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Gambia.
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Travelling to Gambia: what to know before you go

The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, a narrow strip of land along the River Gambia, surrounded by Senegal except for a short Atlantic coastline. Nicknamed the Smiling Coast, it offers sunny beaches, outstanding birdwatching, river trips and a history closely tied to the Atlantic slave trade. It suits winter-sun seekers, birdwatchers and travellers interested in West African culture, with most facilities along the coast near Banjul.

Where to go

• Kunta Kinteh Island and Juffureh. A small island in the River Gambia, formerly called James Island, with the ruins of a fort used in the slave trade.
• Birdwatching. More than five hundred bird species have been recorded in this small country.
• Abuko Nature Reserve. A small forest reserve close to the coast, with walking trails, monkeys, monitor lizards and crocodiles in its pools, and plenty of birdlife.
• Kachikally Crocodile Pool, Bakau. A sacred pool in Bakau where many Nile crocodiles live and where local people come to pray for fertility and good fortune.

Best time to visit

The dry season, from roughly November to May, is the main tourist season, with sunny, warm days and low humidity, and it is the best time for birdwatching. Winter months are especially popular with visitors from Europe.

Staying online in Gambia

Mobile coverage is good in Banjul and along the coastal resort area, with 4G available, and generally reasonable in towns along the main roads. Coverage weakens in rural areas upriver, in some national parks and on the river itself. Hotels, cafés and guesthouses on the coast usually have Wi-Fi, though it can be slow, and power cuts happen. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.