernmost tip of the peninsula, Banana Island consists of three islands in a row; Dublin, Ricketts and Mes-Meheux. Easily reached by boat from the mainland, the islands' forest walks, secluded beaches and low-key restaurants make it impossible not to relax. Snorkelling, fishing and bird watching are on hand for more active visitors, along with journeys to view the 19th century British cannons, built to defend against illegal slave traders once the practise had been officially outlawed.