West Africa road trip: The Gambia and Casamance

We have left Bissau and are headed north to the border with Senegal. Guinea-Bissau’s capital has been pleasant enough, but is perhaps not the most exciting city on earth.

Nothing like a bit of self-created drama, then. You remember my visa conundrum? (This is the last post where I’ll mention it, promise). Plans A through C fell through; I’m now at Plan D, i.e. the ‘sweet-talk my way into Senegal without a visa’-plan. Not gonna lie, I’m a liiiittle apprehensive.

At Sao Domingo, we leave our latest driver behind, haul our bags on our back and cross the border on foot. Exiting Guinea-Bissau is straight-forward, as expected. But now comes the challenge. Eek!

There’s a bit of a queue to enter Senegal. I notice it’s moving fairly rapidly, though. Efficient border official, it looks.

Before I know it, I have been stamped in! Without so much as a question asked, and hardly a glance at my passport.

What!?! I can hardly believe my luck. I mean, I am normally pretty lucky, but this easy…?

Hurdle no 1 passed!

Now, it’s about 2.5 hours to the Gambian border. Will there be further checks? We shall see.

But first, we need to find a lift.

And here it is:

Not exactly a limo, barely a car, actually – but it gets us to where we want to go, so no complaints.

Bit of a temperature, too

Casamance (Southern Senegal)

As you can see on the map above here, for a long stretch, The Gambia divides Senegal in two. Casamance is the name of the part south of The Gambia, and Ziguinchor is the regional capital.

SIM-card stop at the somewhat chaotic bus station in Zig.

Onwards to The Gambia!

The rest of the drive up to the Gambian border is uneventful, relaxing even. Roads are good. Though, it must be said, after Guinea, pretty much any road is going to be good.

We reach the Senegalese border post, a few kilometres south of the Gambian one, and I dig out my passport once more. Still don’t feel completely in the clear, realising I am possibly in the country illegally.

Along the road in Casamance

Turns out, this border guard is better at his job than his colleague further south. He glances through the pages of my passport, and quickly spots the glaring lack of a visa. He picks up his phone, makes a call, and starts a harangue in rapid French, with… someone. After a while, we realise he is on the phone with his colleague in the south, making it very clear a mistake has been made. Les Norvégiens ont besoin d’un visa… yep, this man knows his job. And the one down south is getting an earful.

But what to do with me?

We’re crossing fingers and everything else, he won’t be sending me back to Guinea-Bissau.

Luckily, this is a pragmatic fellow. As we are much closer to The Gambia than to Guinea-Bissau, he lets me get on with the journey north. He is polite. I don’t bear the brunt of his admonition (righteous as it is); someone else does.

‘But next time…’

I know. I know.

Phew! Out of the woods! A little burden off my shoulders there, I don’t mind telling you. I’m giddy with relief when I’m stamped into The Gambia. The rest of the journey will be all fun and games. 100%! And I shall sleep the sleep of the innocent.

The Gambia

We are only in The Gambia for one night, and we have booked lodgings at Ocean Bay hotel on Cape Point Beach in Bakau, which I suspect is pretty full during the high season. However, this is low season, maybe even out of season; we have the large place mostly to ourselves.

Major activity for the rest of the day: hang out at the pool and decide where to have dinner – and maybe find a fun club or something…?

6 things to do in 24 hours in Banjul

1. Dinner at Calypso

Dinner is at Calypso, just a short walk along a path from Ocean Bay; a nice birthday dinner outdoors in our own little thatched cabana, next to a crocodile pool. Laid-back kind of place in an all-round fabulous location – and hereby recommended.

2. Solomelo’s Music Venue

Do we find that fun club? We do indeed. Poolside googling brings up Solomelo’s Music Venue. It sounds interesting, so we call about opening hours. Just a minute later, I get a WhatsApp from the owner, Michelle, a Brit who has recently moved out here with her Gambian musician husband, Sulay. They have opened a multi-purpose venue, where locals can show off their talents, musical and otherwise. We get a tour of the place and learn that in addition to a bar and a restaurant, this can be used as a concert stage, a venue for conferences, weddings, exhibitions, TV productions… you name it.

Stop by when you are in Banjul.

Solomelo’s Music Venue at night

3. Walk along the beach

Looking out the window the next morning, this is my view. Nothing like a walk along a near deserted beach to start the day!

4. The Never Again Memorial – Arch 22

Now for some serious Banjul sightseeing, beginning at Arch 22.

This massive monument was built in 1996, to celebrate the military coup d’état on 22 July two years earlier, when Yahya Jammeh overthrew the democratically elected government and President Dawda Jawara.

He was not a nice guy that Jammeh. During the 22 years of his rule, The Gambia moved ever closer towards authoritarianism. Jammeh declared the country an Islamic republic, and took it out of the Commonwealth and of the International Criminal Court. Anti-government journos, LGBT+ people and opposition politicians suffered kidnapping, torture, rape and murder.

After losing the 2016 election, Jammeh himself stepped down (after first declaring the election void) and left the country for Guinea, then later Equatorial Guinea. Human rights violations during his regime are still being investigated.

In 2022, it was renamed the Never Again Memorial Arch, in honour of the former president’s victims.

The arch is on the Banjul – Serrekunda road. Quite the striking gateway, isn’t it?

On the top floor floor is a small museum showcasing the country’s history, from colonial times, to thought-provoking photos of families of victims of the brutal Jammeh regime. I encourage you to click on the two photos here and read the captions.

Just outside, balconies on either side provide great views of Banjul and surrounds from 35 metres up.

View from the top of the arch

5. Albert Market

This colourful urban market was founded in Victorian times, then named Royal Albert Market, after Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s beloved husband. The market is huge, and it is easy to get lost in the labyrinths here. We have somehow attracted a self-appointed guide, and it turns out to be a good idea.

It is actually a 3-in-1 market: one part for retail (clothes, hardware, whatever locals are looking for), one part for produce (fish, meat, fruit, veg), and one part for arts, crafts, and souvenirs. In short, you can find pretty much anything here, including stamps! We can finally send off our 1970s dusty old postcards from Guinea with Gambian stamps.

Artists and artisans at work at Banjul’s Albert Market

6. Wander the streets of Banjul

Colourful architecture along Banjul’s Daniel Goddard Street, a few minutes’ walk from Albert Market – and importantly, past a post office

There is more to see in Banjul, of course: the Gambian National Museum, MacCarthy Square, King Fahad Mosque, St. Mary’s Cathedral – but we’re keen to enjoy a bit more of the pool at Ocean Bay.

That sweet spot between exploring and chilling!

Nope, not quite ready… but we have places to go, a flight to catch.

Eh? Flight? But aren’t you on a road trip? Yes, well, you see, we have decided to forgo that final long stretch along the road through Northern Senegal, in favour of a quick flight. Enough road for now.

Besides, getting a Senegalese visa on arrival at the airport is a sure thing. And even though it looks like it is possible to get a visa at land borders (maybe), I’m happy to avoid any further consular uncertainties on this trip.

Before I sign off, a shout-out to Musa, the friendliest taxi driver in Banjul.