The flight touches down at Banjul Airport (Yundum International) you have arrived in a very different world .If you live in the developed world. Leaving the aircraft via a flight of steps on to the tarmac. You board a bus which takes you to the arrivals department. Once there you sort of queue until you get to be seen by a immigration officer to have your passport approved. It is very basic but an experience you will not forget. Once through immigration you await your suitcase. when I arrived in Oct 2019 there was a power cut and the cases where brought through manually by the workers as the conveyor belt did not work. It was an interesting experience. Once you get your suitcase you put it through an x-ray machine to be checked once more before entering the exit of the Airport. In Oct 2019 the airport was undergoing building works so those waiting for you will be outside waiting for you. There was also many people offering help and Taxi services.
My first glimpse of Gambia was after a short drive on a tarmac road out of the airport when I saw lots of people all lining the roads trying to sell their goods. It was early evening and there were lots of people around, some walking, some trying to get a bus or a taxi. It is a 25 to 30 min drive to the main Hotel areas of Kotu, Kololi and Bakau. The roads were full of cars all tooting their horns. There were carts being pulled by donkeys or ponies The ground was all sandy and it was like nothing I have ever experienced my life. It all looked very interesting and made me excited to want to find out more about the Gambian people and their way of life.
Once at my hotel /guest house in Kotu everyone one was happy and smiling. My first glimpse of the beach at Kotu and the sand was like an amazing paradise that was going to be my holiday base for my stay in Gambia. The Gambia is very safe. Security is taken very seriously. Kotu is a good base to go on all the different excursions that are available in The Gambia.