Cape Verde and The Gambia offer an ‘alternative taste’ of Africa, but with none of the hassle, says Roger St. Pierre
CAPE VERDE & THE GAMBIA
Islands&rivers G
iven West Africa’s turbulent political, social and economic climate over the past few decades, it’s perhaps no surprise
that agents rarely find themselves recommending the region to anyone but the dedicated traveller. It is post-colonial borders drawn on
geographical rather than ethnic lines that have been the heart of the problem. There are, however, a couple of shining beacons of regional stability and relative tranquillity that are now firmly on the holiday radar and offer some great value deals for year-round hassle-free sunshine holidays for families and couples alike. Step forward the offshore Cape Verde Islands, which were once Portuguese- controlled, and the ex-British colony of The Gambia, a long, narrow, thickly forested country whose territory stretches along both banks of a broad,
30 March 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
wildlife-rich river. Volcanic Cape Verde is a little further south than the Canaries while The Gambia is on the same latitude as Barbados but is only a six- hour flight away from London. Both offer a reliable sunny climate and friendly locals who speak good English. These two stable and now
independent countries boast a modern infrastructure and, while not among the wealthiest of nations, they are not wracked by the abject poverty that blights so many of their neighbours. The basically pan-flat Sal is Cape
Verde’s prime destination, having undergone massive tourism development in recent times – though the Irish economic crash has reigned in the massive investment that was flowing from that source. But each of the islands in the
archipelago has its own distinct flavour, from the spectacularly rugged
TOP SELLING TIPS With an hour's to no time
difference, experience the exotic without the jetlag
The Gambia offers a soft,
cheap introduction to African safaris
For culture vultures, plan
trips around Cape Verde's many festivals and events
Try a Gambia twin-centre
that combines a stay on a beach with a safari
mountains of Santo Antao to the vast Sahara-like sands of the Desert de Viana on Boa Vista island. Cape Verde Experience offers a seven-day island-hopping tour from £1,545pp, with Gatwick departures. Across the islands there’s a year-long
season of festivals and cultural events and the nightlife at Santa Maria, on Sal, is renowned, as are Cape Verde’s wealth of watersports. Nature-lovers will find a rich diversity
of flora and fauna. Boa Vista is the world’s third most important nesting site for loggerhead turtles, while whale- watching is a big draw from February to May and the islands are on the migratory trail of many species of birds. English-speaking, The Gambia is also renowned for its bird-life as well as its noisy monkeys and baboons, while big game can be viewed on excursions to next-door French-speaking Senegal.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76