Boutique hotels in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a welcoming West African country with a long Atlantic coast of white-sand beaches, chimpanzee sanctuaries and river islands. Beach lodges, many family-run, line the Freetown Peninsula, and a handful of conservation projects welcome visitors.

The Freetown Peninsula

Freetown, the capital, sits among hills above the sea, with a historic cotton tree and colonial buildings. South of the city, Lumley, Bureh, Tokeh and River No. 2 offer beaches with surf, seafood and lodges, and the Banana Islands sit offshore.

Wildlife and islands

Tiwai Island is a forested river island with chimpanzees and hippos, and the Turtle Islands, near the coast, are a remote group with turtle nesting.

When to go

November to April is dry and best. Heavy rain falls from June to September.