Introduction:
 The
Fajara resort and residential town is in the Kombo Saint
Mary District, Greater Banjul area, in the West Coast
Region of The Gambia, West Africa, and lies 14km east
of the Banjul capital. The coastal suburb is a tranquil,
relatively prosperous residential neighbourhood, taking
in about half of Kairaba
Avenue, eastward inland, almost up to Latrikunda.
 The
area is officially divided into sections called
'M' Section, 'F' Section and 'A' Section. The
western part towards the Atlantic coast is called Fajara
'M' Section; many of The Gambia's finest restaurants
and stores are located there. Compared to Bakau,
the 'M Section' district has a unique character, with
sleepy neighbourhoods and sandy roads often lined with
grand villas, partially hidden by tall block fences
often draped in flowers.
Accommodation:
 The
holiday room options in Fajara are usually great value
small hotels,
lodges and guest houses, with added charm and character
that's often missing in the other resorts.
The nearest
thing to a tourist-class hotels here are the seafront
based, luxury Ngala
Lodge which has a pool, a fine restaurant and excellent
bedrooms and suites. The other is the Fajara
Hotel, which is on the beachfront, and is the largest
accommodation with fantastic vistas of the Atlantic
Ocean and coastline. There is a small lodgings called
the Safari
Garden, which has a pool and a family friendly atmosphere,
located in the heart of the residential district and
only 10 minutes walk to the Leybato
beach.
Beach Area:
 Fajara's
beaches are comprised
of two types. Starting north from the African Village
Hotel in Bakau, and
southwards just after Ngala Lodge, the width of the
sand is very narrow or at high-tide non-existent. This
portion of the coast is dominated by red laterite cliffs,
boulders, dense cliff top rhun palms, trees and narrow
lanes, but offer fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean
South and coastline.
As you head further south, the
resort's strand becomes much wider and sandier heading
towards Kotu Strand, and offers
plenty of opportunities for sunbathing, shopping at
the craft market, watersports like beach volleyball,
or a a pleasant early morning or evening stroll.
 If
you want to swim in the sea do first look out for swimming
conditions warming flags put up by the attendant lifeguards.
Do not attempt to sunbath on the narrow strip of sand
just off the cliff areas as you could fall asleep while
the tide is rising. It would be much easier to just
walk along the shoreline, southwards, or take a taxi
to the Golf Course
road and make you way down the small, paved path to
the seashore.
General Area:
 Fajara
is first and foremost a residential district, housing
prosperous businessmen, diplomats, local politicians
and early settling Gambian families. The quality of
the houses does vary given that people began to settle
here many decades ago, and as a result buildings were
constructed at different times.
There are comfortably spaced bungalows and large new
villas in amongst the quiet sandy lanes with the occasional
corner shop, small restaurant and hairdressers
making an appearance.
 The
main thoroughfare is the Kairaba
Avenue which starts at the coast, and has good taxi
links. The 'M' section of the road is lined with fine
boutiques, diners, office blocks, international banks,
supermarkets, clothing stores, hardware retailers and
other kinds of shops.
Tourist Attractions & Things
To Do:
• Africa Living Art Centre
It is located on the Fajara end of the Garba Jahumpa
Road, in the lower part of Bakau New Town, the Africa
Living Art Centre is a one-of-a-kind building in
Gambia. It is a tree shaded, two storey, decorated glass
and concrete gallery which itself resembles an impressive
work of art. Filled with a colourful, diverse collection
of exhibits and merchandise such as West African antiques,
jewellery, ritual wooden masks and some of the most
unique and imaginative garments to be found anywhere
in the country. Also on display are paintings showing
the hallowed kanaga sign of the Dogon people of Mali.
It also hosts workshops and exhibitions.
There is also a hair salon, book library, and the YOK
bar cafe where you can enjoy snacks and drinks such
as pastries, coffee, soft drinks and cocktails.
• Bird
Watching 
 The
best bird watching spots in Fajara are at the Golf
Course and the slope from there leading down to
the shore. With the Kotu stream
flowing near part of the course plus some woodland patches
and coastal scrub this area provides a range of
habitats for a number of bird species. Here you might
be able to spot Abyssinian Rollers, Blue-bellied Roller,
Bearded Barbets, Black-headed Plovers, Red-billed
Godwits, Senegal Thick-knee, Firefinches, Blue-cheeked
Bee-eaters, Variable Sunbirds and Beautiful Sunbirds.
• Club & Golf Course
 The
sports club, formerly known as the Bathurst Club, transferred
from Banjul to its current premises in July 1955; being
the old headquarters of the long defunct BOAC airline's
hall on south Atlantic Road.
The Fajara Club
is best known for its 18-hole golf-course (par 69) near
the beach, having moved from its former location at
Denton Bridge many decades ago. Don't expect to see
much 'green' on the lawns during the dry season; more
dry grass and fine sand than lush lawns of Bahama grass.
