Banjul

Banjul is the capital of Gambia and its fourth largest city. The city is on an island, which has constrained its size - its population is only 31,000 (2013). Consequently much of the population now is based on the mainland between the airport and the city. The main tourist and business centres are around Bakau, Fajara, Kotu and Serrekunda.

Banjul has become very popular as a package holiday destination with British and other European visitors. Travel company 'The Gambia Experience' has been the market leader, but other operators are increasing their offerings too.

Founded by the British in 1816 as a trading post and naval base to suppress the transatlantic slave trade, the settlement was originally named Bathurst after Henry Bathurst, the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. It was renamed Banjul in 1973, eight years after The Gambia gained independence. Despite its status as the nation's political capital and administrative heart, the city has preserved a quiet, low-rise character marked by colonial-era architecture, traditional trading compounds, and vibrant street markets.

Banjul sits on St Mary's Island (also known as Banjul Island) at the mouth of the Gambia River where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Because the island is hemmed in by mangrove swamps and the ocean, physical expansion has long been restricted, keeping the city's residential population modest (around 31,000). The island connects to the mainland via the Denton Bridge. As a result, much of the region's urban growth, modern commerce, and tourist infrastructure have shifted west to mainland hubs like Serrekunda, Bakau, and the resort areas along the Atlantic coast.

Banjul features a tropical wet-and-dry climate:

• Dry season (November to May): The most popular time for travelers. Days are consistently sunny and warm with daily highs around 32–34°C (90–93°F), accompanied by lower humidity and negligible rainfall. Cooler evening breezes off the ocean keep nights comfortable (around 18–20°C / 64–68°F).
• Wet season (June to October): Characterized by high humidity, overcast skies, and heavy tropical downpours—peaking in August. While rain often arrives in intense bursts rather than continuous downpours, coastal roads and low-lying island paths can become muddy or flood-prone.

While most international visitors base themselves in the resort strips along the mainland coast, Banjul itself offers an authentic glimpse into everyday Gambian life. It is bustling during weekday business hours around government offices and the dense lanes of Albert Market, but winds down significantly in the evenings and on weekends into a sleepy, tranquil island town.

• 13.337961-16.6522061 Banjul International Airport (also known as Yundum International BJL  ^IATA). There are many direct flights to Banjul from some parts of Europe and Africa. Direct flights to Conakry, Dakar, Freetown, Amsterdam, Lagos, Brussels, Bissau, London, Accra, Abidjan, Madrid, Barcelona etc.  

Green taxis are available at the airport, with a table that lists prices to various destinations. D500-700 to hotels in Serekunda.

For the intrepid tourist, the Plymouth - Banjul Challenge also ends here.

Most hotels will have a selection of green tourist taxis, which have fixed prices to the most popular destinations. Yellow taxis are cheaper and more fun; locals buy a seat in a taxi on a journey from junction to junction for a few dalasi, or pay for a "town trip" to their destination. Minibuses and trucks are colourful, but extremely uncomfortable.

Bicycles are also available for rental. Cycling is popular for young locals, but there is little respect for the safety of cyclists on or near the roads.

Car hire is available from Avis and AB, both of which are based at the SeneGambia Hotel. Car hire will cost about D1500/day for a small car.

Gambians drive mostly on the right. The rules of the road are complex, licences are not common, and there is no test. The majority of roads are sand in the winter, and mud or waterholes for most of the year.

• 13.460352-16.5824671 Arch 22 (at the end of Independence Drive). Gives good views over Banjul city. The gate is 35 m tall and the centre of an open square. It houses a textile museum. D200.  
• 13.456389-16.5763892 The Gambia National Museum, Independence Drive, info@ncac.gm. Mon-Thu 9AM-6PM, Fri-Sun 9AM-5PM. Small museum with cultural and historic artifacts D200. 04/2026.  (updated Apr 2026)
• Albert Market
• Banjul State House
• Banjul Court House
• The African Heritage Museum or African Heritage Centre is a museum and art gallery in Banjul, The Gambia. It holds a large collection of African art and statues.

The city has two cathedrals and several major mosques.

Go to its wonderful beaches.

• GT Bank. Takes MasterCard at all its ATMs. (updated Jun 2015)

Being on the Atlantic Ocean, Banjul has some excellent and well priced seafood on offer. The locally produced peanuts are also very good and go well with a pint of Julbrew.

• Nefertiti, ☏ +220 4222400. Good buffet, great location on the beach and free WiFi. 
• Calypso Bar & Restaurant, in Bakau, ☏ +220 992 0201. Watch marsh crocodiles and monkeys while you have a lunch.  ^{[dead link]}
• Gibbi's on the Beach, in Bakau, ☏ +220 530 2976. Seafood and rice and other edibles on the Cape Point beach. 
• Smiling Coast Guesthouse Bar & Restaurant, Kofi Anan Street, Cape Point, ☏ +220 449 4653.  

There are many good restaurants in the road leading to the hotels at Kololi Beach. This road is also known as the Senegambia Strip.

Banjul itself is fairly quiet at night, as much of the local nightlife and bar scene is centered around the resort strips on the mainland (particularly the Senegambia strip in Serrekunda). However, you can still find local spots, hotel lounges, and beachside bars to relax with a drink.

• Julbrew: The national beer of The Gambia, brewed locally by the Banjul Breweries. It is a crisp, light lager readily available at almost every bar, restaurant, and corner store across the city.
• Attaya: Strong, sweet green tea brewed over hot coals in a three-stage ritual. It is a major social staple—sharing a glass with locals is a common way to pass the afternoon.
• Juices: Freshly made, chilled drinks are widely available in street stalls and eateries. Popular options include wonjo (a tart, refreshing sorrel/hibiscus juice) and baobab juice (a creamy, tangy drink made from the fruit of the baobab tree).
• Palm wine: Known locally as taparo, fresh fermented palm sap is popular in coastal villages and informal local bars.

