The Spark Magazine (May 2018)

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INTUNE WITH…
Social Prefect in
The Gambia
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and
narrow-mindedness, and many of our people
need it sorely on these accounts. Broad,
wholesome, charitable views of men and
things cannot be acquired by vegetating in
one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
– Mark Twain
Balafon hotel
Places To Visit
The Gambia has some interesting tourist attractions and places of interest.
The Kachikally crocodile pool is a major attraction where you get to see
live crocodiles; there is also a museum in Kachikally. Most likely, your hotel
will have a beach, however if it has a small one, you should visit Kotu beach
or Kombo beach. Fort James, also called Kunta Kinteh Island, is a major
historical attraction. Gambia also has a number of wildlife parks. The
tourism development area is great for restaurants and lounges.
The food
While in Gambia, you should try some local cuisines; the food in Gambia is
tasty, I must confess. I enjoyed the baobab juice and Gambian jollof rice.
You should try yassa, baobab juice, peanut sauce called domoda with rice
and chere.
Explore the Night life
For entertainment and fun, you should definitely not miss out on the
groovy nightlife. The night life is an attraction on its own. From live bands
to great outdoor clubs and traditional performances, The Gambia has
it all. You should visit the Senegambia strip, also known as the Tourism
development area, which has a great line up of outdoor clubs, lounges and
restaurants. You should also visit Poco loco which has a great line up of live
band acts and a Nigerian DJ playing great music.
The Gambia offered me so much more than I expected. It just goes to show
that you can never know a place until you move closer. Block out the voices
on the street and go have your personal experience. I assure you that you
will fall in love just like I did.
- By Chiamaka Obuekwe
This quote holds true on so many grounds. Before visiting The Gambia,
I had heard so many unpalatable stories about the country; the most
prominent being that it was just a poor country with nothing much
to offer apart from a few beautiful beaches. My visit there completely
changed my mindset and I fell head over heels in love with The Gambia.
“
The economy of The
Gambia is majorly sustained
by tourism, farming and
fishing.
“
The Gambia which is also known as ‘The Smiling coast’ is a West African
country that is surrounded by Senegal except for its coastline. The capital
being Banjul, The Gambia is the smallest country on Mainland Africa
with a population of less than 2 million people. Their economy is majorly
sustained by tourism, farming and fishing. English is the official language
but the average Gambian speaks either Mandika, Wolof, Serer or Fula. The
major religion is Islam as over 80% percent of Gambians practice Islam.
Coco ocean resort and spa
Balafon resort
Like I said, I had a wonderful experience in the country which surpassed
my imagination and I believe strongly, it is an experience you will want to
have as well.
If you want to go to the Gambia, here’s a brief guide to exploring this
beautiful country:
How To Get There (Flights and Visa)
There are direct flights from Lagos and Abuja to Banjul on a few airlines. If
you plan to go, book your flight on time and plan well because the flights
are not daily. Regarding visas, all ECOWAS passport holders do not require
a visa to gain entry into The Gambia. Entry from many other countries is
also visa free or visa on arrival because tourism is a major focus for them,
so they want to encourage ease of entry into the country.
Gambia Tours
Kombo resort
Kombo beach
Where To Stay
The Gambia is an avalanche of beautiful resorts and beach hotels. As a
result of the extensive coastline, most, if not all, hotels have their own
beaches and there is something for every type of traveller. For the vacation
seeker, you should stay at Kombo beach hotel or Senegambia hotel, while
the business traveller should stay at Swiss boutique luxury hotel. The
honeymooners should stay at the dreamy Balafon hotel, while families can
stay at Djembe hotel or Ocean bay hotel and resort. The Luxury traveller
should definitely stay at Coco ocean hotel and spa.
Kachikally crocodile pool
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