WINTER SUN THE GAMBIA DESTINATIONS “Y
ou can pet the crocodile, but don’t stand too
near its head or it will feel threatened,” warns our guide. I’m stroking the scaly back of one of the world’s deadliest creatures as it quietly suns itself on the banks of the Kachikally Crocodile Pool, one of The Gambia’s must-see wildlife hotspots. Tucked away within a labyrinth of bumpy residential roads in Bakau, the murky pond is home to about 100 Nile crocodiles, which are so well fed that they apparently have no interest in eating tourists. Even though the 2m-long
toothy reptiles seem docile, signs in multiple languages
around the pool – ‘Don’t touch a crocodile without the advice of a guide’, says one – remind visitors that these are fearsome creatures. Sage advice, no doubt, but the croc-handler reassures me that no one has ever been attacked here. As well as being a hit with
croc-loving tourists, the sacred pool is also popular with local women, who believe that washing in the curative waters can aid fertility. Enjoying such a close
encounter with a croc is a once- in-a-lifetime experience that leaves me feeling like Crocodile Dundee; my guide even presents me with a crocodile-tooth necklace as a souvenir.
It’s not what I’d have expected
from a simple winter-sun escape, but as I’m about to discover, Kachikally is just one of The Gambia’s eye-popping animal attractions.
w WINTER SUN After recovering from a few political wobbles and negative coverage of the ebola outbreak – which impacted tourism, despite not a single case being reported in The Gambia – it’s most definitely this small country’s time to shine again. With palm-backed beaches,
bathtub-warm waters, epic sunsets and year-round temperatures of about 32C, the Smiling Coast of Africa is ideal
for beating the winter blues. The beaches are less crowded than those in the Mediterranean and have a distinctly African flavour: women in traditional dress carry fruit in baskets on their heads; cattle roam freely on the sand; locals ride their motorbikes up and down the beach; and stalls sell refreshing baobab juice and moreish wonjo juice, made from dried hibiscus flowers and sugar. The West African nation is
a six-hour direct flight from London and is conveniently on the same time zone as the UK, so jet lag is not an issue. Travellers just need to take anti-malarials and arrange a few jabs. It might be better-known
8 November 2018
travelweekly.co.uk 41
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 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
