GREEN TURTLE LODGE
GREEN TURTLE LODGE
Tom and Jo are a young English couple with a passion for travel and a love of Africa. Over the years, they have spent much of their time traveling around the world dreaming about creating their own guesthouse. What started as a travelers dream began to colour their conversation more and more frequently once they were back home working. Then one day one of them challenged the other: Why don’t we actually do it? Let’s open ‘our’ guesthouse, let’s stop talking about it and really do it. A holiday to Ghana confirmed that this was the ideal country for their planned enterprise and two years later, they found themselves back in Ghana.
When they arrived, they had no idea where they would base themselves. Finally, after combing the coastline, they found the ideal spot in the Western Region: a beautiful beach, close to a friendly community with the opportunity for many interesting tours and the potential for conservation and community projects. They are very comfortable and very happy here. They now have two kids who they are bringing up on the beach: Amali Afia and Ashton Kwasi. Amali and Ashton are very happy to be growing up in this gorgeous beach environment called Green Turtle Lodge.
Accommodation at Green Turtle Lodge is in the form of individual beach chalets. The chalets combine comfort and luxury with traditional African style. Large, airy rooms are attractively decorated and contain comfortable beds complete with mosquito nets. Self-contained rooms or those with shared bathroom facilities are available. Each chalet is self-sufficient with its own solar panel providing the energy. Campers and overlanders are very welcome. A high standard of cleanliness is always maintained.
The buildings have been made using traditional methods and we have tried, wherever possible, to use indigenous, sustainable materials throughout. The idea is that the lodge has the appearance of a small village and that the buildings do not stand out inappropriately on the landscape. The clay chalets have been designed to ensure they remain naturally cool. The lodge is powered entirely by solar energy. The toilets are self- composting and shower water is used to feed plant species that thrive on soap minerals.
Rates
Self-contained double room with beach front verandah – 70 Ghana cedis ($35)
Double room with shared bath – 40 Ghana cedis ($20)
– extra people can be added to these rooms for 15 Ghana cedis ($7.50) per extra person –
Dormitory accommodation – 15 Ghana cedis ($7.50) per person
Camping – 8 Ghana cedis ($4) per person
Overland Truck – 8 Ghana cedis ($4) per person
*Discounts given to Students and Volunteers*
BOOKING
If you would like to make a booking at Green Turtle, please either send us an sms text message or an email with the following information:
Your Name –
No. of People in your group –
Type of room you would like to book –
Arrival Date –
Departure Date –
Contact telephone number (if you are booking by email please also give a contact telephone number) –
Send to:
Phone/Text – 00233 264893566
Email – greenturtlelodge@yahoo.co.uk
If you are having trouble sending a text message or have not had a reply, please send us an email with your phone number and your booking request. We will then either email you back or if it is for an immediate booking, we will call you back.
ECO-Tourism
ECO-Tourism is becoming increasingly popular as people become more adventurous in their holiday destinations and awareness of the impact of tourism grows. There are many definitions of ECO-Tourism or eco-tourism. The International Eco-tourism Society (TIES) defines eco-tourism as responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and sustains the wellbeing of local people. This portrays eco-tourism as more than simply reducing the negative impact of tourism, meaning tourism can go beyond this and actually benefit the local community and environment. For more information about eco-tourism, visit the following websites:
www.resposibletravel.com
www.tourismconcern.org.uk
ECO-Tourism at Green Turtle Lodge
We try to adhere to the principles of eco-tourism and encourage our guests to be responsible tourists. We like to use the definition of eco-tourism as Environment and Community Oriented Tourism, abbreviated to ECO-Tourism.
Environment
All the buildings were constructed, as far as possible, using local, natural, sustainable materials. The traditional style of the buildings gives the lodge the appearance of a local settlement blending into the landscape. The lodge is powered entirely by solar energy. We have self-composting toilets and re-cycle shower water to feed plants. We are careful to reduce waste products as much as possible and biodegradable waste is composted. We also keep pigs, which helps reduce our kitchen waste and provides us with some tasty, free-range meat. The environment benefits directly from conservation projects we have initiated, in terms of education and protection of the marine turtles that nest on Akwidaa beach.
Community
We employ staff at all levels from the local community, ensuring we pay a fair wage. We try to create as many jobs as we can. For example, at present we employ 30 people from the local community, which in turn means that 30 families benefit financially from our business. Wherever possible, we source materials locally, whether it be for building, decoration or to stock the kitchen. We ensure that part of the Green Turtle Lodge profits are paid into a Community Fund that we have set up. Part of the payment guests make when they go on a tour goes directly into the Community Fund and donations to this fund are welcomed.
Tourism
We believe tourism can have a positive impact on the local area. We ask our guests to be respectful and sensitive towards both the community and the environment. Responsible tourism can be mutually beneficial for the tourist and the community and their environment.
For example, a canoe ride through the mangrove swamps allows the visitor to learn about this unusual eco-system and provides enjoyment from spotting a diversity of birds and also seeing monkeys. At the same time, payment for the tour provides the local guide with an income and adds money to the Community Fund, whilst it also increases local awareness about the importance of protecting and preserving this fascinating habitat.
We hope guests can learn from their experience at Green Turtle Lodge, through tours and by interaction with Ghanaians, about the local culture and environment and about being a responsible tourist in the future.
How to get to us:
Green Turtle Lodge is situated in a remote area in the Western Region of Ghana. We are about five hours drive from Accra and about one hours dirve from Takoradi. The last 10km of road is a dirt track through the bush. It is in poor condition so it is slow going but the bumpy ride will be worthwhile once you reach the beach – we promise!
By public transport – Travel from Takoradi to Agona Junction. Take a tro-tro (local mini-bus taxi) or a taxi heading to Akwidaa Old Town. Ask to be dropped at Green Turtle Lodge, about one kilometre before Akwidaa.
By private vehicle – Travel west from Takoradi to Agona Junction and turn left at the roundabout. At the next fork junction, take the right hand road to Dixcove. Turn right at the seafront and follow the road round turning right again and then immediately left so that you are leaving the village of Dixcove. The road is rough from here to Green Turtle. Follow this road straight, towards Akwidaa. Green Turtle Lodge is 10 kilometres along this road, on the left before you reach Akwidaa.
GPS – Our GPS co-ordinates are: N04° 45.515′ W002° 01.272′