Where to stay in Gambia: best areas and types of hotel

Almost all first trips sleep on the Atlantic coast, a strip of resort towns 15–20 km west of Banjul. Kololi is the busiest: the Senegambia strip has the widest choice of hotels, bars and restaurants, and you can walk to the beach. Kotu is a step quieter, with a small craft market and a bird-rich creek mouth. Cape Point, near Bakau, is calmer still and close to the Kachikally crocodile pool and the botanical gardens.

Banjul itself is a working capital on an island at the river mouth, not a resort. One night there gets you the Albert Market, the national museum and Arch 22 without a daily commute, but most travellers see it as a day trip from the coast. South of the airport, Kartong is the low-key option: a handful of lodges, a fishing village and long empty sand.

Upriver is a different trip. Janjanbureh, on an island in the river, needs two nights and a guide, and Tendaba works as one night for Kiang West birding. Do not treat these as a base for the coast; the drive is long and the roads are slow.

The coast has three broad tiers. Beach resorts and hotels with pools, air conditioning and a restaurant are the top end and the easiest booking. Mid-range guesthouses and small hotels, often family-run, sit a short walk from the beach. Budget rooms, hostels and simple lodges are cheapest and most common away from the resort strip.

Prices move with the season. High season runs November to April, when northern-hemisphere winter fills the coast and rates peak around Christmas and New Year. May to October is hot, humid and rainy, with lower rates and some places closed. Treat all figures as 2026 estimates and confirm directly with the property.

Check three things before you book: whether the price includes breakfast and tax, whether the room has air conditioning or only a fan, and whether the hotel has a generator. Power cuts are common, and a generator is the difference between a comfortable night and a hot one. Wi-Fi is usually available in coastal hotels but can be slow; a local SIM or eSIM is a useful backup.

Book two to three months ahead for a November-to-April stay, and earlier for Christmas, New Year and February half-term, when the coast fills. Outside those weeks you can often book a week or two out, and walk-in rates in the low season are worth asking about.

If you are combining the coast with an upriver night in Janjanbureh or Tendaba, arrange it through a tour operator rather than booking the lodge alone; transport and meals are usually part of the package. Confirm cancellation terms, since rain-season plans can shift.

Distances on the coast are short but traffic is slow. Kololi to Banjul is roughly 15–20 km and can take 30–60 minutes by road. Agree taxi fares before you get in, and expect to pay more after dark.

Bring UK three-pin adapters; the country uses 230 V, 50 Hz. Tap water is not for drinking, so budget for bottled or filtered water. Tipping is expected by guides and drivers, and 10% is normal in restaurants. Check your travel insurance covers medical care and any activities you plan, since private clinics in Banjul and on the coast handle most cases but serious treatment may mean evacuation.