 With
the club's main rooms in an old colonial era building,
it's not instantly appealing. But it's more than made
up for by the sports and recreational facilities
available, such as tennis courts with floodlights, a
badminton hall, squash courts, a swimming pool and table
tennis. There is also a fitness gym, yoga classes and
aerobics. Basic meals and drinks are reasonably priced
and served from the clubhouse bar (Tel no: 4495456).
There is a group called the Hash House Harriers who
meet there and who organise runs and walks about once
a week (Tel no: 4495054).
(Very near to the club is the
Fajara
Golf Apartments)
• Restaurants
There are a handful of excellent restaurants
within the residential roads of Fajara, as well as on
the main highway cutting through the resort. If you
are on a budget you can still have an enjoyable meal
as some of the no frills diners. Below is a selection
of some of the well known diners in the area.
 Butcher's
Shop Restaurant (Moroccan)
Francisco's
Restaurant (International & local)
Mama's
Bar & Restaurant (European & African)
Ngala
Lodge (The diner is open to public; best international
cuisine)
Clay Oven (Indian
dishes)
• Shopping
 Starting
a few metres from the US Embassy and going along Kairaba
Avenue towards the Atlantic coast, you will find dozens
of retail stores lining the road. The shops here however
are not geared towards tourist trinkets and souvenirs,
they are aimed more at relatively affluent locals who
are looking to buy food, clothes, furniture etc.
If your travel budget can stretch a bit then try and visit
the Emporium
Shopping Centre. It is a vast glass and marble effect
facade building, selling top quality imported home furnishings
such as vases, tables, sheets, chairs, curtain
fabrics, ornaments and other merchandise. The Emporium
also has a gift shop
and store with bodycare products. There are plenty of
small items that you can pick up while on holiday and
keep within your baggage allowance.
Tourist Craft Market is on Fajara beach, near to Kotu
Strand. Here you can buy African jewellery, brightly
coloured batiks,
drums, wood carvings, sandals, tie and dye, handbags
and more. To reach here you go down to the end of the
Atlantic Road,
near the Golf Course entrance, and take the small footpath
to your right, which goes all the way down to the seafront.
The Timbooktoo
Bookshop is a 3-storey megabookstore on the Garba
 Jahumpa
Road, not far from the Sabena junction at Kairaba Avenue.
It has a superb choice of non-fiction and fiction, including
a wealth of African literature by Africans, plus periodicals,
stationery and local newspapers. Inside is the Mango
Cafe. Timbooktoo also has the Cultural Encounters Information
Centre where tourists can enquire about local lodgings,
ground tours and other travel information for people
on holiday to The Gambia.
If you need groceries, bodycare products, toiletteries,
small housewares, especially if you are in nearby self-catering
accommodation, there is the well stocked mini-market
called the Discount
Centre. They have a good range of cereals, milk,
yoghurt, biscuits, potato chips, soft drinks and much
more. They also have a few clothes in their expanded
section.
• Landmarks
 Among
the well known landmarks in Fajara M Section are the
American Embassy Banjul, Emporium Shopping Mall, Sankung
Sillah Building, Galp Energia Petrol Station, Standard
Chartered Bank building and the Traffic Lights Junction.
• War Cemetery
The Fajara War
Cemetery has 203 people interred there, 4 of which
are unidentified. It includes Gambian, British and Canadians
who lost their lives in World War 2. It is maintained
by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and includes
a RWAFF memorial tablet dedicated to local servicemen
buried overseas.
Health & Safety:
The resort area here is quite a safe place to
stay for travellers to The Gambia. The incidence of
serious crime is very low,
and there are security personnel and local watchman
in over 90% of the residential properties here, and
the main roads are usually well lit.
When walking along this end of Kairaba Avenue avoid
walking on the road itself. Vehicles often overtake
each other here and you could place yourself at risk
of injury. If you are dining out in the evenings do
rub on mosquito repellent on your arms, neck and legs,
if exposed. Whenever you feel thirsty while out and
about buy some bottled water. Finally, the nearest fire
station is in Bakau.
Travel Information:
 In
the 'M Section' there is a yellow taxi rank on the Bertil
Harding Highway (opposite the Galp Petrol Station).
A cab there can take you down towards Kololi, Senegambia,
and beyond to Bijilo, Kerr Serign and Brusubi. There
are no minibuses at the rank but do drive past, so you
can hail one from the street. There is also a small
taxi rank at the coastal end of Atlantic Road, very
near to Francisco's Bar & Restaurant.
 The
regular travel routes taken by vans is from the Bakau
Village Market, down Sait Matty Road, down the Garba
Jahumpa Road and onwards to Serrekunda
along the Kairaba Avenue. To get to Fajara from Banjul
International Airport you can hire a taxi (green).
It will cost about a third more than yellow taxis, but
the yellow cabs aren't allowed to wait at the airport.
Outside the airport the fares are posted up on the right
side of the main entrance on your way out. If you need
to hire a self-drive vehicle from the airport then try
Hertz Rent
A Car.
The other mode of local transport is by rickshaw. You
will have to flag them down.
[Geographical coordinates 13.4700° N, 16.6964° W. /
Kombo North Saint Mary District (Ksmd, WCR)] |
