Before travelling to the Gambia, I had no idea of what a third world country would really look like. With the only visual experience being the things broadcasted on the television, I  can tell you that seeing things on the telly is nothing compared with visiting a third world country like the Gambia in real life. 

The Gambia is the smallest African country but made a big impact on my view of the world. Here are the things that left me with many mixed emotions and an endless stream of WTF’s. 

The huge difference between Rich and Poor

I had no idea of the huge difference between the rich and poor in the Gambia, and that there was no in-between of those two. Apparently, 60% of Gambians live in poverty, with a third of those living on less than $1.25 a day.

3 Star Gambian resort is the same like a backpackers in Asia

A 3-star hotel in the Gambia is not comparable with a 3-star hotel in any other country.

We stayed in a 3-star hotel that was more like a 1- star backpackers and had the biggest rat I have ever seen lying dead in front of our terrace.

The outside area wasn’t too bad, but all very basic and not very clean, and so was our room. As my friend and I were on a budget at that time, we just went with the cheapest deal to skip the cold Dutch winter for a week, so maybe we couldn’t really expect much more for our cheap buck.

African braids that left me look like Tina Turner

I got those typical African braids in my hair because I thought it was cool. Well, it might have been a little bit, but getting those things in so tight that it hurt and turning me into Tina Turner or the neighbours Cavoodle Pup, after my brother spending almost 2 hours to get them out, wasn’t particularly worth it.

I just say one thing: Please Don’t laugh! 😉

Petting crocs at Kachikally Crocodile Pool

Call it cool or call it stupid. Sitting leg to leg and petting a Nile Crocodile at the Kachikally crocodile pool in Bakau ( around 15 km from the capital Banjul )

Back then, I thought it was cool. 

Now, after living in Croc Country for years, I know those ones could have easily bitten my hand off.

Although it is a bit of a tourist trap, The Kachikally Sacred Crocodile Pool is known by local Gambians for its healing powers and as a place where people come to pray for blessings, especially for the infertile woman who wish to conceive.

There are about 80 crocodiles in and around the pool and on a good day, you might see more than half-a-dozen crocodiles chilling out in the sun. Some of them are longer than 2 meters, but they say they are totally used to human visitors and getting touched.

Well, we all know that crocodiles are predators and although the Nile crocodiles mainly eat fish, in nature, they will attack almost anything unfortunate enough to cross its path, including zebras, small hippos, porcupines, birds, and other crocodiles.

Yep, not a very good idea, but hey, I can say I touched a crocodile 😉

Getting followed by Bumsters

One very annoying thing in the Gambia is getting followed by the so-called bumsters. People trying to hustle tourists into giving them money or things like cigarettes.

Even though most of them are harmless, it’s just bloody annoying as some just won’t let you alone. We had one guy walking all the way with us from the hotel to the village trying to sell something, even after we said no 10 times.

In a way, it’s also understandable. These people are unemployed and need to feed their families too. We also saw kids on the streets doing this. They dropped out of school as they know that earning money by selling stuff on the streets and trying to get tourist to get them money, pays more than a ‘normal’ job after school.

This is why you should never give them anything. How harsh it sounds, and how sweet they look. What you are actually doing with giving them money, is encouraging them to stay out of school.

Driving through local towns in the Gambia

Is a great way to get an impression of life in the Gambia. We traveled in one of those massive trucks and passed villages with local people making beautiful artwork, markets, and also saw the poorest parts of the Gambia. Something that makes you appreciate everything you have at home even more and wanting to make a difference ( as far as you can ) for people who don’t. 

Visiting the Markets in Capital City Banjul

Be warned if you visit the Markets in Banjul, The Gambia. It stinks. Horrible. There is rubbish everywhere, lots of people, and fish and meat laying in 30-degree heat. But… It’s another unique experience. 

On the other side there are many amazing artisans working on their latest creation. 

Going to the Beach in the Gambia

If you think you are going to have this tropical, pearl white beaches with wavy palm trees in the Gambia, you will be disappointed. The Gambia certainly has some nice beaches, but nothing compared with the beaches in other African countries like Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco.

Also keep in mind, that if you go to a public beach, you will get people coming up to you ( Bumpsters ) who will try to sell stuff.

If you are going to the Gambia only to get a tan and skip the cold winter weather and aren’t interested in the rest of the country, book a resort with a private beach to avoid this. 

Exploring Nature in the Gambia

I must say, that I wasn’t really impressed with the nature of Gambia. Gambian Nature is nothing compared with other African countries. It is flat, dry and not particularly special in my opinion. Apart from one elephant tree we saw ⇓

Visiting a local school in the Gambia

Visiting a local African school was one of the most impressive things of our trip to the Gambia. It made me realize how lucky we were as kids and all the opportunities we have in life.

As soon as we stepped through the school gates my head was spinning with all different thoughts.

‘Omg, those kids are so cute and lovely’  and ‘What?! This is the classroom?! Look at those walls!’

The kids were so well behaved. There were no posters, geographic maps, books or other things you see in a  classroom that we are used to. There was literally nothing. We brought some toys and balloons which was very appreciated by all of them.

I think some pictures say more than 1000 words…

Travelling to the Gambia is definitely an adventure you won’t forget.

Are you curious about a trip to the Gambia?

We have created this Gambia Travel Guide for you to make planning and booking your trip to the Gambia easy! 

We use www.skyscanner.com for all our flights. It’s one of the most popular flight search engines and it compares hundreds of airline companies and booking websites. A big plus for us is that Sky Scanner can look for flights in the cheapest month, and it will also automatically look for the cheapest dates in that particular month. 

Are you looking for something luxurious resort in Gambia? Or maybe you want to visit Gambia on a budget? Agoda offers accommodation in the Gambia suitable for any budget or wish list. Check out all hotels in Gambia

Airbnb offers many lovely Airbnb’s in Gambia

Book via our special link to get a whopping $$$ discount off your first booking with AirBnb, so you can definitely score yourself a bargain.

Have you booked your trip via Airbnb before? Book your next Airbnb accommodation in the Gambia easy and fast right here ↓

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Tours and Transport in the Gambia

Viator offers a wide range of tours and excursions in the Gambia for travellers who’d just like to sit back an relax and see the highlights with a professional guide.

You can also book your transfers in the Gambia via Viator. 

Check out many different tours in Gambia for the best prices right here ↓

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