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Best Tourist Places to Visit in Banjul, Gambia, Banjul, Western Africa, Africa

Banjul is the capital city of the Gambia, located on the Banjul Island at 13°27′11″ N 16°34′39″ W. It is linked to the mainland Gambia via bridges and by ferries. Banjul is also the economic capital of Gambia, holding the Central Bank of the Gambia, the Gambia Technical Training Institute and all the important administrative offices of the country.

The climate of Banjul is classified as a tropical wet and dry, which comes under the Köppen climate classification. Generally Banjul experiences a very warm climate throughout the year. The geographical coordinates of Banjul are 13°27′11″ N 16°34′39″ W and the city covers a total area of 12 sq. km.

 

History of Banjul:

The name Banjul is a combined modified form of the two Mandinka language words, bang and julo, which means ‘rope fibre’. The history of Banjul begins with its foundation as a trading post, made by the British in the year 1816. Banjul was formerly called Bathurst, named after Henry Bathurst and gained its current name in 1973.

 

How to reach Banjul?

Banjul holds the only airport of the country, the Banjul International Airport, is situated around 30 km southwest of the city centre of Banjul. The airport operates flights from and to London, Amsterdam, Freetown, Lagos, Brussels, Conakry, Copenhagen, Oslo, Barcelona, Stockholm, Dakar, Dakar and Madrid.

There is a selection of green taxis available for local travel in Banjul and rental cars can be accessed from Avis and AB, which are located at SeneGambia Hotel.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Banjul:

Banjul has a rich heritage of arts and culture throughout the city that continues to amuse and enthuse all who experience it.

The Albert Market on Liberation Avenue is a right choice for traditional shopping in Banjul and the products range from handicraft items to traditional clothes.

Some modernized restaurants in Banjul include:

• Sea Shells Bar & Restaurant
• Nefertiti Beach Bar & Restaurant
• Luigi’s Italian Restaurant
• Paradise Beach Bar & Restaurant

 

Things to do in Banjul:

• Beach exploration
• Shopping
• Day tours

 

What to see in Banjul?

 

Gambian National Museum:

Established in 1985, the Gambian National Museum is concentrated on exhibiting the majestic history, natural history and culture of Gambia with well showcased historical objects and documents. Exhibits are shared between 3 floors of the museum.

 

Albert Market:

The Albert Market is a famous street market, situated on Liberation Avenue in Banjul. The market got its name from Albert, Prince Consort. It is thoroughly traditional market with a great range of locally produced colorful handicraft products like dolls, potteries and baskets.

 

Arch 22:

Situated at the gateway of Banjul, Arch 22 commemorates the event of the current President Yahya Jammeh became the country’s president by overthrowing the former President Dawda Jawara in 1994. There is also a textile museum, for which GMD 50 is fixed as an entrance.

 

African Heritage Museum:

Formerly in Banjul, the African Heritage Museum is currently in Bakau, around 10 km west of Banjul. It houses a great collection of African art and statues, which are also available to purchase for visitors at reasonable prices.

 

Serrekunda:

Serrekunda is the largest city of Gambia, situated around 12 km southwest of Banjul. The town is renowned among visitors for its market, wrestling filed and silk cotton tree.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Banjul includes:

• Gambia River National Park
• Sanyang Beach
• Kachikally Crocodile Pool
• Abuko Nature Reserve
• Kunta Kinteh Island
• Gambia River
• Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve
• Kiang West National Park
• MacCarthy Island

 

When to visit Banjul?

Banjul sees a long dry season, from November to June and the remaining months of the year forms a short wet season. The best time to visit Banjul is from December to March.

 

Where to stay in Banjul?