• YMCA hostel, kanifing south mdi road, ☏ +220-4392647. The hostel has 34 fan single and double rooms. You can book a room via their web site. D250/400. 
• Fajara Guest House, 11 10th street south (one block from Atlantic road), ☏ +220-4496122. 11 single/double rooms. (updated Jun 2015)
• Camping Sukuta and Lodge, ☏ +220-9917786. Camping/single/double. US$3.80/9.50/13.00. (updated Jun 2015)

Kololi Beach area

• Sarges Hotel, Kololi Serrekunda (4 km from the centre), ☏ +220 4460510. On the Senegambia strip. This is a basic hotel. Air conditioning in rooms costs extra D500 per night. Use of safe is extra. Wireless internet is slow and breakfast pretty basic. There is a pool and a bar. D2600. (updated Jun 2017)

Most luxury hotels are located along the beaches in nearby Serrekunda.

• 13.459406-16.5781991 Laico Atlantic, Marina Parade (North of Banjul city centre on the beach), ☏ +220 422 8601. This is not in the main tourist area, which is further to the west. One of the better hotels with a pool and private beach. Wireless Internet throughout.  (updated Dec 2016)

• SeneGambia Hotel. Good beach hotel, which is popular with older travellers. There is no wireless internet, just 2 machines in reception, for which you can buy 1-hour cards at D100. 'The Gambia Experience' tours are based here.
• The Kairaba Hotel
• Kololi Beach Club. Luxury accommodation. Has time share and soon accommodation for outright purchase.

Banjul is generally considered a safe capital with relatively low levels of violent crime, but basic precautions should still be observed:

• Petty crime: Pickpocketing and bag snatching can occur, particularly in crowded areas like Albert Market or around ferry terminals and transport hubs. Keep valuables out of sight, do not flash large amounts of cash, and carry bags securely.
• Nighttime safety: Banjul empties out after business hours and becomes very quiet at night. Street lighting is sparse or absent in many residential and side streets; avoid walking alone through poorly lit areas after dark, and take licensed taxis instead.
• "Bumsters": You may encounter persistent young men (locally known as "bumsters") offering informal guide services, goods, or unsolicited friendship. While rarely dangerous, they can be persistent. A polite, firm "no thank you" and continued walking is usually sufficient.
• Swimming & currents: Exercise caution if swimming near the river mouth or ocean beaches around the island. Currents and undertows where the Gambia River meets the Atlantic can be strong and unpredictable, and there are no lifeguards on duty.
• Scams & changing money: Change currency only at official banks or licensed foreign exchange bureaus (bureaux de change) rather than with unlicensed street dealers.

• China, Kombo Coastal Rd., Bijilo TDA, ☏ +220 722 6668, chinaemb_gm@mfa.gov.cn. No visa services, consult embassy in Dakar, Senegal instead for this purpose. (updated Feb 2024)
• Ghana, 18 Mosque Rd, Latriqunda, ☏ +220 439-1599.  (updated Jun 2024)
• Guinea-Bissau, 78 Atlantic Rd, Fajara, ☏ +220 4494884, fax: +220 449-4340. Mon-Fri 9AM - 5PM; closed Sat Sun.  (updated Jun 2015)
• Consulate of Mali, 26 Rev William Cole St, ☏ +220 422 8433. You can get a visa by mail here. (updated Jun 2015)
• Mauritania, Fajara A Section, P.O. Box 2592, Serrekunda, ☏ +220 449 1153, fax: +220 446 1092.  (updated Jun 2015)
• Senegal, 59 Kairaba Ave, P.O. Box 385, ☏ +220 437-3752, fax: +220 437-3750.  (updated Jun 2024)
• High Commission of Sierra Leone, 67 Daniel Goddard St, ☏ +220 422 8206, fax: +220 422 9814.  (updated Jun 2015)
• British High Commission, 48 Atlantic Rd, Fajara, ☏ +220 4495133.   ^{[dead link]}
• United States, 92 Kairaba Ave, Fajara, ☏ +220 439-2856, +220 437-6169 ext 2130, fax: +220 439-2475, ConsularBanjul@state.gov. The U.S. Mission consists of two U.S. Government agencies: the Department of State, with 9 American and 77 locally employed staff, and the Peace Corps, with 2 American staff and 105 volunteers. 
• Nigeria, Bertil Harding High Way, Kanifing Industrial Layout, nigeria.mission@foreignaffairs.gov.ng. (updated Aug 2024) ^{[dead link]}

• Bakau: Just west of Banjul along the coast, known for the Kachikally Crocodile Pool, botanical gardens, and bustling fish markets.
• Serrekunda: The Gambia's largest urban center, offering vibrant street life, craft markets, and access to the bustling Senegambia nightlife and dining strip.
• Kotu & Kololi: Premier resort areas featuring wide sandy beaches, seaside hotels, birdwatching trails along the Kotu Stream, and lively bars.
• Barra: Take the cross-river passenger and vehicle ferry from Banjul's port across the mouth of the Gambia River to Barra, the starting point for road travel north into Senegal toward Dakar.
• Abuko National Reserve: A compact, easily accessible nature reserve located inland near Lamin, featuring lush gallery forest, diverse bird species, and monkeys.
• James Island (Kunta Kinteh Island): Located upriver near Juffureh, this UNESCO World Heritage Site preserves colonial-era ruins central to the transatlantic slave trade.