Mindelo, Cape Verde

[Izzywiz]

Takoradi December 2022

Day 14. Saturday 10th December 

Takoradi, Ghana. 08.00 - 18.00

Ghana

·         Ghana is an ex-British colony which gained independence in 1957 (I think) so English is the first language.

·         The areas that we passed through in Takoradi seemed very poor with most buildings constructed from foraged materials.

Takoradi port

·         We had to show our yellow fever cards and Covid vaccination certificates before we could disembark.

·         Tour busses were waiting at the bottom of the gangway.

·         There was a small market set up on the dockside where local souvenirs were being sold.

·         the port is large and extremely industrial.

·         There is a free shuttle bus into the town centre which is good because you are not allowed to walk around the port and the city centre isn’t within reasonable walking distance.

 

 

Takoradi city

·         The city is a sprawling metropolis and the poverty by our standards is very obvious.

·         I’m glad that I was on a ship’s tour because I don’t think there is much to see. The shops were very basic but the people waved and smiled as we passed.

 

 

Shore excursions.

Ship’s excursion - Twin Cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. 08.30 - 4 hours

·         I was surprised by the good quality of the busses although the sound system wasn’t particularly loud and our guide had quite a strong accent which made it difficult to understand his commentary.

·         We drove through the town and out to a small museum which was very nicely presented and mainly featured exhibits to do with slavery…..nothing about the British anti-slavery campaign though!

 

·         We continued to drive through urban areas until we reached the main fishing port where passengers had the opportunity to get off and look at the boats and fish market. Again, unfortunately, it isn’t fishing season so nothing was happening there!!

 

·         Our last stop was at the Raybow hotel (correct spelling!) where we were entertained by a local cultural group and given refreshments of bottled drinks/water and fruit. I asked to use the internet and was able to download the papers, access my emails and WhatsApp people which was a bonus.

·         There was a wedding taking place at the hotel and I was able to get a couple of photographs. The bridesmaids were really cute.

[Izzywiz]

Banjul

 

We have been to the Gambia several times, both as resort holidays and port stops on cruises.

Very little has changed in the country during the 8 years that we have been visiting. It is a paradise for bird watchers and has stunning beaches but, by western standards, the conditions are quite poor.

I have mobility issues so that is why I did a beach day in 2022 and would recommend this as an option but I really enjoyed our other trips when I was more mobile.

2014 - Fred Olsen Cruise

Banjul

Banjul, Gambia. General Information
08.00 to 18.00
Cleared for disembarkation at 08.40
Banjul port
The port is very industrial but there was a nice view from the ship across to a small beach and the local small ferries.
It is approx 2 km into town centre.
The currency is the Dalasis.
Most vendors accept € and US$ but you need to haggle....it's expected.
I didn't see any taxis on the dock side but they may have been hidden by the tour busses. There were a few taxis at the port gate 400m from the ship
There was 1 person holding up a passenger's name so I assume that was for a pre-arranged private tour.
IMHO walking into town would be a real challenge to the senses and sensibilities of someone who is used to more sophisticated urban surroundings.
I spoke to a couple who walked in to town and they were approached by several locals who offered to show them the sights. They said that they should have negotiated a price immediately with one of them which may have prevented the pestering.
There didn't seem to be a lot to see in the town centre.

 