Hotels in Banjul range from family owned rustic resorts to luxurious, award winning hotels with a wide range of upgraded amenities, and from scenic campgrounds to midrange BBs and inns. The prominent hotels in Banjul are as follows:

• Casa Carla Bijilo
• Lemon Creek Hotel Resort
• Papaya Residence
• Sardinka Guest House
• Oasis Relax Lodge
• Bijilo Beach Hotel
• Baobab Holiday Resort
• Coco Ocean Resort and Spa
• Golden Beach Hotel
• Tranquil Holiday Resort
• Keapar Mariam Lodge
• Seafront Residence Hotel
• Adji’s Lodge
• Kingfishers Apartments

Tourist Places to Visit in Bakau, Gambia, Banjul, Western Africa, Africa

Bakau is a tourist favor town situated around 10 km west of the national capital, Banjul in Gambia, between 13°29′ N latitude and 16°41′ W longitude. Bakau is the Gambia’s most developed town, drawing loads of tourists throughout the world for its spectacular beaches, the crocodile pool Bakau Kachikally and botanical gardens. Bakau is situated 7 km north of Serrekunda, the largest city of Gambia. Bakau Primary School and Cape Point Hotel are the two prime landmarks of Bakau. Tourism is the backbone of Bakau’s economy, well contributed by hotels, restaurants and cafes.

 

History of Bakau:

Until the 19th century, Bakau was a small village and began to develop by gaining attention of colonial administrators for its pleasant weather and position on the coastal line. The Kachikally Crocodile Pool is also one of the main reasons for Bakau development.

 

Connectivity to Bakau:

As like the rest of Gambia, Bakau is also catered by Banjul International Airport, which is situated around 20 km south of the heart of Bakau. It is the only airport of Gambia, handling flights from, London, Amsterdam, Freetown, Lagos, Brussels, Conakry, Copenhagen, Oslo, Barcelona, Stockholm, Dakar, Dakar and Madrid.

Yellow taxis and bush taxis are the major local travel options Bakau.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Bakau:

Bakau is the hometown of many famous soccer players, including Amadou Sanyang, Kekuta Manneh and Njogu Demba-Nyrén.

Bakau Craft Market is the most famous shopping option in Bakau for traditional shopping. Some major tourist favor restaurants in Bakau are listed below:

• Taj India
• Calypso Bar and Restaurant
• Rising Sun
• Frank’s Hungarian Restaurant

 

Things to do in Bakau:

• R M Tours Ltd Day Tours
• Omar Tours Gambia
• Hooked on Gambia Tour
• Shopping

 

What to see in Bakau?

 

Kachikally Museum and Crocodile Pool:

The Kachikally Museum and Crocodile Pool is one of the top tourist attractions of Gambia, situated in the centre of Bakau. This sacred crocodile pool is managed by the Bojang family of Bakau and is home to around 80 Nile crocodiles of which Charlie is the most famous one. Visitors can touch all these holy crocodiles.

 

Beaches at Cape Point:

Bakau is a town with many renowned striking beaches including beaches at Cape Point. These beaches are frequented by nature and water sport lovers across Europe and Africa between December and March.

 

Independence Stadium:

The Independence Stadium is a multiuse stadium in Bakau, used for political events, music shows, trade fairs, highly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 30,000 spectators.

 

Botanical gardens in Bakau:

The Botanical gardens in Bakau is one of the highlights of both Gambia and Bakau as it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Gambia and is home to a wide range of flower and shrub species including tropical plants.

 

List of other places of interest in Bakau includes:

• One For the Road Bar
• Bakau Fish Market
• Bakau Craft Market
• Makasutu Culture Forest
• Tanjii Bird Reserve
• TAF Brufut Gardens
• Sheraton Gambia Resort
• Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve
• Kunta Kinteh Island
• Gambia National Museum
• Kiang West National Park
• Sanyang Beach
• Gambia River National Park
• MacCarthy Island

 

When to visit Bakau?

The best time to visit Bakau depends on visitors’ interest, although for outdoor activities including beach exploration, from December to May is the best time.

 

Where to stay in Bakau?

