The Gambia is so much more than just sun – or mature European women frolicking around with athletic local guys. I had an unforgettable and inspiring winter break in this hot but arid West African country. Welcome to the Smiling Coast of Africa!

1. GET USED TO THE HASSLE

You will always remember the first moment when your feet hit a Gambian beach. Within seconds, local vendors will surround you, trying to sell anything from wooden carvings, fruit and jewelry to fishing trips, riding lessons and peacemaker services.

Just say a kind “no” if you are not up to buying. Once you get used to these daily encounters, you hardly notice them. And there is certain grace in Gambian fruit ladies, dressed in green and turquoise.

It’s easy to understand this passion to sell as most Gambians have to earn their living during the arid six-month tourist season. The most persistent saleswomen follow you to the hotel gate but do not enter. After three days, even they give up.

2. HEAD INLAND

We enjoyed our doing-nothing beach days to the fullest, yet the most memorable experience was the two-day trip to the backlands of The Gambia. Sweating in an old bus, boating along the Gambia River, sleeping in the jungle and visiting a local family (a 30-person clan consisting of four brothers, their young wives and children) in a Gambian village.

These trips are organized both by travel agencies and independent service providers. Just compare prices since the first request from a local entrepreneur may be double the average.

All in all, staying in The Gambia is cheap: our week budget was less than 400 euros per person, most of which we spent on the trips we made.

Both trips were worth every dalasi – even though our inland tour guide took offense after we turned down his idea of an intimate nocturnal ’just-the-three-of-us’ river cruise. The following day, he hardly spoke to us. But Gambian culture and gender roles are so different that we simply ignored the sudden change in his behaviour.

3. BOOK A SAFARI TO SENEGAL

Who wouldn’t dream of seeing lions, giraffes, rhinos and zebras in their natural environment? In Senegal, just across the border, you can marvel at these creatures – without a big wallet. Just don’t take it for granted that you will meet The Big Five.

What impressed us as much as the gorgeous wild animals was our trip from Banjul to Barra. An old ferry packed with school kids and people carrying fruit, rice sacks and living chickens. For a glimpse of real Gambia, the Port of Banjul is the place to be!

Just remember to take warm clothes with you. Daily temperatures in January vary between 25 and 30 ºC, but that windy morning on the ferry was ice-cold.

We booked a private excursion to Senegal and had the most amazing local guide. Jerreh Camara was a charming and highly knowledgeable guide. Driving along scorching hot Senegalese roads, we got to hear fascinating stories and gain valuable insights into Gambian society, its economy, history, everyday life – as well as local marriage and divorce practices.

4. BRING SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Despite its fertile soils, The Gambia is a very poor country. Many agrarian families cannot afford to buy even basic school supplies for their children. Many also live in remote villages with no decent road network or transport to school.

On our 2-day inland trip, we encountered smiling children in school uniforms running after our bus. Instead of giving them money or sweets, as some tourists do, we were told it would be better to delight them with pencils, erasers or notebooks – and, preferably, through a local guide.

As we booked our trip at the last minute, we were not aware of this. Next time, I will bring school supplies with me (this time, we just left our older summer clothes for the family we visited). They cost little, weigh almost nothing and may help children get the education their parents never had.

5. GO FOR AUTHENTIC FLAVOURS

As a dedicated oenophile, I did not expect to drink wine in an African country with no viticulture. Even so, we were slightly surprised it was mostly Pearly Bay we bumped into. Compared to the general price level of The Gambia, that boring South African white wine felt expensive.

Although local beer – of which there are four different versions available – is the same everywhere, we liked it a lot. Especially the fresh and fruity lager.

This Gambian beer is made by the only brewery in the country. Choosing it over imported wines also supports the Gambian economy, which depends on tourism up to 40 percent.

Just as rewarding as the local beer, Gambian cuisine is simple but absolutely worth trying! Although fish is widely available, we were most impressed by local meat sauces.

Into spicy flavours? Try domoda! Made from peanuts, tomatoes, butter, onion, hot chillies and various peppers, this national dish of The Gambia can be prepared with meat (usually beef) and vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potato, squash or eggplant) or with veggies only.

If you prefer mild, yassa is your sauce. This sauce of onions, lemon (or lime) juice, black peppers, mustard and garlic, is of Senegalese origin and pairs beautifully with chicken.

Both sauces can probably be found on any hotel and upmarket restaurant menu, but you’ll find the most authentic flavours elsewhere. We had our tastiest yassa at a robust border eatery on our way to Senegal. Boss Lady (in Kotu area), too, serves awesome yassa.

We also fell for churah gerte, traditional Gambian rice and peanut porridge. As we praised its texture and sweetish taste to the morning chefs at our hotel, their faces lit up. Is there any better way to start your day than making someone feel proud of their own culinary culture?

6. WAKE UP TO THE REAL GAMBIA

More than 90 percent of the Gambians are Muslims. Declared an Islamic Republic in December 2015, we travelled to The Gambia just weeks later, on January 1st, 2016. In everyday life across the country, we encountered a surprisingly laid-back and tolerant version of Islam.

For us, one of the most memorable experiences was waking up at 5am to the Islamic chant that outshone all exciting animal noises wafting from the jungle surrounding our clay hut.

Another thing that has made tourists re-consider travelling to The Gambia, was the Ebola virus that swept over West Africa during 2013–2015. Despite there were no confirmed cases in The Gambia, numerous infections in the nearby states drastically damaged tourism in the country.

Also for that reason I want to promote this wonderful, genuine and fascinating corner of the world for anyone still in doubt. I think my friend Maaria (below, on the right) agrees.

 

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UPDATE (July 2026): At the moment, Ebola outbreaks occur sporadically in Central Africa (Congo & Uganda), but so far there have been no reported cases in The Gambia.