Ship’s excursion

'Lazy Day Cruise'
We met in Neptune Lounge at 08.30
The coach had air con.
Our guide spoke good English and had a sense of humour
The coach ride was 30 mins
We drove through the centre of Banjul and then through the countryside to the river dock.
It was a short walk over rough ground to the jetties to board the boats,
It was a bit tricky to get on board but there were plenty of helping hands. 
Each boat held approx 20 passengers plus 5 crew including the guide.
The top deck is open with some garden chairs and lounging mats. There is a small, covered area.
Downstairs has bench seats around the exterior sides of the boat with some cushions.
There is a small kitchen.
The toilet is a proper flushing one and there was toilet paper + a wash basin with soap.
Cups of tea/coffee + 1 beer or 1soft drink we're complimentary. There was also a complementary glass of sparkling wine or orange juice at lunch.
Some boats had sets of binoculars and bird books for passenger use (ours didn't which was annoying as we could have brought our own)
Lunch consisted of shepherd’s pie, fish, salad, rice, French bread and fresh fruit (mango, oranges and bananas)
We sailed in a loose convoy along the river. It was lined with just mangrove trees so the scenery was rather monotonous. There were several species of birds to spot including storks, kingfishers, ibis, bee-eaters and rollers but not much else.
Our boat did stop in mid river for 30 mins so people could swim but the ladder was a bit rickety. Some boats pulled onto a beach so people could paddle or walk

 

 

 Banjul 2015

Resort holiday at the Laico Atlantic Hotel in Banjul

Half day taxi tour to the monkey park, vulture feeding and crocodile pool.
We organised a taxi at a cost of 1100 Delassi for the tour. The car was a 6 seater people carrier so we fitted in comfortably.
Our driver, Seiko (like the watches!), spoke good English, was very pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful.
 
It was a 30 minute drive to the BIJILO FOREST PARK to see the monkeys. The entrance fee for foreign nationals was 150D pp. People were selling bags of peanuts for 50D.
There was a very small and somewhat dilapidated visitors' centre at the entrance where there were some local crafts on sale and toilets (I didn't use it so can't comment on the style and quality).
The trail winds its way through quite dense forest and is a half mile circular route.

The pathway is a dirt track with some quite steep slopes in places.
Seiko was our guide and he showed us termite mounds and pointed out different types of trees.
We didn't see any monkeys for the first 30 minutes and we were beginning to think it was a wasted journey but suddenly there was a monkey and then 2...3...and we were surrounded.

There was a whole troupe of about 20 monkeys of all ages and sizes. They were very adept at taking the peanuts, shelling them and eating them. The babies were very cute. The monkeys only came up to you if you had the nuts in your hand so I was ok. Emma was quite happy to have the monkeys on her shoulder and we have some great photos.

 

 
We spent about 75 minutes at the forest before moving on to the SERAKUNDA HOTEL (Senagambia) VULTURE FEEDING EXPERIENCE.
 
SENAGAMBIA is a more touristy area with shops and restaurants.
It is free entrance to the hotel.
The hotel is very 'posh' with beautiful gardens, a grand atrium and large terraces with a lovely pool.
The vulture feeding takes place at 11.30 on an open grassy area where a ranger brings a tray of meat. There must have been close to 100 birds.....mainly vultures but also a few kites and cattle egrets too.

KATCHIKALLY CROCODILE POOL.
Seiko then drove us to the crocodile pool which was a 20 minute ride through a very poor area.
It was 150D pp entrance fee.
The conservation pool is in a compound with a small museum and shop. There was a 250m walk along a rough track to get to the pool.
Fortunately, the crocs had been fed before we arrived which gave Jim, Tony and Emma chance to stroke one.......notice that I didn't!!!
We spent 30 minutes around the pool where there were perhaps 20 crocs visible.....most were sunbathing before

re-boarding the taxi for the journey back to the hotel.

Day 6. Thursday 29th January - 'ROOTS' river trip.
The tour left the hotel at 08.50 and we were the last pick-up. There were just the 2 of us From the Laico and approx 20 others on the coach.
 It was a 10 minute ride through central BANJUL to the port and then a walk along a pier to the boat.
There was no gangway onto the boat so everyone had to be helped aboard......quite scary for me.
There were several other tour companies with passengers on board.
The boat is quite small with an indoor seating area, a shaded upper deck with chairs and bench seating at the stem and stern. There is a small bar which sells soft drinks.
Apparently the boat is Spanish owned with a Gambian crew.
 We sat outside at the back.
We departed at 09.30.
They brought round a tuna sandwich (tiny) and a glass of sangria at 10.00. There was no non-alcoholic alternative......disappointing.
 
