Reviews:
 The
main holiday resort areas in Gambia are on a 10.5 kilometre band
of beach whose locations are along the west coast facing the Atlantic Ocean. It manages to accommodate almost all the package holidaymakers
that come to Gambia each winter season & is
Banjul's scenically
pleasant hinterland. |
 Cape Point
 The Cape Point promontory makes up the very
start of the northern oceanfront with its fairly wide, clean, eolian
sands. This is where the sea and river estuary meet and is one of the
most civilized retreats being a relatively secure enclave. More...
Bakau
The above seashore marks the northern most limit of Bakau
(the Mandingo's Ba kankungo or Shore) which is by contrast
marked by cliff-top hotels overlooking precarious, rust-coloured laterite cliffs and a narrow beach that is visible only
when the tide is out and is not recommended for swimming. It is the most African
in nature of all the coastal resorts and runs parallel to a heavily
urbanised area. Its hotels and guesthouses are pleasant and low-key
as well as being near to
good transport connections. If you would rather have a combination
of beach, tourist development and staying in an African community,
then this is probably your best choice.
More...
Fajara
 There are no formal
boundaries between Bakau and the suburb of Fajara to the south however, this resort is a quiet,
relatively well-to-do residential neighbourhood. It is less
beach-orientated than the other resort areas but has good transport
links up to the Atlantic Ocean. Laybato, overlooking
the ocean, has a great vista with palm hung hammocks to laze in and
watch the sunset. A good number of
the Gambia's finest restaurants are to be found here, along with a
respectable choice of accommodation at good prices.
More...
Kololi
There a basically 2 resorts. The first is at
Palma Rima with its huge grounds
overshadowing the area but with a relatively quiet
beach scene which
is not very often crowded except for weekends. Then there is the
Senegambia
thoroughfare. In the early to
late evenings this road is a hive of
activity and is the Gambia's equivalent of a Mediterranean type resort
such as Benidorm. This  is the country's most hectic vacation spot
which is a ribbon development of car hire firms, pizza parlours and
small bars and restaurants. It is here that you will find the purpose
built beach hotels of the
Kairaba and Senegambia
which are among the country's most reputable accommodations.
More...
Kotu
 This
locality is at the very hub of
touristy Gambia and one of the hotspots for 'bumsters' (hustlers). In
the high season, most aspects of Kotu feels crowded as the hotels,
supermarkets, craft markets are congested with tourists. However, the
place is friendly, entertaining and ideal for someone with an outgoing
personality. There is also a good beach near to all the mid to large
scale hotels, such as Kombo
Beach, which are either owned by the tour operators or contracted
by them to receive their package tourists.
More...
Bijilo
 Further south, just after Kololi's southern edge,
is the much more serene location of Bijilo and its adjacent inland
neighbour of Kerr Serign. Here the beaches and accommodation are more
subdued without the feeling of crampness that is found within its northerly neighbours.
The accommodation to be found here includes the
hotels such a Bijilo Beach, Golden Beach and the Coconut Residence.
More...
Brufut
 This area is the latest to undergo tourist development in recent years
with the opening of the international class
Sheraton which extends the major tourist resort to 12.5 km. Brufut is ideal if you want to get away from tourist
overcrowding yet be within a reasonable distance by car to some good
entertainment spots. The seaside on either side of this new
development is a quiet stretch of simple beach huts and fishing
villages.
More...
Southern Coastal Resorts:
Sanyang,
Gunjur and
Kartong
are all well worth visiting as they have been less affected by
tourism. These localities are particularly handy if you are travelling
to Gambia on a shoe-string. However, the nearest of the above is at
least 25 kilometres from the main resort locations. There are lots of simple
accommodation huts and lodges for the more resourceful traveller.
While there you might want to visit a site called Nyanitama-Dibindinto.
Inland:
 There
are lots of other places further inland such as
Makasutu with its magnificent
rooms at Mandina
Lodge.
You can see reviews of other areas by going to the
excursions page. For rooms to stay see
the Hotels page.
Serrekunda
This
is not a resort but a large urban conurbation
with a cacophony of people, dwellings and cars. Many websites and tour
guides refer to the
town's name in relation to certain hotels. The reason for the confusion is that many
places use
this location for their PO Box number and this
may have brought about some of the misunderstanding regarding their actual
locations.
NOTE:
It should be pointed out that in some places the use of a TV or
air
conditioner is not automatically included, and the use of an A/C can
cost around £6 / $9 per day.
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