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Boy fishing on canoe, Sierra Leone

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Things to see and do in Sierra Leone

Banana Islands

Explore the Banana Islands, just a short boat ride from Kent on the Sierra Leonean coast. The islands are home to the old wharf in the town of Dublin, while snorkelling and fishing excursions can be arranged. Tours from Freetown can be arranged through a number of operators, including Visit Sierra Leone (tel: (25) 200978; www.visitsierraleone.org).

Bunce Island

A boat trip up the Rokel River to Bunce Island, one of the first slave trading stations of West Africa, makes an interesting excursion. Between 1670 and 1808 tens of thousands of slaves left Bunce Island for the West Indies and North America. Learn about the history of the slave trade, as well as its social, political and economic impacts both sides of the Atlantic.

Freetown

Freetown itself, surrounded by thickly vegetated hills, is both a colourful and historic port. Attractions include a 500-year-old cotton tree; the museum; the De Ruyter Stone; Government Wharf and 'King's Yard' (where freed slaves waited to be given land); Fourah Bay College, the oldest university in West Africa; Marcon's Church, built in 1820; and the City Hotel, immortalised in Graham Greene's novel The Heart of the Matter. The King Jimmy Market and the bazaars offer a colourful spectacle and interesting shopping.

Freetown Peninsula

The most accessible part of Sierra Leone is the Freetown Peninsula. From Leicester Peak, superb views of the city between the sea and the mountains unfold below, and a narrow, steep road through the mountains leads to the old Creole villages (dating from 1800) of Leicester, Gloucester and Regent. The area was chosen as a resettlement area for liberated slaves who built the villages of Hastings, Kent, Sussex, Waterloo, Wellington and York.

Outamba-Kilimi National Park

The Outamba-Kilimi National Park in northern Sierra Leone, which can be reached from Freetown by road or air, offers varied and spectacular scenery; at this and other reserves there are game animals such as elephants, chimpanzees and pigmy hippos.

Sakanbiarwa

The Sakanbiarwa plant reserve has an extensive collection of orchids, which are at their best early in the year.

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, just 20 minutes from Freetown, is a perfect day trip. The sanctuary is home to more than 80 chimpanzees, which live in the lucious forest surrounds. If you're looking for more human contact, you can explore the nearby villages of Charlotte, Bathurst and Regent. Tours can be arranged through operators, including Visit Sierra Leone (tel: (25) 200 978; www.visitsierraleone.org).

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