As we sailed, the weather began to improve....the wind dropped and the sun came out. We had the perfect seat at the back against the bulkhead......sheltered from the wind and in shade.

 
The journey to ALBADARR was just under 3 hours. I was surprised that the river was so wide that we often couldn't see land.
The ship docked at a very crumbling jetty but there were many helping hands for us less agile folk.
 
As we walked along the jetty to the village the abject poverty (in our terms) was obvious......derelict buildings from colonial times, shacks for homes and no paved roads. However, the guides, tourist police and locals that we met were all fiercely proud of their homes and heritage

 

.
 
The guided tour consisted of a chance to see a local school (we were able to buy packs of exercise books and pencils for 300D)

followed by a visit to the 'slavery museum' (very humbling.....man's inhumanity to man came to mind....but also a pride in knowing that Josiah Wedgwood and Josiah Spode had huge influence in the abolishing of the slave trade - We come from Stoke-on-Trent where Wedgewood and Spode had their pottery factories)

. We then walked to the next village, JUFUREH, where the group had a meeting with a distant relative of Kunta Kinte, the Gambian slave who inspired Alex Hayley to write his best-selling novel.
It was well worth doing as it really brought home the horrors of the slave trade but it also gave us a further insight into the way the poorest people in the world struggle to live each day.
 The walk was about a mile and a half.
 Once back on board we bought a bottle of water each and there was a buffet lunch.....mainly salads, prawns and a vegetable rice dish. Our group was first back on board so avoided the long queue but there was plenty for everyone.
 
We set sail at 2.15. And sailed over to JAMES ISLAND where the captured locals were held in prison until they boarded the slave ships. You had to climb down a ladder onto a large canoe which transported the passengers across. There were a few people, including me, who stayed on board the ship.....I didn't dare risk the ladder. Others said the experience was worthwhile. They were on the island for about half an hour.

 
We were served a delicious slice of watermelon as we set sail back to Banjul at 4.00.
On the way back we were treated to the sight of a small shoal of bottle-necked river Dolphins.
 
We were served complementary coffee/tea and biscuits.

 

2022 - Azamara Journey.

Day 10. Tuesday 6th December 2022

Banjul, Gambia. 07.30 - 17.00

We got clearance at 07.35 and we disembarked at 07.50.

We were approached by taxi drivers as we were walking towards the port exit and we settled on using Mussa to take me to the Sunprime Tamala hotel and Jim to his birding spots for £50. Mussa pushed me to his taxi which was a bit rickety but clean.

.

Mussa took us to the hotel and got me settled. He then took Jim to the fishing village for an extra £10.

I spent the time sitting in the beach bar and used the wifi to catch up with emails and banking. It was a very pleasant few hours.

 

Banjul port

·         The port is very unattractive, industrial and generally poorly maintained.

·         There were a few stalls at the bottom the gangway selling local souvenirs.

·         ‘Mr. Fixit’ had a stall there where he did currency exchange and sold stamps and post cards. He will even post the cards for you!

·         The road surface was very uneven and parts were flooded.

Banjul city.

·         Unfortunately, the city is very poor by western standards and it came as a big shock even to us who had been there before to see the conditions in the town.

·         There are not many ‘sights’ in the town so it is better to go out to Serrekunda for a better shopping experience or get a taxi to the monkey forest and/or crocodile pool.

Sunprime Tamala hotel

·         I contacted the hotel before we left England to arrange a day pool pass and the hotel charged Gambian Delasi 1000pp which included use of the wifi, sun beds, general facilities and pool. Food and drinks were payable at the resort.

·         The hotel is very modern and is situated right on the beach in the Kotu area about a 30-minute drive from Banjul.

·         The hotel has a beautiful pool and lush gardens.

·         There is a beach bar and direct access to the gorgeous long sandy beach. It is unfortunate that there is some hassle from beach vendors when walking along the beach.

 

 

 

 

[Mrs f.]

