Salla VartiainenGood to know before you travel to The Gambia!
So you are going to The Gambia? How exiting!
The Gambia is a small but interesting country. It is very poor, the beaches are great and the people are very friendly. Sunshine is guaranteed! Which is one of the reasons why so many of us travel there.
But The Gambia can also be very confusing and overwhelming, especially for people who are not used to traveling outside of Europe. The culture is very different compared to the culture here in Sweden.
The first time I visited the Gambia, the culture shock was too big for me and I swore to never return. But.. here we are now, 26 years later and I´m still traveling there haha.
But as Cervantes said – To be prepared is half the victory!
And that´s why I made a list of things that I think you should know before you travel to the Gambia
Get a prescription for Malaria pills
First things first. Be sure to get a prescription for a Malaria prophylaxis before you come to The Gambia.
Malaria is very prevalent here and I have yet not met a Gambian that hasn´t gotten malaria at least once in their lifetime. The disease makes you very very sick and every year hundreds of Gambians die of it.
Even though most of the mosquitoes reside in the bush it is still good to be prepared. Bring your prophylaxis and mosquito sprays! Better safe than sorry.
Areas with a lot of nature usually have more mosquitoes
Cash is king
Used to pay your shopping with a card? Not here. Here cash is still king and most places you visit will NOT accept any cards. So make sure you have cash at hand, and preferably smaller notes.
The ATM:s here don´t always work and sometimes they are out of money. But do not freak out, there are other ATM:s all though you sometimes need a taxi to drive around and search for one that works.
Don´t drink the water
The tap-water in the Gambia is not safe. And even though the government knows it, not much is done to make things better for the Gambian people. The majority of the Gambian people still rely on traditional wells, but I would not recommend you to drink that water either.
Instead you should buy your water at any supermarket. Just remember that the closer the supermarket is to the tourist area – the higher the prices are.
Kadie Kadie is a popular restaurant among the locals. But also here remember to only drink bottled water.
Everyone will be talking to you
From the second you step outside the everyone is going to be talking to you! Or at least that´s how it feels like when you first arrive. My first times I was totally overwhelmed and didn´t quite know how to handle the unexpected attention. People will want to greet you and talk to you. Some out of curiosity, and many because they want to get something from you. Just remain kind and respectful and remember that it´s always ok to say no. You can read more about why everyone talks to you here.
Bargain is a must at the market
When you go to the market, (because you HAVE to go to the market!), to bargain is a must. Prices start high and are negotiated down to a reasonable price. You may still end up paying more than a local, but it´s still cheap for us westerners.
Know your guide
The Gambia is a poor country and everyone here is looking for a way to make ends meet. During your stay you will encounter many many local guides who will want to guide you and take you on trips.
I absolutely recommend you to explore the country with a local guide instead of going with the ones that the travel companies try to sell you! But, you have to make sure that your guide is good! A bad guide will be equal to a bad excursion. Why? Because you want a guide who knows as much as possible and who you can trust.
One way to find a good guide is to look at Tripadvisor.
I actually ended up marrying my guide.. That´s not mandatory though! Haha
Blackouts
The electricity in The Gambia is managed by a very badly maintained company called Nawec. This means that there will be blackouts. Most of the restaurants and hotels have generators as a backup, but sometimes it can take a while before they are up and running. So a torch light with some batteries is never wrong!
Be curious!
Don´t forget to stay curious. This is the best way to connect with local people and learn more about the culture and life of the Gambians.
I wish that you will have a great first time to the Gambia! And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out and I´ll try to answer them 🙂
xoxo/Salla V