The Gambia is West Africa at its most accessible. Stable, peaceful, affordable and within comfortable flying distance of northern Europe and there is no time difference between the UK and Gambia.

 

This former British colony has been a popular winter holiday destination for over three decades, and its appealing tropical climate, lively beach resorts and friendly atmosphere are enough to keep sunseekers returning time and time again. You can fully immerse yourself in the real West Africa here, by travelling up-country, where you'll discover picturesque mud-built villages, rice fields and palm groves, vibrant markets where you can haggle over batiks and balafons, and local festivals - invariably exuberant displays of colour, energy and noise.

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The country also has a great deal to offer nature enthusiasts: it's well established as a top birdwatching destination, and its greatest natural feature, the River Gambia, is becoming a major draw for ecotourists. There's a rich seam of history to explore too in the Gambia valley, with heritage sites dating from prehistoric times to the slave trading era and the later colonial period.

 

And, while ancient customs and traditions are still widely practised, younger Gambians are blending the old with the new and adding their own effervescent spin to traditional music and dance.

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Excerpt courtesy of The Rough Guide to Gambia (see Amazon Link)