Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

In Africa

Winding a 1,130km course from Guinea to The Gambia’s capital, Banjul, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, the Gambia River is an integral part of any trip to mainland Africa’s smallest country

Text Tabitha Lasley
Images Corbis, NGS, photolibrary.com

Chimpanzees await visitors at the Gambia River National Park

Stretching the length of the country, the river is one of the main trading and transport routes for the local population

With temperatures soaring to 34°C during the dry season, the river provides the perfect place to cool down

A round-up of exciting travel news from Brussels Airlines’ long-haul destination, The Gambia

Hotel with a view

Coco Ocean Resort & Spa

Where is it?
1 Bamboo Drive, Kombo Coastal Road, Bijilo, tel. , www.cocoocean.com

What’s the view?
Bijilo beach, and beyond, the Atlantic. Bag a daybed in the spa for the best sea views.

What to expect
Something a bit sleeker than your average Gambian hotel: huge rooms with white floors and wicker furniture, lamplit tropical gardens and plenty of parquet.

Need to know
The big draw here is the spa, which is apparently The Gambia’s first. Spas usually fall into one of two camps: cool, white and clinical, or all-out opulent. This one – with its marble floors, arabesque flourishes and range of flower-scented treatments – definitely belongs in the latter category.

Why go there?
With the year-round sun, beautiful beaches and new breed of deluxe hotels springing up across the country, The Gambia is like a cut-price Caribbean – and nearer too.

What does it cost?
Rooms from €150 per night.

The simple life

Alternatively, if you’re more outdoor type than sybarite, head south to Boboi Beach Lodge. The 12 huts here are built on staunchly sustainable principles – think solar power, organic food and local tours by horse and cart – and the lodge runs river fishing trips, batik lessons and cooking classes. And all for a predictably pared-down price: lodges costs just €18 a night. www.responsibletravel.com

One to watch… Juldeh Camara

Discover The Gambia’s leading riti player with the release of a new album

Gambian griot Juldeh Camara surely gets the prize for most interesting backstory. A bit of a virtuoso when it comes to playing the riti (a one-stringed African fiddle), he learnt his craft from his blind father, Serif, who apparently disappeared collecting firewood and returned six months later a fully fledged griot. According to local legend, he was taught by a djinn (genie), who swapped his tutelage for Serif’s eyesight. The gambit paid off, as Serif was then able to teach Juldeh, who’s now regarded as the best riti player in the world. You can judge for yourself on his new album, Tell No Lies, a collaboration with guitarist Justin Adams, which is out now.

Insider tip

Make the most of your visit

According to Jenny Adams from The Gambia Experience (www.gambia.co.uk), you can’t leave without trying The Butcher’s Shop (Kairaba Avenue, tel. ) in the capital, Banjul. Brian Harrold of charity People in Need Gambia recommends picking up a jar of honey at beekeeping villages Bafaluto, near Brikama, and Njongon. The honey flavour varies considerably according to where it’s produced.

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