Compared to the other towns of Gambia, Bakau holds the highest number of modernized accommodation centres with superior facilities and services like swimming pool, airport shuttle, spa, sauna, fitness centre and conference hall. List of the prominent hotels in and around Bakau are as follows:

• African Village Hotel
• Ocean Bay Hotel & Resort
• Sunbeach Hotel & Resort
• Garden Guest House
• Bakau Guest House
• Kachikally Holiday Inn
• Cape Point Hotel
• Roc Heights Lodge
• African Heritage Guesthouse
• Jabo Guest House
• Limbas Accommodation
• Bakau Lodge
• Bamboo Garden Hotel
• Luigi’s Complex
• Lemon Creek Hotel Resort

Places to Visit in Brikama, Gambia, Banjul, Western Africa, Africa

Brikama is a city in Gambia, situated around 30 km south-southwest of the national capital, Banjul. It comes under the Brikama Local Government Area, housing a population of around 57,000 people. Brikama is famous as a site for wood carving shopping and is also the home town of many recognized national musicians. The Makasutu Culture Forest is the major landmark and tourist attraction of Brikama.

Brikama houses the Regional Education Office for the Western Region of Gambia, the Gambia College and many important secondary schools including Kunte Kinte and Kinderdorf Bottrop. Brikama is situated around 20 km south of Serekunda, the largest city of Gambia. Brikama coordinates with 13°16′ N latitude and 16°39′ W longitude.

 

Conenctivity to Brikama:

Brikama is situated around 15 km away from Banjul International Airport, the only airport in Gambia. This airport covers many important European and African cities like Freetown, Lagos, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Conakry, Copenhagen, Oslo, Barcelona, Stockholm, Dakar, Madrid and Dakar.

Brikama has a good connectivity to all around the country by frequent bus services.

The local tourism is also served by many tour conductors with guided tour service, arrangement of rental vehicle to get around and airport travel.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Brikama:

Including the Gambia College, Brikama houses many reputed educational institutions. Traditional market of the town is best options to bag local specials.

Fansu’s Kairadula is one of the famous restaurants in Brikama, well known for serving mouthwatering seafood.

 

Things to do in Brikama:

• Boating
• Hiking
• Shopping

 

Tourist Attractions in Brikama:

 

Makasutu Culture Forest:

The Makasutu Culture Forest is situated on the Mandina Bolong river, covering an area of 1000-acre, in which different kinds of eco-systems can be seen such as mangroves, wetland, palm forest, savannah and gallery forest. Its wildlife is also famous among visitors such as baboons, monitor lizards, monkeys and dozens of bird species.

 

The Gambia College:

The Gambia College is one of the most important education institutions of Gambia and is specialized in providing training for teachers. Other than this, the town is also home to many secondary schools with unique cultural programs.

 

Market in Brikama:

The traditional market of Brikama is famous among both locals and visitors as it offers a variety of colorful locally produced wood carving, dolls, clothes, kerchiefs and jewels. It is advised visitors to keep local currency in pocket before to go shopping.

 

Nyambai Forest Park:

The Nyambai Forest Park is situated to the northwest of the centre of Brikama. The park is rich in vegetation and wildlife, can be explored best through a guided tour.

 

Other places of interest in and around Brikama include:

• Sheraton Gambia Resort
• Tanjii Bird Reserve
• TAF Brufut Gardens
• Kiang West National Park
• Sanyang Beach
• Sibis Garden Bar
• Gambia River National Park
• MacCarthy Island
• Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve
• Albert Market
• Kunta Kinteh Island
• Gambia River
• Gambia National Museum
• Kachikally Crocodile Pool
• Abuko Nature Reserve

 

Ideal time to visit Brikama:

Probably the ending and beginning months of the year are ideal to visit Brikama in Gambia.

