SeneGambiaTravel Directory
Kololi & The Smiling Coast: Where Most Visitors Stay

The Gambia

Kololi & The Smiling Coast: Where Most Visitors Stay

The Gambia's main resort strip

Kololi is where most of The Gambia's tourist infrastructure is concentrated — beaches, restaurants, nightlife and the bulk of the country's hotels.

Kololi — with Senegambia, Bijilo and Kotu next door — is The Gambia's main tourist strip. Fly in on a package from Europe and this is almost certainly where you'll land.

The Senegambia Strip

The "Senegambia Strip" is the kilometre of road running inland from the Senegambia Beach Hotel — restaurants, bars, supermarkets, taxi ranks and money changers, all in a row. It's the easy place to sort dinner, drinks and onward transport.

Beaches

Kololi, Kotu and Bijilo beaches are all within walking distance. Bijilo, to the south, is the quietest; Kotu, with its lagoon and bird-rich estuary, is the one for birders.

Bijilo Forest Park

A 51-hectare patch of coastal forest just south of Kololi, with red colobus, vervet and patas monkeys. Budget two hours and a small entrance fee.

Top highlights

Senegambia Strip

The main eating and nightlife drag

Bijilo Forest Park

Monkeys 10 minutes from your hotel

Kotu Beach

Quieter and best for birdwatching

Best time to visit

November to April (dry season)

Getting there

20 minutes by taxi from Banjul International Airport (around D700).

Getting around

The strip is walkable. Yellow taxis and tourist taxis (green) are abundant. For day trips inland, hire a driver.

Safety & practical tips

Kololi is safe but persistent "bumsters" (informal guides) can be tiring on the beach. A polite but firm "no thank you" usually works.

On the map