Fantastic golden sands and its crystal clear waters you’ll find it hard not to relax. The beaches are everything you’d expect with palm trees dotted along the edge.

If it’s shopping you like then you would love the local markets as they sell a variety of souvenirs such as a selection of carvings; masks and figurines also silver jewellery is sold here. So you’ll have no problem finding a gift for the people back home.

Gambia can offer a great range of different foods which include Chinese, Italian, Indian and of course a Gambian cuisine. Most of Gambia’s dishes include fish and nuts. If none of those interest you then maybe the drinks will like the local larger or a banana cocktail or maybe a julbrew.

There are so many experiences here for example take a trip on a Swiss army truck and walk amongst crocodiles at Katchikally crocodile pool. Also there is a cruise that goes along the River Gambia and goes back in time to the days of the slave trade, not to be missed!

Gambia appeals to all ages as there is something for everyone!

If you want to go in the hottest time of the year then the best time to go would be November through to April as the temperature is approx 32 C, but if your wanting something a bit cooler then May through to October would be the better months for you.
It is often said that birds are for The Gambia what wildlife is for East Africa . Government has designed seven protected areas to serve as sanctuary for birds and other wildlife

The Gambia has all the features for
eco-tourism – a great river, exotic flora and fauna and a vibrant African cultural heritage.

There are many different excursions designed to give the tourist a good feel of The Gambia. There are land-based tours, river trips, and mixed excursions

The Gambia is situated in West Africa and lies astride longitude 15?W, which is why today’s six-hour flight from Britain causes very little jet lag. It is equidistant from the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer, 13?15’-13?30N being the approximate latitudinal extent. The area counts 11,295 sq. kilometers (4361 sq. miles).
The north and south bounders are with Senegal. The widest point is 48 kilometers (30 miles). It also borders the north Atlantic Ocean on the west.
In The Gambia, the River Gambia’s initial width of 600 feet is constricted to a twenty-foot channel by the Barrow kunda Falls.
The administrative divisions are: Banjul, Kombo St. Mary, Western Division, Lower River Division, North Bank Division, Central River Division and Upper River Division.

Gambia's main indigenous groups have a highly stratified society wherein status is determined by birth. At the top of the social heap are traditional noble and warrior families, followed by the farmers, traders and persons of caste - blacksmiths, leather workers, wood workers, weavers and griots (GREE-oh). Griots are the lowest of the castes but are highly respected, as they are in charge of passing on the oral traditions and are usually the only ones who can recite a family or village history. Slaves occupied the lowest rank of the social ladder, and although slavery is now long gone, many descendants of former slaves still work as tenant farmers for the masters of old.

The overwhelming majority of Gambia's population is Muslim, though many practitioners combine their faith with traditional animist beliefs. It's not uncommon to see Gambians wearing a small leather pouch around their neck, arm or waist; called gris-gris (pronounced 'gree-gree'), these amulets are thought to ward off evil or bring good luck. Devout Muslims sometimes hedge their bets by keeping a small verse from the Quran inside.

Great importance is placed on greetings. Wolof and Mandinka people, for example, greet one another with a ritual that lasts up to half a minute, starting with the traditional Islamic greetings Salaam aleikum and Aleikum asalaam ('Peace be with you,' 'And peace be with you.') This is followed by several more questions about the other's family, home life, village, health etc. The answers - which are almost always that things are fine, even for people on death's door - are often followed with Al humdul'allah ('Thanks be to God.') In the larger cities, traditional greetings sometimes give way to shorter versions in French or English, but they're never forgotten. If you learn a few stock greetings in the local language, you're bound to be a big hit with the locals.

Use the guides below to help you decide where to go on your next holiday

Long-haul destinations
Antigua Jamaica Bahamas Kenya Bangkok Luxor Barbados Maldives Cancun Mauritius Cayo Coco Phuket Cuba Sharm El Sheikh Dominican republic Sri Lanka Gambia Tobago Goa Varadero Brazil Dubai Grenada Cozumel Hong Kong Huatulco Puerto Vallarta Riviera Maya Seychelles St Lucia Aruba

Short-haul destinations - coming soon
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