Wouldnt recommend the sea at all. Its very rough with some very strong under currents. Been 4 times now to Gambia but don't think I will go back. You will have a great time but be wary of 'friends' they just want your money. Be firm and don't let them wear you down.. SAY NO THANKS

Have a great one

Hi all, well I live in Gambia from November to early July every year and I can tell you that June is actually quite a nice month to visit. The only package holiday though is with Gambia Experiance although a new scheduled airline (Astreaus) started on 5th May. The rains are only just begining in June and not torential at all. The worst months by far are August, September and early October. Even then the rains are mostly at night with wonderful thunder storms, the main problem in those months is the humidity. JUNE is OK honestly. For the Mosi's remember the coastal area is never very bad for them although, yes, they are worse in Aug/Sept/Oct.. The tourist nimbers are less in June as the main season ends (currently) 28th April for the English although the Spanish, Dutch and Swedish come from April through to Jan so still tourists around. For your Tours do not book in the Hotels, try TILLYS TOURS in the Senegambia area, a little past the Aquirius night club. They are excellent value, cheaper and better than the hotel ones and run by an English woman. Even us that live here use her because she does some of the more unusual trips and her vehicles are good.
Go and enjoy yourself.

Hi Mark, and Steve an Lindy. Gambia is great, I spend several months over there every year. Mark take a look at Seaview Gardns Hotel if you are looking for a small up market place. Very clean and excellent rooms. Something a little livlier is the senegambia but its too touristy for me. Lokk also at the Holiday beach hotel, right on the beach, reasonable rooms and price with a good pool and right by a lot of restraunts and bars. The self catering complex refered to is nice, reasonable standard and about a ten min walk from the beach and the main tourist area (which is very very small by the way) Yes, there are a couple of places you can watch the footie, there is the sky bar, big screen TV etc right above ALI BABA's you can not miss it. To watch with many of the ex-pats out here try the English Pub, sportsmans bar on the high way. Derek will take good care of you and you will get to chat with those living in Gambia - if you want. Bumsters can be a bit of a hassle, do not look them in the eye nor shake there out stretched hand other wise you will never get rid of them. BE VERY FIRM with them telling them NO. The government is trying hard to get them out of the tourist area or at least to reduce there numbers.
With being out there so much over the years I have loads of information including the best trips to do and who best to book with so just ask away guys.

Hi,

Has anyone got any prices for 2 wks in gambia? 1st-15th oct. I want the cheapest possible ... lol. Im looking for a price on thomson but cant seem to find gambia anywhere.

Thanx
Nic

Hi there Nic, afraid you are not likely to find Gambia available with any of the tour operators as it is a winter destination for them and they don't start flying to Gambia till end Oct / begining Nov. The only company you can get here with is Gambia Experiance or the new scheduled airline, Astraeus. Your best bet is to look at last min.com for a 2 week package. Good luck and just ask if there is anything else you need to know as I spend several months of the year in Gambia I think I know my way around the country now.

My friends and I are thinking of taking our children to The Gambia next April, there are 8 of them aged between 5 and 10. Has anybody got advice on whether children of this age will enjoy the area. I've read some of the reports and am concerned that they will get harrassed and may find the poverty hard to take. All opinions would be appreciated!

HI ,
I stayed at a guest house recently near the balmoral,around 70 a week with electric to midnight ,living as houseguest but pivacy if you want it,in a good house in mixed compound ,Its run by local woman,great cook,organises room cleaning bed changes the lot she charges by room not per person ,PM me for details if you wish ,
good thing is is is close to central area, and mixing near black community in middle class area ,if you can believe that.I booked again for two weeks in november,and probably 6 weeks in january.cheers maxie
PS great location for Kololi or sennigambia

HI Agree ,tour ops really only do white mans land gambia spanish hotels paying poverty wages try a few guest houses .great experiences meet varied people .pm if you wish cheers maxie

I think that it depends on what you're planning to do on the holiday. If you expect to spend all your time around the hotel and pool area then it will be little different from any other tourist sunshine destination - though you will probably find that the Gambian staff will make a huge fuss about your children as in many ways they are a more child-centred culture than we are in the UK.

