11 December 2009 - Derby Telegraph - Laura Page
Laura Page immerses herself in the Gambia Experience and discovers rich wildlife and a warm welcome...
As I turned the corner in Tanji market and beheld the extraordinary beach scene, which had opened up in front of me, I knew I’d wandered deep into the Gambia experience. The trip to Tanji fishing village was part of a cookery lesson with Ida Cham Njai, a warm and spirited Gambian woman who welcomes you into her home with open arms. She runs Yabouy, a small business offering cookery lessons to locals and tourists alike.
We began the day sheepishly changing into brightly coloured, patterned Gambian dress complete with grand wraparound headdresses for the women. Within minutes, none of us could remember how we’d looked in our drab Western attire and we felt right at home. This all helped when we arrived at Tanji market looking for ingredients for the dish we would cook. The sight of our group, 10 white, wideeyed visitors shuffling along draped in swathes of material, was greeted with enthusiastic cries of “very nice!” as women threw down their scarves for us to walk on, a gesture intended to tell us we looked beautiful, explained Ida.
Admittedly Ida did most of the bargaining and buying as we took in the atmosphere: stalls bursting with sea food and vegetables, baskets on heads, bobbing wooden fishing boats, the smell of raw fish, the sounds of buying and selling and the omnipresent squawking seagulls. The market is packed with women smoking, sorting, gutting and selling the catches of the day, men with bountiful nets of fish and children with infectious grins who will grab your hand as they ask you to take their picture or buy them a football. Well worth a visit. Back in the cool courtyard of Ida’s home we learned how to cook a typical Gambian fish stew before sitting on the floor, Gambian-style, around one big dish to share the delicious fruits of our labours.
The excursion was one of many offered by specialist tour operator the Gambia Experience and run by the very knowledgeable and friendly staff from West African Tours, the perfect hosts to introduce us to Gambia. Found on the western coast of Africa, it is one of the continent’s smallest countries but full of wonders to behold.
Other trips which gave us an insight into local life included a trip to the equivalent of the FA Cup Final, a voyage on a wooden canoe from which we saw numerous rare birds and various monkeys, all easily identified by our guides, and a show of traditional music and frenzied dancing which we could not help but join in around the campfire.
A favourite was a visit to a school where cheering children engulfed us in a wave of smiling faces in the playground. Tastes of the traditional Gambia can be balanced with any amount of relaxation and luxury according to the needs of the visitor.
Gambia’s newest and most opulent resort is Coco Ocean Resort and Spa, a short drive from the airport in the capital Banjul, right on Bijilo beach. The accommodation ranges from beautiful rooms in the main building to comfortable airy individual villas with huge terraces scattered around the extensive luscious grounds. The complex has a Moroccan theme throughout: white domed roofs protrude over bright blue pools, gentle cascades and exotic gardens. It boasts a number of excellent, relaxing restaurants serving a mix of food from around the world including an abundance of fresh seafood and many local dishes. There is an exceptional spa offering massages, foot rubs and hammams in calm fragrant rooms filled with piped music or the simple sounds of the crashing waves outside.
Gambia welcomes a wide range of visitors from birdwatchers, to honeymooners to film stars and young tourists and it caters well for all. The six-hour flight, new chic hotels and the fact that there is no time difference when travelling from the UK are making Gambia increasingly popular for British travellers. But what really sets Gambia apart is the rich wildlife, the vibrant daily life and the openhearted welcome received from the warm Gambian people.
Travel Facts
GETTING THERE: The Gambia Experience – the UK’s only specialist and biggest tour operator to The Gambia. Call 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk
WHAT TO DO: Coco Ocean Resort and Spa is exclusive to the Gambia Experience. All clients receive a complementary foot massage as part of their booking.
HOW MUCH: Prices this winter start from £1,014 per person, flying from East Midlands or Birmingham and based on seven nights bed and breakfast in a junior suite. Prices start at £1,350 in a beach club villa.
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