Holidays in Gambia

Places of interest

Banjul, the capital, is set on St Mary’s island on the mouth of the River Gambia and is connected to the mainland by Denton Bridge. Banjul is a small town with a village atmosphere but there is plenty to see. Visit the Gambian National Museum, Banjul State House, mosques and cathedrals. The bustling Albert Market is the heart of Banjul where you can buy anything from clothes and shoes to exotic fruits and spices.

James Island is home to Fort James and is located in the River Gambia. The Fort was used by the French, Dutch and British and was later used as a slave collection point before slavery was abolished. Today only the ruins remain but you can still see the caves and prisons where slaves were captured. Visit the island museum to learn more about this historical site.

Activities

Get off the beaten track and see the sights of the Gambia on a Jeep Safari. Take in the sites of the local villages, farming areas and forest parks. See the locals in the fishing villages bringing home their catch, visit a village school and stop off at the wine compound where you will get to sample the local palm wine.

Experience the ‘real Gambia’ on a trip to the South which borders with Senegal. Travel through the countryside to the south then take a cruise on the river where you’ll see some magnificent bird life and monkeys and the locals fishing on the river banks. A swim on a deserted beach and a visit to a reptile farm completes the trip.

The Gambia is home to an abundance of wildlife and a trip to the Abuko Nature Reserve is a must. The Reserve is home to over 400 species of bird, monkeys, crocodiles and snakes. There is also an animal orphanage which houses lions, hyenas and antelope.

For further ideas to make your trip unique call our friendly knowledgable travel experts who are happy to tailor the perfect trip to suit you.

Local Customs

The main religion in the Gambia is Islam with around 90% off the population being practising Muslims. The remaining population practise Christianity or localised traditional religions.

Although the official language is English there are many tribes in the Gambia with the main ones being Mandinka, Wolof, Fula and Jola. Each tribe has its own language, traditions and dress.

Handshakes are a common greeting but note that the left hand is considered unclean, so use only your right for greeting and giving or receiving anything.

A 10% service charge is usually included in the bill. If not this is the average amount to tip for good service.

Food & Drink

The speciality of the Gambia is Domoda, a peanut based stew. Most menus consist of meat and fish dishes served with rice, the local staple. The selection of tropical fruits is excellent and includes mango, papaya, watermelon, pineapple and oranges. International cuisine such as Thai, Italian and Mexican is also available.

Nightlife

The majority of the Gambia nightlife centres around the resorts beach bars. If you’re looking for something livelier then head to Banjul where you will find many bars and nightclubs. The larger hotels have entertainment programmes where you are likely to see fire-eating and traditional dance to live music.

Shopping

Visit the markets in the resort towns where you will pick up some excellent bargains including batik fabrics, leather, jewellery, wood-carvings and paintings. Expect to barter as it’s a way of life in the Gambia!

Currency

The currency of Gambia is the Dalasi. The Dalasi is available in the UK or you can take Traveller’s Cheques and exchange for currency in resort. Some hotels and restaurants will accept credit cards, debit cards are not widely accepted and Solo and Switch cards are not accepted at all.

Language

English is the official language of the Gambia. The locals will use tribal language to communicate with each other.

Flight time

Approximately 6 hours.

Time difference

There is no time difference in the Gambia as it is on GMT. During British Summer Time the Gambia is an hour behind the UK.

Transfer times

Transfers are between 10 – 50 minutes dependent on resort.

Health

For current vaccination information and general travel advice from NHS Direct please click here.

For more information on Gambian Visa please click here.