The Gambia is a narrow strip of land along the Gambia River, and most visitors come for winter sun on the Atlantic coast, staying in Kololi, Kotu, Bakau or Cape Point and taking day trips to Banjul, the fishing beach at Tanji and the forest reserve at Abuko. Birdwatchers and history lovers head upriver to Janjanbureh and Kunta Kinteh Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Gambia is not covered by the EU's Roam Like at Home rules, and a European SIM will be billed at its operator's roaming rates.
Key facts for The Gambia
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Comium (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: police 117; ambulance 116; fire 118
- Embassies: in Banjul and the nearby Kanifing area
The Atlantic coast
Coverage is good along the coast, from Banjul and Bakau to Kololi and the Senegambia strip, and most hotels have Wi-Fi. Young men known as bumsters approach tourists, especially on the beaches, asking for money or offering tours; a polite but firm no usually works, and accepting a trip into Senegal with one can end in detention by immigration officials. Visitors have been mugged walking alone on beaches at night, and passports and valuables have been stolen from hotel rooms, so use the safe and leave valuables behind when you go to the beach.
Upriver and the ferries
Upriver, coverage thins out between the towns, and the drive to Janjanbureh is long on potholed roads. The ferry between Banjul and Barra is often overcrowded and lacks life-saving equipment, and ferries have been stranded on sandbanks; crossing at the Senegambia Bridge near Farafenni is a safer alternative. Pirogues, the local wooden canoes, are not recommended for long journeys.
Roads and travel into Senegal
Driving standards are poor, roads are badly potholed and lighting is poor after dark, so avoid driving at night, and heavy rain from June to October can flood roads. Police checkpoints are common on all major routes, and your vehicle may be searched. If you travel overland into Senegal's Casamance region, stick to main roads and do not travel at night, as landmines remain off the main routes.
Laws to know
There is zero tolerance of illegal drugs, and cases of entrapment by the authorities are not uncommon. Same-sex relationships are illegal and can lead to long prison sentences. Carry ID: the police usually accept a printed copy of your passport. Corruption is present at all levels, and you may be asked for bribes. During Ramadan, be respectful of people who are fasting and expect erratic driving around dusk.
Paying
The currency is the dalasi, and The Gambia runs on cash: many hotels, restaurants and shops do not take cards, card machines are often out of service, and only a limited number of cash machines accept foreign cards, most of them around Senegambia. Bring enough cash and keep small notes for taxis and markets.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM, set up before departure, connects on arrival at Banjul airport, and your own SIM can still receive texts and banking codes. An Africa plan also covers Senegal, which surrounds The Gambia on every side except its short Atlantic coast.
Gambian SIM cards from Africell, QCell and the other operators are easy to find at the airport and in the coastal resorts, and you will be asked for your passport to register one.
Consular protection: who to call in The Gambia
- Dial 117 for the police, 116 for an ambulance and 118 for the fire service, but help can be slow to arrive, and the UK notes that The Gambia has no single national emergency line, so ask your hotel for the number of the nearest police station when you arrive.
- Embassies and high commissions are in Banjul and the nearby Kanifing area. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- With no embassy or consulate of your own EU country in The Gambia, you can turn to the embassy of any other EU country, which must treat you as it treats its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- English is the official language, so you can report a problem in English.
Questions travellers ask about The Gambia
Can I use my EU tariff in The Gambia?
Only at roaming prices: The Gambia is outside Roam Like at Home, so your operator charges its own rates.
Is there an emergency number like 112?
Not one that works everywhere. Use 117 for the police, 116 for an ambulance and 118 for the fire service, and keep the number of the police station nearest your hotel.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in The Gambia?
Comium, with 4G where available.
Can I pay by card?
Rarely. Carry cash, as card machines and cash machines that take foreign cards are limited.
The short version
Sort out the eSIM at home, bring enough cash, say a firm no to bumsters, take the Senegambia Bridge rather than the crowded Barra ferry, stay off the roads at night, and save 117 and 116.
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