These are the top 5 cleanest beaches in the Western hemisphere of the continent.

When mentioning beautiful coastlines in Africa, those popular islands — seychelles, zanzibar, malawi — take the crown. However, some beaches on this side of the continent are equally as breathtaking and put quite the effort in making the area as clean as possible.

From Ghana to The Gambia, check out the cleanest beaches in West Africa.

1. Beyin Beach, Ghana

This beach is littered with tall soaring palm trees on its edge which gives the sandy arc an exotic feel. It is one of the cleanest beaches in the area, though it is an active beach filled with fishermen who pull in huge catches of fish daily.

2. Cap Skirring, Senegal

Cap Skirring is a wide white bay with a flat beach surrounded on one side by unspoilt dune vegetation and calm waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the other. While Casamance is one of Senegal’s most beautiful regions, Cap Skirring is one of the loveliest beaches in the region.

3. Bijilo beach, The Gambia

The Gambia is another country known for its clean and beautiful coastlines. Bijilo is a deserted open landscape of white sand and a popular fishing hub. From this beach, you can cycle or hike straddling the shore all the way south to Kartong and the Allahein River which separates Casamance in Senegal from The Gambia.

4. Praia des Chaves beach, Bio Vista, Cape Verde

Chaves beach is the perfect desert island in West Africa. It combines curvy sand dunes and isolated landscape with clear waters, making it one of the most underrated beaches.

5. River No. 2 Beach, Freetown, Sierra Leone

River No. 2 gives you a real sense of being in the middle of nowhere, but in a peaceful, serene way. With its white sand and quiet environs, the lush greenery that surrounds the beach allows it to be one of the best beaches in the western hemisphere, coupled with the fact that it's actually freshwater. You can also take a boat up the river to a waterfall.