However, if you plan to leave the hotel compound then, yes, do be prepared to be accosted by local people trying to sell you things but I never found this to be threatening. Making it clear that you aren't interested is usually enough. If you do want to buy then be prepared to haggle and expect to pay approx a third of the initial asking price. Brief the kids in advance not to accept any 'presents' they are offered and you shouldn't have any trouble. Given their ages then I assume that they'll never be out of your sight when away from the hotel anyway.

As for the poverty, well you know your kids best. I found it distressing enough to see young kids chasing the tourist trucks clamouring for sweets but even more distressing to watch my fellow visitors throwing sweets from the trucks and laughing at the kids scrabbling in the dirt for them. The guides always ask that you don't do this and they will fairly distribute sweets on your behalf whenever the truck stops.

If your kids ever whinge about school and you want to open their eyes and help them realise how lucky they are then do go on a visit to one of the schools. Teachers and parents work so hard to ensure that kids do receive an education but resources are few and the schools are housed in very basic buildings that have usually been built by the parents. The system is that if a village builds a schoolhouse the government will provide them with a teacher but little else and parents still have to make a contribution to costs. If you do go on such a visit then take some pens, pencils and exercise books etc with you to leave as a gift. They will will be much appreciated.

The Gambia is a very different culture to what your children will be used to but it could be a very rewarding expereince for them for precisely that reason.

SM

visited the gambia again this year 5th time flew with astreaus no problems just six hours with no entertainment is a bit long. on arriving and going through customs i had with me 6 old mobile phones and a satellite decoder for tallinding school of which are fundraisers they told it would cost 300 delasis each plone and 5 hundred for the decoder. i explained what we had bought them for but to no avail so i took the decoder and said i would stamp on it to render it no good there attitude change and i was given it back but unkess i paid up for the phones they would be removed to which i told them to keep them and they would be depriving there own people. the rest of our visit was excellent although the usual line of the x ray and conveyor belt being broken was used again on arriving back i sent an e mail to the gambiam embassy to which i have had no reply so if you are going dont take any old phone as the customs will have them for themselves

HI,Well done in regards to your attitude towards your decoder,you ought to have done the same with the phones as they will end up sold before the day was out.Gambians are doing themselves no favours re their attitude towards tourist,They see us as a money tree,that attitude begins at the top and trickles on down to the rest of the poor.next time wear trousers with many pockets and carry the phones in.after all chargers cost £2.00 in serrakunda that is the charge for most phones,cheers maxie

I am looking at the Gambia possibly for next April or November depending on funds. Can you give me any advice please?

Which resort for beach, restaurants and bars, some sites and ideal for going on trips to see some wildlife?

What is the cost out there, for example the cost of a beer in bar, bottle of wine, lunchtime snack or evening main course?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

hi.... the gambia is a great place to go in nov to april, been there many times with family and little ones, even got married there in 04.

the kololi area is the best place to stay with the best beach but the sea can be very dangerous.

the senagambia is the better of hotels for money value and all the reastruants are pretty good you need to go to the scala and sonias, prices from £10 for a 3 course beer £1. or buy from the bottle man in town 25p a bottle.

gambia is not a sarfari holiday but there is plenty to do like jeep runs and trip called roots fishing, bird watching and many more. also plenty of night life and a casino.

hope this helps any thing else just ask...

Many thanks for your info. Although not a safari holiday can you go on trips to see some wildlife or is it too far

its nothing like kenya or afria the most u will see is a monkey....

Can you recommend anywhere in Africa we might see more than a monkey?

if ya loking for the proper safari of wildlife then kenya or kruger national park in south africa where i was born, but if you are looking for a nice holiday then the gambia is very nice, with monkeys and lizards

Ideally I would like a bit of both without having to fly more than 6/7 hours!

then gambia u wont see anything like that i am afraid not sure how far kenya is but i do know people who have been there for wildlife and they said its brill.....

sorry cud not help more