The Gambia is a beautiful coastal country in the west of Africa. It takes 6 hours to fly there direct and the temperature in April will be 26 - 31°C.
There's no time difference. No jetlag.
Wedding Venues
Friday 18th April 2025 will be our traditional wedding, celebrating the culture and traditions of The Gambia while we tie the knot.
Location: Ozzy's mother's house, near Banana Lodge, in Brufut.
Exact location for Google Maps: 13°23'49.2"N 16°44'31.1"W
Saturday 19th April 2025 will be our white wedding, celebrating in western style.
Location: Coco Ocean Resort & Spa, Costal Highway, Bijilo.
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Accomodation
We're in contact with TUI group bookings, who have said they can offer discounted rates for our guests, especially if they book a package deal as opposed to flights-only. They want us to give them numbers before they say "this is how much money we'll take off" so if you think this option could be the one for you, please let us know so we can reopen discussions with them and come back to you with overall cost.
Let us know by April 2024, and include your catering preference; self-catering, all inclusive, half-board or breakfast only.
Coco Ocean is the venue for our white wedding day, on the 19th April, so staying there would be nice and convenient. It's a chic resort on lush tropical grounds is next to Bijilo Forest Park, a rainforest nature reserve. It's probably the most luxurious stay you can get in The Gambia, and the room prices reflect that. They did say they could do a small discount for wedding guests, so do let us know by April 2024 if you're planning to stay here and we can contact them about that.
There are places on Airbnb - and Booking.com as well, of course - and they average £40 per night. There are some great options, including whole properties, so have a look and then see if you want to team up with other guests and stay in the same place.
There is a main 'strip' where you find all the restaurants, bars and live music. It's called Senegambia Road. A lot of the hotels are around there, and it's a nice place to be if you like to be near amenities, and a bit of hustle and bustle.
If you're not staying around there, be aware that The Gambia isn't the easiest place to walk long distances. The midday heat can be punishing and the roads are dusty. So if you're like me, you'll book a place a bit further out because it's cheaper, and you'll think "it's only a 25min walk to the restaurants and beaches... easy!" but you'll end up giving all the money you saved to the taximan.
Having said that, taxis are everywhere and not expensive, and we use them all the time.