With Minnie and Nina at Tokeh Beach, Sierra Leone

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Tokeh Beach which is approximately forty five minutes drive from downtown Freetown, is probably amongst the most beautiful beachs in West Africa.

Infrastructure in post-war Sierra Leone is still very much in the shambles and the beach resorts are rather basic, although it may cost you anything from USD 150 to 300 per room per night. You are happy if you have power supply and a decent supply of fresh water. The material ordinariness of the resorts is however matched by the extraordinary views of the glorious North Atlantic Ocean. Long sweeps of pristine beaches fringed by hills and intersected by little streams combine to conjure images of paradise on earth.

Minnie, Nina and I spent a week in a resort in Tokeh Beach in a resort that has recently come up. Our rooms were barely 25 meters from the sea shore and lying in bed, one just had to turn one’s head to catch the most breathtaking view of the ocean, seen through large sliding glass doors.

Early in the mornings, when Nina would be fast asleep, Minnie and I went out for long walks along the beach, passing through little fishing villages and watching fishermen sail and cast their nets. After breakfast, the three of us would then go out into the sea and enjoy the waves crashing on us. We also spent long lazy hours under little thatched canopies on the beach, catching up with each other, reading or simply gazing onto the vast ocean in silence.

A sprawling and densely shaded tree formed the roof of the restaurant, which was located on the beach, barely 10 meters from the ocean. A battery of friendly staff was at service and there was an abundance of fresh sea food (prawns, lobsters, crabs, barracuda, red snapper etc) which Nina had to her heart’s content.

Words cannot capture the beauty and splendour of the place. Well neither can photographs, particularly ones taken in an ordinary, compact, digital, automatic camera. Nevertheless, I leave you with an album of photographs taken during our trip, with an aim to give you a flavour of the place and the glorious time we spent there.