Gambia is quite the education...
John Nichol takes a chance on an unusual destination – and is thrilled to find he’s hit the jackpot
As we shivered in the drab weather, the question in the Nichol house was: ‘Where do we go for some guaranteed sunshine without crossing half the planet?’ A few years ago, the answer might have been Egypt or Tunisia. But due to recent attacks at tourist resorts and regional instability, travellers are looking at previously less popular destinations in the search for safe, sunny, reasonably priced holidays. We chose the west coast of Africa and its smallest mainland country, The Gambia, with its subtropical climate and year-round swimsuit weather.
Even though the disease never reached Gambia, the 2014 outbreak of Ebola in West Africa had a devastating effect on the area’s tourist industry. But now visitors are returning to enjoy the country’s legendary beaches. On holiday, I require sunshine and a sunlounger, while my wife Suzie has an eye for a decent spa and some ‘off-the-beaten track’ sights to explore. Daughter Sophie, 11, requires a pool, a beach, and other families so she can seek out new playmates.
With its large pool, spa and beachfront setting, The Ocean Bay Hotel at Cape Point, where the River Gambia and the Atlantic Ocean merge, seemed the perfect choice.
After a six-hour flight from London Gatwick – with a time difference of only one hour – we were ready to hit the pool as soon as we arrived. The Ocean Bay staff were always ready with a beaming smile and a cheery greeting inquiring after ‘the boss lady’ or ‘princess Sophie’. Food, in and out of the hotel, was excellent and, with prices as low as 200 dalasi (about €5) for a main course, superb value for money. We sampled some freshly caught fish – including barracuda.
To experience the real Gambia, you need to step outside the plush international hotels. At first, you will be pestered by ‘bumsters’ trying to sell everything from a coconut to an excursion, or begging for money. The official advice is to politely, but firmly, reject every advance.
We followed the advice and we were largely left alone. Another tip is to use an official tourist guide. They were always outside our hotel and cost around €13 for half a day.
As I had important business lazing by the pool, it was Sophie who headed out of the hotel with a new friend and her family, in the care of one of the official Gambian guides. This is her review:
‘Halfway through our holiday I was invited on a tour. We got on a bus with no seatbelts, it was quite weird and we had to cling on. After a few minutes we pulled up outside an old shack. I was confused as I thought we were going to a school, but the guide explained this was the school.
‘I expected to see 30 children sitting on chairs with tables in front of them.
‘It turned out there were 70 kids squashed up on narrow benches with no tables.
‘They were all different ages, ranging from three to 10. They were pretty good at English – compared to my French – and could all pronounce the words excellently. They were learning the letters and how to say different animal names. We were asked to join in so we shouted words like “butterfly” as loud as we could. One teacher was very strict, hitting the children, which was rather awkward. We left thinking how lucky we were.
‘Next we headed to the vulture park where we saw the birds being fed and given a drink. They were incredibly ugly, but very graceful, too.
‘ Then we walked through a wood to see some monkeys who we could hand-feed. They took one shell at a time, carefully choosing before shaking it to make sure there was a nut inside.
‘Then we saw some crocodiles and we were even allowed to touch them. Finally, after lunch, we headed back to the hotel to cool off in the pool.’
Sophie’s final thoughts – a blend of sunshine and relaxation mixed with an insight into an impoverished yet welcoming country.
Our trip was a perfect early spring break, and great value for money.