Guide to Banjul

"Staying in or near Banjul offers you the opportunity to top up your tan with a generous helping of colourful West African culture."

For a capital city, Banjul is pretty small. It's also got a kind of sleepy, small-town atmosphere, perpetuated by the fact that it's built on an island, so can't really get any bigger. What it does have, in spades, is typical Gambian character - the old colonial buildings and shanty-style houses outnumbering modern offices and high rise hotels. There's one beach in the centre of town, but the main resort area, known as Banjul Beach, is around 2 miles or so to the west, where the sand is superior and the watersports more plentiful. Banjul's laid back outlook means there aren't many places to drink, eat out or dance the night away, so you'll probably have to rely on your hotel or the neighbouring ones for evening entertainment. But it's worth popping into town during the day just to soak up the atmosphere. And if you do, don't miss Albert Market, a colourful and chaotic slice of African life where you can browse the stalls, piled high with everything from shoes to spices. Nearby on McCarthy Square is the rather dilapidated War Memorial and fountain, erected in honour of George VI and a rather apt reminder of Banjul's historic links with the now faded glory of the British Empire. Sightseeing isn't really Banjul's strong point, so you may prefer to get away from the city and commune with nature. If so, hire a 'pirogue' (a thin wooden boat with an outboard motor) and take a trip on Oyster Creek. Flanked by mangroves, it's a haven for a multi-cultural community of bird life, including kingfishers, cormorants, bee-eaters and pelicans.

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