The River No. 2 Beach is one of Sierra Leone’s most beautiful beaches. River No. 2 is the name of the river that flows into the ocean on the Western Area Peninsula and also the name of the beach. This beautiful paradise quietly lies about 16 km south of the Freetown, surrounded by a mangrove forest, with stunning white sands and crystal clear waters.
The beach is popular among tourists and locals. People generally visit to celebrate birthdays, weddings, outings, family trips. Weekends, especially
The introvert in me loves the quiet and peacefulness of life so I decided to celebrate my birthday at the beach this year with my best friend. I wasted no time in deciding that we were going to celebrate at River No. 2 beach. It was a weekday so you can imagine how amazing it was to be there with just a few people. We had such a good time, filled with so much fun in the sun. For the most part, I played in the sand, enjoyed an adventurous boat ride, relaxed on the sand with my feet in the water and watched the tiny fishes swim around. The cool sea breeze rocked my best friend to sleep for hours, she claimed she hasn’t had such a sweet rest in a long time.
We enjoyed taking pictures with the beautiful towering mountains in the background. It really is a paradise on its own.
When it comes to food, the beach has many interesting options. As one would expect, seafood is in good supply. We had fresh barracuda and prawns with locally grown potato chips. There’s a variety of fishes, prawns, lobster, crab and more depending on the season.
There’s so much you can do at River No. 2. You can take guided forest walks, go on fishing trips with the fishermen in their colourful boats, and take an exciting boat ride to banana and turtle islands. Or simply take a walk along the beach, read a book in the shade and enjoy the beautiful sunset in the evening.
A lot of people visit River No. 2 Beach to swim, although there can be strong tides, there are barely any pebbles in the water.
If you plan to stay over, there are guest houses near the beach and beach bungalows that are fully equipped with solar power to promote an eco-friendly stay. After a night’s stay at the beach, in the morning you will be greeted with the beautiful sound of birds, a fresh sea breeze and the beautiful sight of flying fishes.
You can also enjoy fresh coconut or mango for breakfast or dessert. After a great beach experience, you can buy some memorable gifts and souvenirs from the arts and crafts boutique run by the locals.