Hope you enjoyed yourself Fidget - not many sleeps left now til 2nd April.
Have you written a blog yet????? Recommend a good watering hole???

Make sure you dont just stay in Kololi (although its great there). Walk down the beach to KOTU POINT BEACH BAR, they will make you very welcome, for the price of a drink you can use their sun-loungers, decent toilet etc, if FAXEY is there remind him of us (Colin & Linda), He will even help you haggle with beach-sellers.
Also on your way down the beach there is a couple of lads "Abraham & David who are trying to set up a beach bar (Abraham used to work for the travel companies and David was an entertainment manager) they are just on the edge of Palma Rima beach, really nice lads, both these lads and Faxey can organise trips for you alot cheaper and more interesting than the courier based ones.
Dont be put of by the SO CALLED bumsters...if they get too much just say "Im off to see faxey" or name someone else you have met....they will leave you alone.
If you want any more info, dont hesitate to ask, we are still in touch with friends we made in Gambia....yes its a poor country, but they all use internet cafes!!!

Any advice welcome
Thanks

Sorry...meant to say....what's the weather probably going to be like the first week in june in Gambia? It says a year round destination but have read the rainy season is from June - September

We have always been under the impression that the 'season' is Nov - April as it rains quite heavily in our summer months. Most package holidays don't fly to Gambia during this time. Last time we were there, the hotel told us alot of Germans and Dutch still went in the 'rainy' season so it can't be toooooo bad???

HI, have friends and relatives who live in Gambia,The rainy seaon is hot ,sticky, very very humid,and the favourite time for mosquitoes they are really bad in the rainy season,but as they say you pays your money etc,I love the place ,however rainy season not for me .cheers maxie

I'm going end of April - does anyone know what the weather is like then?
Hope its still hot!

HI,One thing for certain in The Gambia its always hot around 90degrees dont worry and dont let the mossies bite at night, cheers maxie

HI You could have bought your doxycycline in Gambia for a couple of pounds ,remember that they are used as a first line prescription for MRSA in this country,and they have varying side effects,maxie

I am thinking of going to Gambia in March next year for my husband's 40th birthday (it was out of Gambia or Cape Verde). We have narrowed it down to 4 hotels, well 3 really but your help would be appreciated:-

1 Corinthia Atlantic - h/b although I have read somewhere that it is a little out of the way which is putting me off slightly;

2 Sunbeach Hotel - b/b - haven't read anything bad about this other than you have to go through another hotel to gain access to the beach;

3 Kombo Beach - b/b - haven't read anything bad about this and is my favourite so far;

4 Kairaba Beach - b/b - have read this is a little overpriced for what you get although it is amazing.

Whilst we are away we like to be not to far away from what is happening with the option of being able to go out and about. The bumsters don't worry us as we see it as part of the experience.

Any help would be greatfully received.

Thanks .

You're right in thinking that the Corinthia Atlantic is out of the way - we were glad we had chosen the Senegambia instead when we went a few years ago. Can't advise on any of the others though.

The Atlantic may be nice but it is very much isolated from the other hotels.

Stayed at the Sunbeach a couple of years ago, excellent hotel in every respect, cannot praise it high enough. Don't know where the beach access problem has come from, we certainly did not have to go through another hotel to get to the beach. You get to the beach direct from the hotel grounds - I can only think it is referring to a different hotel.

The Kombo beach was nice ( went for lunch there ) and would not have a problem staying there but I do not think it lives up to the high standards of The Sunbeach, though probably closer to the main body of hotels, restaurants, bars etc.

The Karaiba is expensive, but very central to the nightlife of Kololi. Had a nice meal there but the toilets were not very clean, which was surprising for a 5* hotel ( spotless in the Sunbeach !! ). Despite this I would stay there as it has a good reputation.

Maybe you could consider The Ocean Bay at Cape Point near The Sunbeach. My niece stayed there last year and thought it was great, excellent value for money too.

If I went back where would I stay ?? Probably rule out The Atlantic - too far from anywhere. I would probably try The Karaiba if I could get a good deal. If not I would go for the best deal on the other 3.

There's a big problem with erosion of the beaches in The Gambia so that might be the source of the problem referred to above. At times the beaches close to some of the hotels have been virtually washed away and the creation of deep shelves at the waterline makes them dangerous for swimming. So it might be not so much an access issue as a safety issue and that they don't want people using the beach by the Sunbeach but are directing guests to use the facilities at a nearby, less affected hotel.

SM

Hiya Sonia Louise,

We are going to the Kairiba in two days time for our first trip to Gambia. If you can wait for two weeks, I'lle pass on some details when we get back.
Anything specific you want to know.

Hi
We're staying at the Kairaba in December this year. Can anyone recommend places to eat or visit?
I have coeliac disease so I'm not allowed to eat anything containg wheat, barley, oats or rye. Basically anything made with with flour. Do you think that will be a problem?

Any help or advice is appreciated. x

Hi All

I'm flying to the Corinthia Atlantic Banjul on 7th Nov from Manchester for a week and was just wondering is anyone else going at this time?? It will be my first trip to Gambia and I'm going alone but am hoping to meet some friendly faces there!

Getting really excited already!!

Leanna xx