 

Accommodation options in Brikama:

Brikama houses limited number of accommodation centres including lodges and guest houses. For more facilitated accommodation options, visitors can consider hotels in the nearby regions of Brikama. It is also advised for visitors to book hotel rooms well in advance prior to reaching Gambia. The prominent hotels in and Brikama include:

• Suleima Lodge
• Futatorolodge
• Tumani Tenda Ecotourism Camp
• Alla La Daaro Guest House
• Heart Made Project
• Dandimayo
• Hibiscus House
• Sheraton Gambia Hotel Resort & Spa
• Bakotu Hotel
• Tanji Bird Reserve Eco-Camp
• The Plantation Gambia
• Smile Gambia Holiday Home
• Banana Lodge Apartments
• Leo’s Beach Hotel & Restaurant
• Ocean Villa Heights

Brufut Tourist Places to Visit in Brufut, Gambia, Banjul, Western Africa, Africa

Brufut is a town belonging to the Western Division of the Western African country, Gambia, situated around 10 km southwest of Serekunda and 25 km southwest of Banjul, the capital of Gambia. Brufut is situated in one of the upgraded regions of Gambia, in which many large estates including TAF Brufut Gardens and a five-star Sheraton Gambia Resort and many bird watching sites are located. Also there is an internationally recognized Tanjii Bird Reserve, situated few kilometers away from Brufut. Brufut is also famous among visitors as a shopping town. Brufut is geographically positioned between 13°23′ N latitude and 16°45′ W longitude.

 

How to reach Brufut?

Brufut is served by Banjul International Airport with flights from many global destinations like Freetown, Lagos, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Conakry, Copenhagen, Oslo, Barcelona, Stockholm, Dakar, Madrid and Dakar.

The airport is located around 15 km away from Brufut, which can be crossed by taxi or bus services. Buses are regular between these routes and also many travel agencies conduct bus services during peak season.

To move within the town, airport travel and to reach tourist destinations, visitors can hire rental cars in Brufut.

 

Food and Shopping in Brufut:

Brufut is a colorful town home to plenty of upgraded shopping options, dominated by a brand new Shopping Mall, which is constructed within TAF Brufut Gardens.

Brufut also holds numerous modernized food corners with both European and African menus and some of them are as follows:

• The Cockpit Bar & Grill
• Dolphin Bar and Restaurant
• The Courtyard
• The Happy Bar

 

Things to do in Brufut:

• Beach exploration
• Village tours
• Boat tours

 

What to see in Brufut?

 

TAF Brufut Gardens:

The TAF Brufut Gardens is situated in the vicinity of the coastline, home to luxury villas, houses for ministers, several embassies, 450 villas, apartment blocks and a Shopping Mall. It is situated in the opposite of the Sheraton Hotel.

 

Sanmentereng:

Sanmentereng is a holy place situated next to Brufut, holding a long cultural background, which draws people from all around the country who come to here to pray for their future.

 

Sheraton Gambia Resort:

The Sheraton Gambia Resort is a five star resort and one of the best hotels in Gambia. The large conference hall of this majestic resort was the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies of 7th AU Summit. It overlooks the beach.

 

Tanjii Bird Reserve:

The Tanjii Bird Reserve is a renowned nature, home to hundreds of bird species as well as many mammals and also it features scrubs area and a coastal lagoon. A small entrance fee is charged, worth a fee.

 

List of other places of interest in Brufut includes:

• Arch 22
• Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve
• Albert Market
• Kunta Kinteh Island
• Gambia River
• Kiang West National Park
• Gambia National Museum
• Kachikally Crocodile Pool
• Abuko Nature Reserve
• Sanyang Beach
• Sibis Garden Bar
• Gambia River National Park
• MacCarthy Island

 

When to visit Brufut?

From November to February is generally the best time to visit Brufut to explore its natural beauties.

 

Where to stay in Brufut?

Brufut boasts many star rated accommodation options of which     the five-star Sheraton Gambia Resort is the most important one with world class amenities. Except this, Brufut offers many vacation rentals that open door only between November and February. Here are some major hotels in Brufut:

• Hotel Jammu
• Hibiscus House
• Banana Lodge Apartments
• Leo’s Beach Hotel & Restaurant
• Mango Lodge
• Tanji Bird Reserve Eco-Camp
• The Plantation Gambia
• Smile Gambia Holiday Home
• Ocean Villa Heights
• Brufut Motel
• Brufut Village Apartments
• Brufut Gardens Villa
• Ocean Blue Bar & Lodge
• Elephant House Lodge