Discovering The Gambia

Less Than An Hour From Liberia, The Gambia is a Must-Visit Destination

By Hesta Baker-Pearson As the tour bus hauled into the gates of the Sheraton Gambia Hotel Resort and Spa in Brufut at about 5am, the sleep that had consumed me on our forty-five minutes drive from the The Gambia International Airport in Yundum suddenly vanished. At this early morning hour, with the bus windows opened, the smell of the fresh morning ocean breeze washed over me and a new thrill took charge as we reached the entrance of the hotel. A few months before, I had sat mesmerized for thirty minutes before the television absorbing the breathtaking views of this same hotel on Studio 53. Now, here I was standing in the lobby of this beautiful hotel that I had promised myself to one day visit. After grabbing my room keys, I walked through the spectacular hilly vistas to my room. What struck me off the bat was the intimacy of the individually built villas. Sleek interiors, reminiscent of rooms at the W, but with the flair of African arts and crafts added, excited me. The room was small and cozy with a shower stall built in the room’s open space. Carefully I examined everything. The tissue holder, lamp shade, to even the bed board was crafted of bamboo. I opened the sliding glass door, curious to see what was on the other side and was met by the fresh smell of ocean breeze, which captured all of my senses. Each room was masterfully planned to give a clear view of the ocean. With a perfect railing to absorb this morning tranquility, it seemed like the ocean was calling. I grabbed my camera and headed out. As dawn crept in, it was me, my camera and this magnificent place, tucked neatly away and known as the “Smiling Coast of Africa.” Some say The Gambia sits in the middle of Senegal, and looking at it on a map, The Gambia resembles a smile on the face of Senegal. Others say it is the spontaneous smile and friendliness of Gambians that have earned the country its slogan. Regardless, on this particular morning the coast smiled and I smile back. My early stroll through the Sheraton’s ground brought to mind a combination of Puerto Vallarta meets Africa, with adobe styled villas and rattan patio furnishings amidst lush floral landscaping. Because of the harshness of salt on interiors, the Sheraton architects used uniquely designed wooden shutters, opposed to metal that rust against the ocean. At about 6:30 a.m. the

Discovering The Gambia

Less Than an Hour From Liberia, The Gambia Is a Must-Visit Destination

By Hesta Baker-Pearson As the tour bus hauled into the gates of the Sheraton Gambia Hotel Resort and Spa in Brufut at about 5 a.m., the sleep that had consumed me on our 45-minute drive from the The Gambia International Airport in Yundum suddenly vanished. At this early morning hour, with the bus windows opened, the smell of the fresh ocean breeze washed over me and a new thrill took charge as we reached the entrance of the hotel. A few months before, I had sat mesmerized for 30 minutes before the television absorbing the breathtaking views of this same hotel on Studio 53. Now, here I was standing in the lobby of this beautiful hotel that I had promised myself to one day visit. After grabbing my room keys, I walked through the spectacular hilly vistas to my room. What struck me off the bat was the intimacy of the individually built villas. Sleek interiors, reminiscent of rooms at the W, but with the flair of African arts and crafts, excited me. The room was small and cozy with a shower stall built in the room’s open space. I carefully examined everything. The tissue holder, lamp shade, and even the bed’s headboard was crafted of bamboo. I opened the sliding glass door and was met by the fresh smell of ocean breeze. Each room was masterfully planned to give a clear view of the Atlantic Ocean. With a perfect dosage of morning tranquility, the ocean was calling. As dawn crept in, I grabbed my camera and headed out to explore this magnificent place. Looking at it on a map, The Gambia resembles a smile on the face of Senegal, as it juts inward from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean into Senegal. Some say it is the spontaneous smile and friendliness of Gambians that have earned the country its slogan as the “Smiling Coast of Africa.” On this particular morning, the coast smiled and I smiled back. My early stroll through the Sheraton’s grounds brought to mind a combination of Puerto Vallarta meets Africa, with adobe-styled villas and rattan patio furnishings amidst lush floral landscaping. Because of the harshness of salt on interiors, the Sheraton architects used uniquely designed wooden shutters, opposed to metal that rust against the ocean. At about 6:30 a.m. the pool of the hotel became the resting point for hundreds of birds. By this hour, I had made friends with one of the security guards who smilingly offered me a tour of the

