Classroom lesson · River Number Two Beach · 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone

River Number Two Beach

One of West Africa's most beautiful beaches

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

River Number Two Beach is a stunning stretch of white sand on the Sierra Leonean coast, about 20 kilometres south of Freetown. A small, fresh river flows right across the beach into the sea, so you can swim in the cool river and the warm ocean at the very same spot.

Tell me more

The beach gets its unusual name simply from the stream that runs across it — the locals called the rivers in order, and this one was number two. The sand is powder-soft and the water is warm all year round. Palm trees lean over the edge of the beach, giving shade to anyone who needs a rest from the sun.

A small fishing village sits at the edge of the beach, and local families often set up stalls selling freshly caught fish, coconut water and snacks. The combination of a river, the sea, palm trees and a village makes it feel like something out of a story — it is often described as one of the most naturally beautiful beaches in all of West Africa.

Unlike beaches in many other parts of the world, River Number Two remains very quiet and natural. There are no large hotels or theme parks. You are much more likely to share the beach with local children playing in the waves and fishermen pulling in their nets than with noisy crowds.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

  1. 01What would it feel like to stand where a river meets the sea? Would the water feel different on each side?
  2. 02The beach has no large hotels. Do you think that makes it better or worse as a place to visit? Why?
  3. 03Many rivers and beaches around the world have been given very practical names like 'River Number Two'. Can you think of other places named in a similar straightforward way?
Try this

Classroom activity

Make a simple diagram showing how a river flows from the mountains, through the land, across a beach and into the sea. Label each stage: source, river, estuary, beach, ocean. Then draw the wildlife you might find at each stage.