Social rules, clothing and safety

As you might have already read The Gambia is a relatively safe place for travellers. It was our first country in Africa and we were not completely sure of how safe it is going to be but there wasn't a single time when we would feel endangered.

Social rules

Gambian people are very friendly and open and they will try to talk to you constantly. Usually, it is going to be a small talk starting with "Hey, how are you? First time in the Gambia?". Be kind, smile, have a small talk with them and don't be afraid to chat a little. You are safe.

Be prepared for trash everywhere. There are no trash bins so you will have to carry the trash with you unless you follow local rules of simply throwing it on the street.

Be careful with your camera. As much as people will not try to steal it, be careful when photographing. Most people don't want to be photographed and they will immediately tell you to put your camera down. We were very careful with that but it did happen once that I was threatened by a guy who said we´d get in trouble if I turned the camera on. Even when I was filming myself I had to explain multiple times to different people that the camera is not pointing at them. Ask politely, explain why you want to take a photo and take out your camera only if people agree. Be especially careful when it comes to filming women and taking shots on the markets.

Bargain. This is part of the culture and you are expected to bargain almost everywhere. The exception would be restaurants and shops with fixed prices. Everywhere else go crazy and give the seller a little fun. As a tourist, you get higher prices by default. I think we dealt pretty well with all the bargaining but I am also pretty sure we were paying more than locals. The most extreme deal we made was on my dress that I got as a souvenir - the initial price was 800 Dalasi and we finally bought it for 300. Not bad, huh?

Sure, locals would probably laugh at us for paying too much but then again, at the end of the day the majority of these people is really fighting to pay their way and you, regardless of being a businessman or a poor student, are wealthy enough to pay for the tickets there. So, all in all, I would say - bargain to the level you are comfortable with. You never know what the real price should be but also you don't wanna feel like you steal from anybody.

Toubab. You will be called that. Be prepared to hear these dozens of times a day. This term will mostly be used by kids to greet white people. There are different theories as to what this word really means. We've heard that the definition is simply a tourist but we've also heard that over the years it was mostly used for white people (because it is obvious that these people are visitors) so now it is used simply as an equivalent to a white person. Deal with it. It may become tiring but there is nothing you can do to about it. The good news is once you introduce yourself, the kids will remember your name and will use it instead of calling you toubab.

Clothing

The Gambia is a Muslim country but there are no rules like you could expect in terms of clothing. You can wear whatever you want and people will not look down at you. The only problem you might have is you might feel underdressed because women in the Gambia wear spectacular, colourful, tight dresses. I really envy them!

Wear a hat. It is hot there so if you don't want to get a sunstroke, trust me and get yourself a fancy hat.

Swimsuits. I honestly had mixed feelings. As much as in the touristic spot of Cape Point in Bakau I was wearing a regular swimsuit, I was not so sure about it in other parts of the country. When we were swimming in the river at Kafuta I kept my shirt and shorts on. Honestly, I have no idea if anybody would really care but being in a spot occupied by locals in a Muslim country I didn't feel comfortable undressing to a swimsuit. Maybe it's some kind of prejudice of mine and maybe it wouldn't be an issue but I didn't want to risk it.

Safety

Once again, you are safe. People around The Gambia are extremely nice and helpful and travelling the country we didn't feel endangered even once. Try not to walk alone after sunset but honestly, we've done it once, our walk was probably around 5k and nothing happened. Apart from a guy approaching us, walking some part of the way with us and reminding us we should use the light from our phones - there is almost no light after sunset in The Gambia.

Bumsters. This is a term used for guys hanging out in touristic areas and offering different services to tourists. Trust me, you don't need any of them. If you walk down the main street of Cape Point at any time during the day you will be approached by dozens of them. Be polite, smile, say an assertive thank you, try to keep the small talk as short as possible and walk away at a steady pace. This should be enough but be sure that you will be asked multiple times so make sure you set your brain to patient mode.

Sex offers. Sex tourism is popular in The Gambia. You will be approached by guys/girls or even kids offering their company. Again, be polite but also show straight away you are not interested. They will not harm you, there is no reason for panic. They understand the word No and they are not here to push you into doing anything. They will, however, be persistent, so again be patient. And be prepared that as soon as you show up on the beach they will appear out of nowhere. It was enough for B to walk to the ocean from the beach, maybe 20 meters away from me, and immediately we were both approached by some guys.

Tips and tricks (not only for this trip but in general):

1. "I was here before, actually I'm visiting a friend" - for me the best possible answer to "Hello, the first time in the Gambia?" This will not only assure that people stop asking you to pay them as a guide but also will let you walk away alone and not be followed by a stranger to your hotel.

2. If somebody offers you to walk you to your hotel, simply say "Thank you, I am staying with my friend" and don't give this person the name of your hotel. Unless of course, you want to have the guy waiting for you in front of the hotel the next day.

3. "This is my last evening here, thank you" - works like a charm for all the bumsters trying to persuade you into paying them for different kinds of services (this might be showing you the nearest shop or bargaining for you on the market). Note: they will remember you so make sure you don't say that on the first day of your weekly trip.

With all of the tips above remember to stay nice, positive and smile. Be assertive but not aggressive. Even if you say No for the tenth time. Trust me, things can get unpleasant if you cross the thin line between assertive and aggressive.

And remember, these people are trying to make a living. Most probably they are not doing it for fun. And if you're tired of being stopped by random people just leave the touristic area od Cape Point. If you go anywhere outside, you will see a totally different side of The Gambia.