Edited Article Original Article

pool of the hotel became the resting point for hundreds of birds. By this hour, I had made friends with one of the security guards who smilingly offered me a tour of the grounds. According to my new friend, the birds come every morning to rest. We couldn’t figure out the species, but I promised to know more on my next visit. I asked him a million and one questions about The Gambia, and in what I would later discover in my day as the typical Gambian hospitality, he gladly answered all. It was now about 7:30 a.m. and slowly the hotel seemed to come alive. I retreated to my room, showered and anxiously anticipated my next two days exploring The Gambia. This visit came about as an invitation from Royal Air Maroc, who at the time was introducing their new Gambian route. The airline was invited to organize a group from Liberia for a fam tour, hosted by the Gambia Hotel Association, and my purpose was to cover the trip. Our party consisted of Liberia’s Country Manager for Royal Air Maroc, the Lebanese Ambassador to Liberia, Mansour Abdallah, several travel agents and a couple of newspaper journalists.

The high ceiling gallery-styled lobby of the Sheraton Gambia features interior columns displaying local artists’ paintings. The walk-ways are also display areas, with rustique artifacts on brightly painted walls. As I headed from breakfast, I began taking more photos. Two gentlemen walked up to me offering to take photos of me. They introduced themselves as staff, so I gladly handed over the camera for my mini photo shoot. One of the staff, IB offered me a one-minute photo shoot by the pool, letting me know he had to rush back to work. Running a little bit off schedule now, I bolted to the lounge in search of the group. We then headed to the welcome reception hosted by the Gambia Hotel Association (GHA) at the Karaiba Hotel, a luxurious five-star hotel situated on the golden beach of the city of Kololi. There, I learned about the ‘genuine hospitality of the people of the smiling coast.’ Everyone was welcoming, attentive and ready to give us a little of their time. Anticipation grew as we listened to all that was in store for the next few days. A warm feeling welled inside of me. Africans are truly one, I thought, separated by merely invisible boundaries, called countries. As these facilitators spoke passionately about their country and its tourism industry, my mind stayed on Liberia and the future of its tourism.

Boarding the bus to this welcome reception, the atmosphere was charged with laughter and small talk. The street scene was a dichotomy of two worlds, the old and the new. Herders and traders seemed perfectly integrated into the cosmopolitan surroundings.

grounds. According to my new friend, the birds come every morning to rest. We couldn’t figure out the species, but I promised to know more on my next visit. I asked him a million and one questions about The Gambia, and in what I would later discover in my day as the typical Gambian hospitality, he gladly answered all. It was now about 7:30 a.m. and slowly the hotel seemed to come alive. I retreated to my room, showered and anxiously anticipated my next two days exploring The Gambia. This visit came about as an invitation from Royal Air Maroc, who at the time was introducing their new Gambian route. The airline was invited to organize a group from Liberia for a fam tour, hosted by the Gambia Hotel Association, and my purpose was to cover the trip. Our party consisted of Liberia’s Country Manager for Royal Air Maroc, the Lebanese Ambassador to Liberia, Mansour Abdallah, several travel agents and a couple of newspaper journalists.

The high ceiling gallery-styled lobby of the Sheraton Gambia features interior columns displaying local artists’ paintings. The walk-ways are also display areas, with rustique artifacts on brightly painted walls. As I headed from breakfast, I began taking more photos. Two gentlemen walked up to me offering to take photos of me. They introduced themselves as staff, so I gladly handed over the camera for my mini photo shoot. One of the staff, IB, offered me a one-minute photo shoot by the pool, letting me know he had to rush back to work. Running a little bit off schedule now, I bolted to the lounge in search of the group. We then headed to the welcome reception hosted by the Gambia Hotel Association (GHA) at the Karaiba Hotel, a luxurious five-star hotel situated on the golden beach of the city of Kololi. There, I learned about the ‘genuine hospitality of the people of the smiling coast.’ Everyone was welcoming, attentive and ready to give us a little of their time. Anticipation grew as we listened to all that was in store for the next few days. A warm feeling welled inside of me. Africans are truly one, I thought, separated by merely invisible boundaries, called countries. As these facilitators spoke passionately about their country and its tourism industry, my mind stayed on Liberia and the future of its tourism.

