A holiday in Africa is fun and adventurous but make sure you don’t run into unexpected, unpleasant surprises. A solid and good preparation is therefor essential.

Here are e few tips:

Check well in advance with your physician what kind of vaccinations you need

The Gambia is a malaria zone. Therefor it is wise to protect yourself adamantly against malaria mosquito’s that are active all throughout the year. Bring DEET (tropical anti-mosquito lotion) and take anti- malaria tablets. Your physician can tell you more about this. Long sleeves and pants will NOT protect you against mosquito bites as they bite right through the fabric. At your hotel room a ventilator, air-conditioning or impregnated mosquitonets offer some protection against the mosquito’s, which are mainly active in the evening and at night.

 

Make a checklist for your luggage, this way you are sure you have all the essentials. You can find many luggage checklists on the internet.

Put your anti-malaria tablets and possible other medications in your handluggage, if by chance your cargo luggage gets lost or delayed this won’t result in healthrisks.

Make sure you are well protected against the sun: bring a proper sunscreen lotion, a sun-hat and a pair of sunglasses with you

Take out a good travel insurance and make sure the people back home have an address were they can contact you in case of an emergency.

Also put in your handluggage something to eat and drink, this way you are prepared if your flight as any delay.

In The Gambia it is NOT!!! possible to withdraw cash with bankcards! Only with a Visa creditcard (with a PIN-code) it is possible to withdraw cash from an ATM. Traveller cheques or bringing cash are also good options, these can be stored in hotel vaults for safe keeping

Your body can get à bit confused by the tropical temperatures: make sure you drink enough (bottles of mineral) water and that you take in some extra salt (i.e. eat salty crisps or sprinkle extra salt over your dinner). In stead of going hungry you might just feel tired and slow, this is clearly a sign you have to eat something.

Bring a first aid kit with you containing the most essential items like disinfectant and bandages, a needle or tweezers, anti diarrhoea and painkillers.

Because the electricity in Africa is not very dependable we advise you to take a flashlight with you. Most hotels have emergency generators but these can take a couple of minutes to come into effect. Also a flashlight is very handy when you’re walking on the street in the evening as there are no streetlights beside the road and the car headlight leave something to be desired for, so it really is pitch-black at night.

Leave tips for the cleaning-lady on your pillow, this way she’ll know it’s hers to take. If you leave it on your bedsidetable she won’t take it as she won’t consider it hers. Also your (nearly finished) shampoo, showergel and toothpaste are very much in demand because toiletries are luxury items few Gambians can afford.

If you would like to bring something for the people in The Gambia then consider bringing (old) summer clothes, seeds for vegetables (like tomatoes, eggplant, corn, onions etc.). Pens and paper are in short supply at local schools so these would also be welcomed greatly. Also board-games are very much appreciated. Bringing candy for the children is nice but doesn’t really help them and also causes tooth decay: Dentists are rare and overly expensive in The Gambia. It’s even better if you buy your gifts in The Gambia as this also boosts the local economy and again helps the locals.

Respect the country, the people and their customs. The Gambia is an Islamic country so don’t wear your bikini or only your shorts outside of the hotel –and beach area. Also distinctive displays of affection in public are frowned upon. If you see someone praying, don’t walk in front of them as this disturbs the “connection” with Mecca.

Ask permission before you photograph someone. Taking somebody’s picture without permission is a NONO in every country, The Gambia is no exception on this rule, so ask on forehand if there are any objections for you taking a picture.

If, during your holiday, you have any questions about the county, the nature or about cultural matters, feel free to ask your guide. They are used to even the most bizarre questions and will give you an honest answer. Always remember in the back of your head that discussing politics is a bit sensitive with many Gambians.