Coastal getaway in Sierra Leone
Patrick Goodman cooks up some fish for the restaurant at the River No. 2 resort, an hour’s drive from Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
River No. 2 is an entrepreneurial marvel in one of the worlds poorest nations. Its success story began in 1998, in the midst of a decade-long civil war, when the U.S. Embassy gave the village $2,500 and encouraged it to take advantage of a providential location on one of West Africas most beautiful, unspoiled beaches. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Children make their way along the beach at River No. 2 as a light rain falls. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Undaunted by the light rain, a group of foreign seminary students huddle during an outing to River No. 2. The beach resort’s rustic charm has made it a favorite weekend getaway for Sierra Leoneans as well as foreign ambassadors and aid workers. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Seminary students visiting River No. 2 takes to the waters. The London Observer recently said the beach rivals anywhere on Earth for breathtaking coastal grandeur. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)