Keep these customs in mind while traveling in Ghana if you want to be a culturally informed tourist (and avoid seeming silly). Innocent behavior at home might be outrageous abroad. For example, if a waitress delivers a dish of delectable food in front of you, your initial instinct may be to smell it. Don’t! In Ghanaian society, this is considered the peak of impoliteness. Your host or hostess may believe you are inspecting the food because it is not properly cooked or because you believe it will make you sick. This is definitely one of the things about Ghana you should know before traveling to this country

Also, don't eat (or shake, or pass money off, or do anything else) with your left hand — Ghanaians see the left hand as vulgar. It might be difficult to remember to use your right hand for everything (particularly if it isn't your dominant hand), but please be alert.

Note! Many delicacies in Ghanaian cuisine, including Banku, Kenke, and Fufu, are eaten with one's hands. Scooping the food with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand is the ideal technique to eat these meals.

Ghanaians are typically kind and welcoming. Indeed, Ghana has a reputation for being one of Africa's friendliest countries, and many recommend it as a great starting point for first-time visitors to the continent. Ghanaians would want to show you around town and teach you basic skills such as shopping. They will also teach you words and phrases in Twi, the most widespread of Ghana's nine or so languages.

However, there are those people who do not communicate with outsiders with the best intentions. They're known around town as "professional pals." These people will want to befriend you fast in order to gain access to your money or things, not because they actually like you (though you're probably fantastic). This phenomenon is not specific to Ghana; as with anything, common sense is required.

Note! Don't tell complete strangers where you're living too soon after meeting them, and don't go anywhere with somebody you've just met without notifying anybody.

Consider this: you're strolling along the aisles of your local supermarket, studying the numerous sauces, gleaming fruit, and packaged meats. Fluorescent lights twinkle overhead, and you're listening to quiet, monotonous music. Sounds familiar? Like an average grocery shopping trip? Fortunately, this isn't Ghana's only shopping experience. Markets in Accra and Kumasi will meet you with a hearty dose of bustle and color. You'll discover dried fish from the Atlantic, magnificent ripe mangoes and luscious pineapples, the vibrant colors of West African clothes, and the melodious tones of people speaking in Twi and Ga.

In other markets, such as the Art Market, which is located adjacent to the tomb of Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, merchants rush in and grab visitors, guiding them to their numerous stalls, which include things like hand-carved drums, figurines of fertility goddesses, and beads.

Choose your own price. Other sellers wait excitedly at the entrances to steal you away to their booths. Knowing how to negotiate is vital in these marketplaces, unlike at home. A good rule of thumb is to start at one-third of the original price and work your way up to half of whatever you want to buy. Most of the time, the merchant will cooperate. If the price isn't right for you, it's magnificent to walk away-in fact, doing so may compel the dealer to sell you the item. This is one of the things about Ghana you should know if you want to shopping in this country.

Note! If the dealer does not come after you, your asking price is most likely absurdly low.

One of the things about Ghana you should know is customer service. Western societies have highly pleasant and high customer service expectations. The waitress is merely performing their job, but we consider their crooked grin and hesitant "have a great day" to be the bare minimum of civility. In Ghana, things are a little different. That isn't to suggest that Ghanaians aren't wonderful people who care about whether you have a good experience when dining, shopping, or anything; they just don't place as much stress on the social cushion as Western consumers may.

When it comes to cultural blunders with service, some public humiliation is possible. For example, if you request "spaghetti" for supper instead of the local brand of noodles at an outdoor market, you may get a range of answers. One incident may result in simply a pause and a grin, whilst another causes everyone from the cashiers to the chefs to bust out laughing at this "hilarious" misnomer. You may be left to wait for your noodles with your cheeks on fire, but you'll get better and the noodles will be tasty either way. Please keep in mind that the concept of customer service in the United States has been completely lost in translation.

Note! When ordering food at restaurants, it’s likely that everyone will receive their food at DIFFERENT times. Please be patient.

When you come to Ghana, Ghanianian nightlife is definitely one of the things about Ghana you should know. As a traveler to Ghana, you will have several options for how to spend your warm nights. On Reggae Nights, which normally take place on Wednesdays, you could find yourself at Labadi Beach. Feel free to let loose to the live band as the sun sets into the azure Atlantic. Spend your nights on Osu, popularly known as Oxford Street, which is popular with expatriates and foreign dignitaries. There's always something going on, from jazz clubs to open-mic poetry. If you're in Cape Coast, head to Oasis—on weekends, you can see a local group re-enact oral tales drawn from the Fante people who resided there decades ago. Just make sure to go with a group of people; try not to go anywhere alone after dark.

Note! Don't order the vodka. It will very definitely be watered down and overpriced. Order a Star Beer or the weirdly popular Smirnoff Ice instead. If you're feeling extra daring, try Akpeteshie, a Ghanaian liquor made from fermented palm wine or sugar cane.