The beaches of Côte d’Ivoire hold a rich past — but only the grated sand remembers it. Tragedies like the slave trade and colonization swept through the coast like a deadly monsoon, but there have been brighter days of the region’s development as well. The natural resources of this region abound and are still collected by locals, and over the years the coasts have helped the Ivorian economy, providing a link to travelers willing to spend money.
My father and I trekked from the economic capitol of Abidjan to Assouindé in Oct. 2018. He remembers the beach from his childhood when it was filled with European tourists.
We got lost on our way and followed a boy on his bicycle back to the main ocean village. But the detour was welcomed as we saw some backroads that line the beach but are hidden by the masses of palm trees and ocean-front hotels.
The view from an iconic bridge in the village on the way to the ocean. A lagoon separates the town from the waves.
We eventually found the waves…
A lunch by the water…
A walk with my father I will never forget
We saw the daily life of the people of Assinie-Mafia, from the Akan group. Some kids played soccer and others took their boats out to fish.
Kids sit in an old fishing boat, waiting for their turn to join in the soccer match.
Le football sur la plage…
