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Sign in with FacebookLatest Banjul hotel reviews
Pro
Fun and interesting
Con
slow pace and not much infastructure
In a nutshell
A real slice of west African village life.
Sunshinegirl_83 Says: The beach are, I would say nice in Banjul. We only went there like two times, there where so much other things to do in Banjul:)! But if we had more time there would have been some more relaxing at the beach.
grets Says: Large and sprawling, the market was a local affair, we did not see any tourist trinkets for sale at all. The goods were mainly fruit and vegetables, meat, household gooda and colthing. Unlike on the coast, the people took very little notice of us, getting on with their daily...
dedeckerm. Says: The Arch 22Banjul is the capital of the Gambia but it isn't the greatest place of the country.The entrance of Banjul is trough the Arch 22. This is a monument that remembered when - at 22 of July 1994 - militaries take over the government of president Sir Dawda Jawara. The...
1 Review and 461 Opinions The Kombo Beach is the only hotel we have been to in The Gambia, we stayed here the first time and...
1 Review and 637 Opinions I spent half my trip in Banjul at the Corinthia Atlantic. This was the one hotel where you were not...
Sunbeach Hotel & Resort, Banjul: West of Africa:
WStat Says: A nice, 3-4-star hotel on the Antlantic Ocean beach near Bakau village.Good food, friendly (west-)african service and nice rooms.Windy, sea sometimes very rough. Good sports-facilities, close to the market of Bakau-village. Many possibilities for tours to some villages to...
Sunshinegirl_83 Says: Fun fun fun!! african soft relax reggie feeling...:) You will find this nice little bar in the middle of the village in Banjul. If you want to meet the locals this is the bar for you..:) there are no tourists here..The play only reggiemusic here. It is a soft atmosphere and...
grets Says: We're not really nightlife people, preferring to go to bed early and getting up early in order to make the most of the dailight hours, but I do like to see a good sunset!
Helpfulness
We arrived with our vehicles at the ferry port in Barra with plenty of time to spare and booking documentation in hand. But this being Africa, we did not have a reservation. The ferry was full. There was room for us, but not the two vehicles. Eventually it was decided that we should get on with our luggage and the drivers would stay nehind and wait for the next ferry, which wasn't until the following day. Transport was arranged for us the other side to take us back to our hotel.
Written Jan 21, 2005
DAO Says: In almost every hotel beach area you will see the fruit ladies. They carry fresh fruit on plates they balance on their heads. It is more of a show than shopping. However, please do not miss this interesting experience.Once you have agreed a price and which fruit you want,...
localhairdresser: Rastafarihair!
Sunshinegirl_83 Says: When you are in africa you have to make som rastahair:) Jenny did and became a real rastafariwoman:)... But warning: It took about 8hours, five girls made her hair and it is ALOT of pain getting this hair done. Nothing for the weak ones... she still had pain the next day!...
Open markets and boutiques: Shopping for Fabrics in the Gambia
Weny Says: There are many shops selling fabrics and other handicrafts on the outskirts of Banjul. The most popular and unique goods are the tie-dye fabrics for which the Gambia is known for.You can find hand dyed tablecloths, napkins,and of course, whole bolts of fabric intended for...
There are alot of malaria moskitos in this area. So it is wise to eat malariatablets before you go here. And if it is possibly, sleep in a moskitonet:)
Written Feb 6, 2006
Helpfulness
All over the castal area of The Gambia you will be approached by friendly children practicing their English. "Hello", "What's your name", "Where are you from", "Your first time in Gambia", "How you like my country?" "I give you my address, you send me gift" so on and so forth.
Unique Suggestions: We chatted with most of the children who approached us, being friendly but saying a firm no when it came to exchanging addresses and giving presents. Mostly they accepted this and would still carry on chatting for the fun of it, but there were some very persistent little buggers who made it very unpleasant for everyone.
Fun Alternatives: The alternative is to either totally ignore these children, which would be a shame as an interaction with them can enrich your experience of the Gambia. Of course, some people found the hassle so much that they never ventured outside their beach hotel after the first day!
Updated Jan 21, 2005
grets Says: At the fishing village we were able to see them smoking the fish. This is done inside a large shed with minimum daylight. The shed is hot, dark, very smoky and extremely smelly! But well worth a visit!
grets Says: The other side of the Gambia River is the ferry port of Barra, the main river crossing for entry into northern Sengal. We came back through there after having been to Senegal. The place is a full of life when the ferry arrives/departs, with colourful crowds thronging to get...
grets Says: All along the river coast from Banjul there are little fishing villages such as these.The village was a hive of activity, as a couple of boats had just arrived back with todays catch. Dozens of locals go our to try and help get the catch ashore, in return for a few fish....
grets Says: Along the coast from Banjul at Bakau, the crocodile pool is quite an incerdible experience. The taxi stopped in the middle of the small town and we just asked a couple of local to show us the way to the pool.We saw a couple of small crocodiles off the side of the pool in...
Weny Says: A nice idea is to go for a walk in the small but interesting botanical gardens. There are many different types of plants native to the Gambia within the enclosed area. You need to find someone to let you in as the gate to the garden is usually locked. There is also a small...
grets Says: One of the things I love most about West Africa, is the colours. The people dress in brightly coloured cloth, with a vivacious flair and everything is bright and cheerful. My local camera club has a photographic competition every your called the Bucket Competition. The only...
Getting intimate with a crocodile
grets Says: There is one particularly docile old croc at the Katchikally Crocodile Pool in Bakau, called Charlie, and you are encourages to get close and actually touch him! Hey! I stroked a crocodile!!!!!!!
Weny Says: The Gambia has a lot of natural beauty and there are beautiful birds and butterflies and flowers galore. A good idea is to take hike in the rainforest Abouko nature reserve to see rare red Colobus monkeys. Take lots of DEET!
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From our hotel on the coast we hired a taxi - otherwise known as rent-a-wreck - to take us down to Banjul. I swear the driver was younger than the car! He was an excellent driver, however, negotiating...
The place where Alex Haley came to research Roots. It is abundant in natural beauty and west african culture. Laid back and historical best describes the Gambia.
Ok.... Plane lands. Get off the plane and melt in the sun, the runway is in a field, an old fire engin greets you with the unstable stairs to get out the plane. Inside the airport is the most...
Banjul "Capital of The Gambia"
Banjul is the capital of the Gambia but it isn't the greatest place of the country. The entrance of Banjul is trough the Arch 22. This is a monument that remembered when - at 22 of July 1994 -...
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