Safety in Gambia

The general picture: The Gambia is among the calmest countries in the region and the friendliness is not an act. Solo travellers, including women, generally report an easy time here.

Bumsters: young men on the tourist beaches who approach offering friendship, guiding or anything else. A polite but firm no, repeated without embarrassment, is all that is needed.

Petty theft: don't leave belongings on the sand while you swim. Opportunistic theft happens on the busier beaches, though almost nowhere else.

Malaria: a serious risk here. Take the prophylaxis, use a DEET repellent and wear long sleeves in the evening, which is when the mosquitoes are working.

The ocean: currents are stronger than they look. Swim where locals swim, and treat an empty beach as a warning rather than a discovery.

After dark: in Banjul and Serekunda take a taxi rather than walking, since street lighting is largely absent.

Checkpoints: police posts on the roads are routine. Carry a copy of your passport, stay relaxed, and check your own government's travel advisory before the trip.

The Gambia is mainland Africa's smallest country, a narrow strip along the river of the same name. Tourism has developed around the beaches, and the schemes match.

"Bumsters". The local term for young men who befriend tourists on the beaches and in Serekunda. They offer friendship, excursions and help. Some work honestly; some build long relationships for money. A known variant involves romantic relationships followed by requests for support and visas.

"Guides." At Kunta Kinteh Island and Juffureh, guides are offered. Official ones are licensed.

Taxis. Green tourist taxis cost more than yellow shared ones. Agree in advance.

Currency exchange. Use banks and licensed bureaux.

Souvenirs. Carvings and fabrics; haggling is compulsory.

Photography. Military installations, police, the presidential palace and the airport are off limits.

Same-sex relations are criminalised with severe penalties.

Drugs. The law is strict and the airport is screened.

Drones. Permission is required.

Wildlife. Exporting animal parts is prohibited. Abuko and Kiang West reserves have visiting rules.

Sex tourism. A subject the Gambia is known for, and child protection legislation is enforced strictly with international cooperation.

Roads. Nobody drives between towns at night.

Cash. Cards work in hotels; elsewhere you need dalasi.

Yellow fever. A certificate is required from arrivals out of endemic countries, and vaccination is advised.

Malaria. High risk, especially in the June-to-October rains. Prophylaxis is essential.

Vaccinations. Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, meningococcus, rabies and polio.

Water. Bottled only.

The sea. Atlantic currents at Kololi and Kotu are strong, and lifeguards work only on hotel beaches in season.

The Gambia river. Crocodiles and hippos upstream. Do not swim.

Heat. The November-to-May dry season is more comfortable; the rainy season is humid and hot.

Healthcare. Weak. Banjul and Serekunda have basic clinics. Anything serious means evacuation to Dakar or Europe. Insurance is needed.

Emergency numbers: 117 police, 116 ambulance.

The Gambia sits mid-table in Africa on corruption, and police are generally correct with tourists.

Tourist police. Working the beaches of the Kololi, Kotu and Bakau resort area. This is who you approach about bumsters.

Checkpoints. These occur on the roads with document checks.

Reporting theft. Reports are taken and certificates issued. English is official.

The resort area. Patrolled and calm. Serekunda and the markets require attention.

What actually matters. The Gambia's main risks are malaria, the ocean and persistent attention. Violent crime against tourists is limited, and the country is known as the Smiling Coast of Africa.

Emergency number is 117.