Labadi Beach, also signed as La Pleasure Beach, is one of Accra's best known stretches of coast. It lies in La, a Ga town near Teshie in the Greater Accra Region, and it has long been a place for weekend music, drumming and a crowd. In autumn 2026 that picture changed: beachfront venues were pulled down, and the beach is now a place to check before you go.

This guide covers where Labadi is, what it is known for, what happened in October 2026, and where to go instead. Where something has not been confirmed, it says so.

What changed at Labadi in October 2026

On 2 October 2026, military and police personnel pulled down structures at La Pleasure Beach. Graphic Online reported that Polo Beach Club and another club, along with a security post, a tollbooth, an administration block and the shops, stalls and sheds of nearby pubs, were brought down, and that a visit found piles of rubble. Citi Newsroom, Yen and the Accra Street Journal reported the same operation, which began at around 4 am.

A few weeks earlier, on 13 September 2026, the same army engineering regiment cleared beachfront nightclubs and eateries at Laboma Beach nearby, including the Pink Flamingo Lounge. Graphic Online reported the government's reason as flood mitigation in the Kpeshie Lagoon buffer zone, after notices to vacate.

The reasons given for the October clearance are disputed. Accra Street Journal reports that the government described it as post-flood mitigation, while a senior official said the La Pleasure action followed a request from the Labadi Beach Hotel and was not part of the flood task force. Ownership of the land is before the courts. We are not taking a side, and none of this is a finding.

Is Labadi Beach open?

Two different things are being reported, and they should not be confused. On access, SSNIT, which owns Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, said on 2 October that the beaches would remain open to the public and would be cleaned and restored, according to the Ghana News Agency. On facilities, the Accra Street Journal said security personnel were restricting access to cleared sections while the operation continued, and Graphic Online reported piles of rubble.

On 6 October, La Pleasure Beach's communications director told Channel One that the beach could reopen within three weeks, depending on debris being cleared promptly and temporary booths and toilets being installed, and that vendors had been told not to build permanent structures. We have not seen that reopening confirmed. Treat bars, stalls and food as unavailable until you have checked, and ask someone local or the hotel before you make the trip. This section will be updated as access is confirmed.

Where Labadi Beach is

Labadi is in the town of La, popularly known as Labadi, near Teshie on Accra's Atlantic coast. Wikipedia says the beach has been maintained by the local hotels and that people who are not staying in those hotels have been charged an entrance fee. It is easy to reach from central Accra by taxi, ride-hailing app or private car.

What Labadi is known for

Before the clearance, Labadi was known as a crowd beach. Wikipedia describes holiday and weekend performances of reggae, hiplife, playback music and cultural drumming and dancing, and notes that people also visit early on weekend mornings to exercise.

Weekends are the busy time and weekday mornings are calmer. As at any busy city beach, keep your belongings close, especially after dark.

Entrance fee

Wikipedia says an entrance fee is charged to people not staying in the hotels, but it gives no amount. We have not found a current published figure, and earlier guides that quoted a range gave no source, so we are not repeating one. Ask at the gate, and expect the price to differ on holidays and event days.

Beaches to try instead

Yen, in an early October roundup of beaches to visit after the Labadi clearance, recommends several along the Greater Accra coast.

  • Kokrobite: music, food, accommodation and surfing lessons. See our Kokrobite Beach guide.
  • Bojo Beach, Bortianor: a resort beach reached by a short crossing, quieter and cleaner than the city beaches. Yen quotes the resort's own website at GH₵50 for adult beach admission. See our Bojo Beach guide.
  • Ada Foah: beach time, boat trips and water sports where the Volta meets the Atlantic. See our Ada Foah guide.
  • Ningo-Prampram: beaches east of Accra, including a resort that welcomes day visitors, according to Yen.

For the rest of the city, our Accra travel guide covers where to stay, eat and get around.

Stay connected

With the status of the beach changing, being able to check the news and message your driver matters. An eSIM is the simplest way to have data from the moment you land.