Revived: August 22, 2026 (Published: November 30, 2016)

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

If you end up travelling to The Gambia, I’m pretty sure you will adjust quickly. So I just share here some reflections of the country – to hopefully inspire you! We (two Finnish women) spent 8 days in The Gambia.

1. GET USED TO THE HASSLE

I will always remember the first moment when our feet hit a Gambian beach. Within seconds, local vendors surrounded us; eager to sell anything from wooden carvings, fruit and jewelry to fishing trips, riding lessons and even peacemaker services.

Just say a polite 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.

I feel 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 the bus, boating along the Gambia River, sleeping in the jungle… I loved it! In one remote village, we visited a local family, a 30-person clan consisting of four brothers, their wives and children.

These trips are organized by travel agencies and independent service providers. I advise you to 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 I spent on the trips we made.

Both trips were worth every dalasi – even though our inland tour guide clearly 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 decided it was best to simply ignore 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 beautiful 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 those gorgeous wild animals was the 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, charming and highly knowledgeable man. 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 fertile soils, The Gambia is a poor country. Many agrarian families cannot afford to buy even basic school supplies for their children. Several also live in remote villages with no decent road network or transport to school.

During our 2-day inland trip, we also met 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 bringt them 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 and 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 a hot 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 was pretty expensively priced.

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

The beer is made by the only brewery in The Gambia. By choosing it over imported wines you support 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 rich, spicy flavours? Try domoda! Made from peanut butter, tomatoes, onion, garlic, hot chillies and peppers, this national dish of The Gambia can be prepared with meat and vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potato, squash or eggplant) or with veggies only.

If you prefer mild, yassa is your sauce. This tangy sauce of onions, lemon (or lime) juice, black pepper, mustard and garlic, is of Senegalese origin – and cooked together with the chicken. The key to the flavour? Loads of onions!

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

We also fell for churah gerte, traditional Gambian rice and peanut porridge. As we praised its texture to the morning chefs at our hotel, their faces lit up. Is there any better way to start the 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 laid-back, tolerant version of Islam.

One of the most memorable experiences during our 8-day trip was waking up to the Islamic chant at 5am. It outshone exciting animal noises wafting from the jungle surrounding the clay hut we were sleeping in.

Another factor that has made tourists reconsider 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.

For this reason, also, I want to promote this genuine, fascinating corner of the world for anyone in doubt. I think my friend Maaria (on the right) agrees.

 

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UPDATE (2026): This spring and summer, Ebola outbreaks have occurred sporadically in Central Africa; mostly in Congo and less in Uganda. So far, there have been no confirmed cases in The Gambia. Follow daily updates from here.