Andrew Eames's report on The Gambia Posted On 01.10.07 Andrew Eames, Travel Writer   ........................................................................................................................................ Introduction The Gambia is a tiny nation on the west coast of Africa that manages to be accessible, exotic and properly tropical, and you don’t have to spend a day on a plane to get there. Its size may disappoint if you’re looking for big game and vast savannah but it is inexpensive and safe, with sun, sand, wildlife and culture. For a first taste of tropical Africa, it’s ideal. For decades this ex-British colony had a reputation for low-budget winter sun tourism based on a strip of beach hotels whose guests rarely dared to step into the streets behind. But tourism here is changing. The older resort hotels are still there, some of them rather run-down, but now there are boutique hotels, jungle lodges, spas and eco-resorts, and the first five-star big brand hotel, a Sheraton, has just opened. The hassle from ‘bumsters’ – unofficial guides – has been dramatically reduced, but this is still where mainstream tourism meets dirt-poor Africa, and it will always be a bit rough at the edges. There are riverside lodges and island sanctuaries where you can sit at the water’s edge and greet the giggling Mandinka women as they scud past in dugout canoes piled high with freshwater oysters. The Mandina River Lodge is the first luxury safari-type lodge in West Africa. It has a sinuous pool, a jetty, a bar and restaurant made from rhun palm and malinda wood, with floating and stilted lodges each with a guide and its own dugout canoe. Guides will suggest excursions: on water there’s fishing for barracuda and captain fish, and dawn and sunset paddling on the creek; on land there’s bird-watching trails and a walk in the woods to where the palm wine tapper lives, for a cup of milky liquid which tastes like semi-fermented ginger beer. Makasutu also has its own marabout or holy man (complete with sunglasses and leather jacket) available for consultation. He made me a juju to defend my house against burglars. The juju would freeze them outside my door, he said, so that when I returned home I could beat them up. So far, I am relieved to say, I’m unable to tell you whether or not it actually works. Andrew Eames is the author of The 8.55 to Baghdad, an award-winning account of a train journey from London to Iraq just before the toppling of Saddam Hussein. His next book Something Different for the Weekend is published in January 2008. This will be followed next autumn by Blue River, Black Sea, his journey down the Danube from the source to the Black Sea. Andrew Eames also writes for the Daily Express, the Times and the Daily Telegraph. ........................................................................................................................................ Best Avoided The rainy season (June to early October) is very hot and humid, and many hotels and restaurants close down for the duration. Hire cars are available (expect to pay a large refundable deposit) but it is best not to drive yourself unless you’ve been in the country a while, because road-signs are minimal and traffic erratic. Negotiate with a taxi for a day rate instead. The strip outside the Hotel Senegambia is bumster heaven; no matter how innocently the conversation begins, the sales pitch is lurking somewhere. ........................................................................................................................................ Need to Know The Gambia has a very limited choice of scheduled flights, with only Astraeus offering twice-weekly departures from the UK. Most tourists (and Gambians) travel on charter flights. As in most of Africa, there is a risk of malaria, and you do need to consult your GP about relevant precautions. The Gambian electricity supply is notoriously erratic. Most hotels have back-up generators, but you shouldn’t bring any electronic equipment that is sensitive to power fluctuations. Yundum International Airport is one of a handful in the world designated by NASA as a potential landing strip for the space shuttle. So your aircraft won’t be running out of runway! ........................................................................................................................................ TC Tips Proper guides should all be able to show you official accreditation; if they can’t, find someone else. Andrew Eames, travel writer The Gambia is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Don’t miss the feeding of the vultures around 11am at the Senegambia Hotel. Karen Hobbs, Travel Counsellor Pack your binoculars. There is more birdlife per acre in The Gambia than in any other country and it is impossible not to be uplifted by their presence and their song while you’re here. Alison Rice, travel writer I would strongly advise taking adequate funds in sterling traveller’s cheques. You can buy Gambian currency (the Dalasi) at the airport. Cash machines are often empty and you can take out a maximum of £40 each time. Machines often accept Visa but not MasterCard. Although some hotels and restaurants accept credit cards, it’s not wise to rely on either credit or debit cards. Janet Evans, Travel Counsellor Visit the Makasutu Cultural Forest for daily tribal dancing and an African lunch (wonderful beef in peanut sauce) under the baleful stare of a troop of baboons. Andrew Eames, travel writer