Boarding the bus to this welcome reception, the atmosphere was charged with laughter and small talk. The street scene was a dichotomy of two worlds, the old and the new. Herders and traders seemed perfectly integrated into the cosmopolitan surroundings. Beautifully paved streets, lined with botanical street stalls, modern shopping plazas, elegant homes with pretty landscapes, against a quiet air makes up the morning scenery. As we turned into the Senegambia area, I said to myself, this is one place I would never experience boredom.

Beautifully paved streets, lined with botanical street stalls, modern shopping plazas, elegant homes with pretty landscapes, against a quiet air makes up the morning scenery. As we turned into the Senegambia area, I said to myself, this is one place I would never experience boredom. Senegambia is the most popular tourist destination in the Gambia when it comes to shopping and entertainment. It is colorful and varied. There are gift shops, restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, boutiques, salons and other quaint shops. In the evening, during high season, Senegambia is jammed with visitors, most especially Europeans that have discovered this shining star in the sun. There are unicyclists, cora players (Cora is an instrument unique to Gambia), and many forms of street entertainers in the evenings. Unfortunately, it would take my next two visits to the Gambia to get a real taste of Senegambia. On my last visit, I most especially enjoyed sitting out at Al Baba, a popular dining spot in Senegambia, enjoying live reggae as I sipped on freshly brewed cappuccino. The next leg of our group tour led to several of the Gambia’s finest hotels. It is easy to visit the Gambia and never leave your hotel. Why? Each hotel is a world within itself. Most of the hotels visited, no matter how small or large, were designed with the tourist pleasures in mind. Each resort features shopping, dining, beach fronts, entertainment, pools, and all inclusive offers. We stopped by Coco Ocean, The Gambia’s most luxurious hotel. The Casablanca-inspired hotel décor is majestically bedecked with turquoise leather extra large sofas, brassy oversized tables amidst white walls. The beach is lined with individually set-up cabanas for sunbathing or massages. We also visited the Kombo Beach Hotel, another fabulous all-inclusive resort, which I stay at on my next visit. Like many of the resorts in the Gambia, the architecture uses natural materials, such as thatch, raffia, bamboo and more. At Kombo Beach, what was most striking was their outdoor dining facility exquisitely designed as a large hut with the ocean view. No trip is ever complete, without a little shopping and for that we headed to Banjul. Banjul is the capitol city of the Gambia, and getting there was the highlight of our visit. We boarded ___________________ at ________________ about 11:30 a.m for a one hour boat cruise into Banjul. Sailing through mangroves, on the The Gambia River, we had coffee as the group engaged in lively chatter all the way. The river is "The Gambia", quite literally, the country exists as a small strip of land area to either side of the river. It is often said that "The Gambia River is the Gambia and the Gambia is the river Gambia". A major tourist attraction, it is the dominant feature running through the heart of the country. This West African waterway is approximately 700 miles (1,130 km) plus long, rising in

