Location: West Africa
The Gambia may be the smallest country in mainland Africa but for us, it’s up with the big boys when it comes to reasons to visit. It is nicknamed the smiling coast of Africa for good reason – it’s one of the friendliest places to visit.
It relies heavily on its tourism industry and in recent years’ it’s not had it easy. First, the Ebola crisis saw visitor numbers plummet, despite there never being a single case of Ebola in the country. Last year’s political crisis, when the outgoing president refused to leave office, was the last thing the country needed. The Gambia, however, remains one of the
safest countries in Africa to visit.
While there are many tribal languages, the official language is English, so you won’t have any communication problems. The weather is in the lower 30s throughout the year making it a perfect winter sun destination. Plus, the wide sandy beaches are never overcrowded, there’s a vibrant and colourful local culture and fabulous wildlife to enjoy including over 540 species of birds, baboons, vervet monkeys and crocodiles to name but a few.
