Gambia - Nightlife

Nightlife in The Gambia is largely confined to the tourist hotels and comes in the form of rather poor entertainment in the evenings or late night discos.

A good alternative is to venture out to a restaurant of your choice, (see restaurants) and then off to a disco - if that's your scene. Bear in mind that nightclubs do not come to life until midnight in The Gambia. Nightclubs within the tourist hotels are mainly patronized by tourists alone until after midnight when they are brought to life by the locals,

The entrance fees are reasonable at all the discos and nightclubs in The Gambia. Most tourist hotels make no charge to residents and their guests

BELINGO'S is located at the Hotel Kombo Beach and is well attended, certainly after midnight.

THE METRO NIGHTCLUB is situated between St Mary's Food and Wine supermarket and the Mariatou Beach Hotel, Cape Point The nightclub can hold approximately 1,000 people and is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night from 10.00 p.m. until the early hours of the morning. The nightclub can also be hired for private functions e.g. birthdays weddings and various celebrations.

THE OASIS in Banjul is not for the faint hearted, as hustlers of both sexes are plentiful. It's not life threatening though, so give it a try, if only to say you've been there.

BARS

Local bars are plentiful in Gambia and have a tendancy to be cheaper than the many european owned bars, although the european owned bars tend to be livelier.

MARIE'S PUB on the Cape road, Cape point, is quiet with tables inside and outside, is more interesting than sitting inside a tourist hotel, and only a short stroll -approximately 10 minutes - from the hotels in the Cape Point area.

THE TROPIC SMILE on is a 10 minute stroll from Marie's Pub, and you will pass another bar on the way, if you need to rest. Situated on Atlantic Road Bakau, next to Bakau Market, has always been popular, both with the locals and the tourists. Tables outside at the front or in the back garden. Inside bar with a pool room.

KUMBA'S BAR is just a 3 minute walk down the road from the Tropic Smile. Tables inside and outside at the front. Can become quite lively as the night goes on. Not a place to go if you want to be alone.

THE PODIUM is inside Bakau, close to the cinema. It is another bar that only comes to life later at night. The hustlers - both male and female - can be a bit too much sometimes. It is not reccommended that you go here alone unless you are familiar with Bakau.

WHEELS is a lively bar situated on Kairaba Avenue at Fajara. Sadly, no tables outside, but you do have a choice of the bar area, or a quieter room where you can catch up with the latest news on CNN.

KAIRABA AVENUE. This avenue runs from Fajara, all the way to Serekunda. At the Fajara end of the road, in the same vicinity as Wheels, there are a variety of bars, restaurants and nightclubs. If every single one was listed here, the information would be out of date before you arrived in The Gambia. Such is the pace of development.

KOTU. The area around the Kombo Beach Hotel and the Bungalow beach Hotel, (BB) has only the one nightclub, (Belingo's) However, in the area of the craft market, there are a couple of restaurants, in which local bands often perform in the evenings. Roots Manding perform here once each week.

THE AMSTERDAM. The name says it all. A lively dutch Bar / Restaurant along the road from the Palma Rima towards Serekunda. Local transport can be found at the junction close to the Palma Rima. Just tell the driver where to drop you off.

SENEGAMBIA. The area immediately outside the Hotel Senegambia and the Kairaba Hotel contains so many bars and restaurants that it is much better just to leave your hotel and wander around. There is something to suit everybody's taste.

SEREKUNDA. Serekunda has some of the cheapest bars in The Gambia. In 1998 you could find a small beer for Ł0-40 ($0-60) in many of the local bars. The same beer in the tourist areas would cost you Ł0-60 ($0-90) or in a tourist hotel Ł1-00 ($1-65). Quite a difference. Serekunda never seems to sleep and it's an interesting place to see in the evening. The only advise I can give is, don't go alone, don't keep valuables in loose pockets, don't carry a handbag. A bum bag under a tee-shirt is the safest way to carry money. All bars are in busy areas so the chances of meeting a mugger are extremely small. Well worth a visit.

BANJUL. With the exception of the raunchy Oasis nightclub, don't bother.

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