Senegambia is the most popular tourist destination in the Gambia when it comes to shopping and entertainment. It is colorful and varied. There are gift shops, restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, boutiques, salons and other quaint shops. In the evening, during high season, Senegambia is jammed with visitors, most especially Europeans that have discovered this shining star in the sun. There are unicyclists, cora players (Cora is an instrument unique to Gambia), and many forms of street entertainers in the evenings. Unfortunately, it would take my next two visits to the Gambia to get a real taste of Senegambia. On my last visit, I most especially enjoyed sitting out at Al Baba, a popular dining spot in Senegambia, enjoying live reggae as I sipped on freshly brewed cappuccino. The next leg of our group tour led to several of the Gambia’s finest hotels. It is easy to visit the Gambia and never leave your hotel. Why? Each hotel is a world within itself. Most of the hotels visited, no matter how small or large, were designed with the tourist pleasures in mind. Each resort features shopping, dining, beach fronts, entertainment, pools, and all inclusive offers. We stopped by Coco Ocean, The Gambia’s most luxurious hotel. The Casablanca-inspired hotel décor is majestically bedecked with turquoise leather extra large sofas, brassy oversized tables amidst white walls. The beach is lined with individually set-up cabanas for sunbathing or massages. We also visited the Kombo Beach Hotel, another fabulous all-inclusive resort, which I stay at on my next visit. Like many of the resorts in the Gambia, the architecture uses natural materials, such as thatch, raffia, bamboo and more. At Kombo Beach, what was most striking was their outdoor dining facility exquisitely designed as a large hut with the ocean view. No trip is ever complete, without a little shopping and for that we headed to Banjul. Banjul is the capitol city of the Gambia, and getting there was the highlight of our visit. We boarded a small cruise boat about 11:30 a.m for a one hour boat cruise into Banjul. Sailing through mangroves, on the The Gambia River, we had coffee as the group engaged in lively chatter all the way. The river is "The Gambia", quite literally, the country exists as a small strip of land area to either side of the river. It is often said that "The Gambia River is the Gambia and the Gambia is the river Gambia". A major tourist attraction, it is the dominant feature running through the heart of the country. This West African waterway is approximately 700 miles (1,130 km) plus long, rising in the Fouta Djallon plateau in Northern Guinea, flowing generally northwest through SE Senegal then west, dissecting The Gambia, to the Atlantic Ocean at Banjul. On the cruise with us was Dudu our tour guide, who spent his time sharing historical and cultural facts while at the same time entertaining the group with jokes. Like most coastal countries, the Gambian river is a source of survival for the locals. On the river were luxury boats, as well as fishermen canoes, all co-existing

the Fouta Djallon plateau in Northern Guinea, flowing generally northwest through SE Senegal then west, dissecting The Gambia, to the Atlantic Ocean at Banjul. On the cruise with us was Dudu our tour guide, who spent his time sharing historical and cultural facts while at the same time entertaining the group with jokes. Like most coastal countries, the Gambian river is a source of survival for the locals. On the river were luxury boats, as well as fishermen canoes, all co-existing beautifully. In Banjul we had lunch at the Atlantic Resort, one of the Gambia’s longest running hotels. Damoda and benachin, two local dishes enjoyed by visitors was served along with baobab juice, a popular local juice. We spent the afternoon shopping at the Albert market, where I had the chance to really engage with the locals and get some good deals. Off course, that was after we haggled a bit on prices. A bit weary from the day’s activities, we finished off at what I would call the perfect punctuation to the day, at Sun Beach Hotel and Resort in Bakau. A feast was prepared in the outdoor amphitheatre dining area, with a five course dinner beginning with a wide selection of soups and salads, leading into grilled lamb, slow roasted under the open skies, and much much more. Throughout dinner, local dancers and musicians performed on the theaters stage, giving us a chance to enjoy the local culture, and relax. An exhausted group, but a happy one, we were taken back to where our day began…the fabulous Sheraton Gambia, which for me will always hold a very special place in my heart. To plan your visit to The Gambia visit www.visitthegambia.gm.

beautifully. In Banjul we had lunch at the Atlantic Resort, one of the Gambia’s longest running hotels. Damoda and benachin, two local dishes enjoyed by visitors was served along with baobab juice, a popular local juice. We spent the afternoon shopping at the Albert market, where I had the chance to really engage with the locals and get some good deals. Off course, that was after we haggled a bit on prices. A bit weary from the day’s activities, we finished off at what I would call the perfect punctuation to the day, at Sun Beach Hotel and Resort in Bakau. A feast was prepared in the outdoor amphitheatre dining area, with a five course dinner beginning with a wide selection of soups and salads, leading into grilled lamb, slow roasted under the open skies, and much much more. Throughout dinner, local dancers and musicians performed on the theater’s stage, giving us a chance to enjoy the local culture, and relax. An exhausted group, but a happy one, we were taken back to where our day began…the fabulous Sheraton Gambia, which for me will always hold a very special place in my heart. To plan your visit to The Gambia please visit www.visitthegambia.gm.