Thank you so much for your posting.?we will be in Takoradi taking the canopy tour. In Banjul we are doing the roots tour. The part you wrote about climbing onto the small boat for Jsmes Island has me wondering if I can  do it. Hope so

[Izzywiz]

Hi Mrs F, my husband did the canopy tour in Ghana and enjoyed it but he doesn’t write reviews. He did say that the beaches were spectacular, he found the countryside drive ‘interesting’ and the canopy walk ok but he loves photographing birds and there weren’t many in the forest..

 

I really hope you enjoy the Roots tour. We found it very interesting and it certainly opened our eyes to the horrors of the slave trade although we were disappointed that there was no mention of the British Navy’s valiant efforts to prevent the trade in the early 1800s.

I didn’t risk going to James Island as was recovering from a hip replacement operation so didn’t dare risk it but it shouldn’t be a problem for more mobile people..

 

[Mrs f.]

8 hours ago, Izzywiz said:

Hi Mrs F, my husband did the canopy tour in Ghana and enjoyed it but he doesn’t write reviews. He did say that the beaches were spectacular, he found the countryside drive ‘interesting’ and the canopy walk ok but he loves photographing birds and there weren’t many in the forest..

 

I really hope you enjoy the Roots tour. We found it very interesting and it certainly opened our eyes to the horrors of the slave trade although we were disappointed that there was no mention of the British Navy’s valiant efforts to prevent the trade in the early 1800s.

I didn’t risk going to James Island as was recovering from a hip replacement operation so didn’t dare risk it but it shouldn’t be a problem for more mobile people..

 

2 knee replacements and need hip replacement.  Do you think I should risk James island?  What was the issue? Please tell me all.

[Izzywiz]

Hi again Mrs F and congratulations on having 2 new knees. I hope your wait for the hip replacement isn’t too long.

My issue with making it to James Island was that I had only had my hip replacement 10 weeks previously so our Gambia holiday was a chance to recover in a warm climate.
I was walking on flat ground without a problem but it was the fact that the boat couldn’t dock at James Island so we had to climb down a rope ladder to a canoe type craft to access the Island which I decided was too risky. Also, I had done quite a lot of walking that day so I was tired.

All this took place in 2015 so it is possible that access has improved since then as a way of encouraging tourism.

We love The Gambia and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Regards 

Izzy

[Wayfairers]

On 2/19/2024 at 4:51 AM, Izzywiz said:

Hi again Mrs F and congratulations on having 2 new knees. I hope your wait for the hip replacement isn’t too long.

My issue with making it to James Island was that I had only had my hip replacement 10 weeks previously so our Gambia holiday was a chance to recover in a warm climate.
I was walking on flat ground without a problem but it was the fact that the boat couldn’t dock at James Island so we had to climb down a rope ladder to a canoe type craft to access the Island which I decided was too risky. Also, I had done quite a lot of walking that day so I was tired.

All this took place in 2015 so it is possible that access has improved since then as a way of encouraging tourism.

We love The Gambia and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Regards 

Izzy

I don’t think conditions have improved at James Island.  When we were there late last fall our tour skipped going ashore there and just circled the island because the conditions were too risky to try to get anyone ashore.  They didn’t give details other than the height of the boat vs the height of the dock was a problem.

[Izzywiz]

It is interesting that you mention a dock on James Island as I believe in 2015 that the canoe tender pulled straight onto the beach so a little different now. Hopefully Mrs. F will have good weather and be able to land.

[Wayfairers]

On 2/20/2024 at 10:28 AM, Izzywiz said:

It is interesting that you mention a dock on James Island as I believe in 2015 that the canoe tender pulled straight onto the beach so a little different now. Hopefully Mrs. F will have good weather and be able to land.

We saw a dock…not sure when it can be used. Good luck

[Mrs f.]

Izzywiz.....thank you so much for your posts. We are going to the same ports in November.    I'm letting everyone on our rollcall know to find this page. So helpful.