The most exciting place to visit in Africa right now is an off-the-beaten-path nation better known for making tragic headlines than attracting tourists: Welcome to a splashy new Sierra Leone.
Now, Ebola-free and more than two decades after the end of a devastating civil war, Sweet Salone (the local nickname) is once again ready to welcome travelers to its golden, boulder-strewn shores.
It’s offering a new solar-powered airport (the first fully green terminal in all of West Africa), eased visa restrictions and the type of authentic cultural experiences that can be challenging to find in the continent’s more crowded destinations.
One surprising champion of Sierra Leone’s tourism push? Actor Idris Elba (yes, that “Sexiest Man Alive”) whose father was born in Salone and received citizenship himself in 2019. The charismatic star has spoken about wanting to “rebrand” the West African country and he’s sticking to his word. Elba is building a sustainable smart city on Sherbro Island with his business partner Siaka Stevens, grandson of the former Sierra Leonean president of the same name.
The project will develop the rural island, which is the size of Chicago and currently home to around 40,000 people, and bring wind-powered electricity to the country for the first time. Current plans include a resort and ecotourism experiences nestled alongside Sherbro’s 50 miles of palm tree-lined beaches, vibrant Krio board house villages, and mangrove forests — a crucial habitat for giant tarpon and endangered West African manatees.
This past February, I visited Sherbro to stay at Bonthe Holiday Village after a heart-wrenching tour of its more famous neighbor, Bunce Island, the largest British slave castle on the Rice Coast of West Africa.
Named by some experts as the most important historic site in Africa for the United States, it’s where Gen. Colin Powell, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was inspired to say, “I am an American … But today, I am something more. I am an African, too. I feel my roots here in this continent.”
The crumbling ruins, much of them lost to the claustrophobic grasp of overreaching branches, are an essential stop for every traveler.
Sierra Leone’s tragic past lingers, yet these events also inform the resilient and emotionally generous nation that Salone has become.
Today. Sierra Leone feels safe, youthful, optimistic and, above all, friendly.
That enthusiasm is palpable in the work of Maryann Kaikai, the fashion designer behind Madam Wokie, whose kaleidoscopic, fiercely cheerful dresses have been worn by the likes of Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and Gabourey Sidibe.
More good vibes can be found with West Africa’s champion female surfer Kadiatu “KK” Kamara at Bureh Beach Surf Club on an idyllic stretch of sand that wouldn’t be out of place in the Maldives.
Another critical pick-me-up: Endangered western chimpanzees are being saved by conservationist Bala Amarasekaran’s Tacugama Sanctuary.
Elsewhere, the country’s first true fine-dining restaurant, Cole Street, founded by human rights lawyer Chef Miatta Marke is creating fresh dishes that honor the nation’s new flavor.
Meet all of them in Sierra Leone, a corner of Africa that offers adventure with a warm welcome.
