The smallest country of Africa
The Gambia is an excellent year-round holiday destination, as it is ‘only’ a six-hour flight from Central Europe and offers bathing weather and temperatures above 24C 365 days a year. The smallest country in Africa is completely surrounded by Senegal. The official language is English.
Jinack Island
Jinack Island is located in the north-west of The Gambia. It is a small island in the estuary of the Gambia River. Part of the island is geographically part of Senegal, the majority belongs to The Gambia. There is apparently no border on the island and, according to the local inhabitants, no border controls between the two parts of the island. This beautiful piece of nature is part of the Nuimi National Park and is known for its unspoilt and rather remote beaches, which stretch for 11 kilometres.
Infrastructure level is poor
The infrastructure on this small island is virtually non-existent. A lot has to happen, for example, to connect Jinack Island to the electricity grid. Nevertheless, it is one of the last paradises in West Africa and nature here is still largely unspoilt. There are a few mopeds and even cars that use the beach as a ‘motorway’, but fortunately not too often. The lovely Atlantic beach is a “highway” at low tide for a few cars and motorbikes and donkey cars.
Jinack Island, is it a green paradise?
Not quite. Waste disposal or even recycling? Not a thing. At least: electricity is generated here by the locals using solar panels. This even allows refrigerators and iceboxes to be operated and mobile phones to be charged in an environmentally friendly way. There is no connection to the national NAWEC power grid. This is not a bad thing, by the way, as NAWEC is known for its frequent power outages: the power goes out every day and at all times, often for hours!
Guest houses on Jinack Island are simple beautiful
For example, the ‘FEEL FREE ECO LODGE’ is located around 10km from the harbour town of Barra, right on the geographical border with Senegal. The island of Jinack is largely isolated, but very green. A few Africans live on the island in small villages, e.g. in Niggi Village. The beach is around 12 kilometres long and sandy and up to 200 metres wide at low tide. It’s a marvellous place to unwind or simply relax.
Everything is simple – but lovely quiet
You can’t expect European standards here, but you can expect tranquillity and closeness to nature, which is almost impossible to find these days. There are only a few places to stay on this marvellous island. In my opinion, the most recommendable is the ‘Feel Free Eco Lodge’, which is run with love and passion by Sheriffo and his crew. Fresh fish is the order of the day and many products are locally sourced. The baguette, for example, is served warm and crispy and tastes particularly good here, while enjoying the beach views and birds are flying around.
Largely unspoilt nature of West Africa
Our example guest house is the Feel FREE LODGE is in a secluded location in the middle of a wooded bushveld. Absolute tranquillity and the sounds of nature reward visitors and provide a deep relaxation that seems long forgotten. Six cosy round huts offer a simple yet comfortable atmosphere for overnight stays.
Each hut has its own bathroom / WC and offers 2-3 guests a unique overnight stay … in the midst of nature in a natural paradise in the Senegal – Gambia border region. In the morning, Feel Free guests are greeted by a wide variety of birdsong, which is quite something… and holidaymakers can hear the waves of the Atlantic in the background. This simple accommodation is located directly on the beach… and travellers can jog or swim endlessly here.
Conclusions:
If you want to really relax, walk or swim a lot, Jinack Island is a sports, bird and animal paradise that is hard to find these days. The owner Sheriffo looks after the guests very well, there are often campfires, nice groups sit together, sing, dance or chat about God and the world. Electricity is only available from solar panels and there is no wifi, but at least there is mobile phone reception. The guests are international, you can hear Spanish, German, English and French.
How to get there:
From Senegambia or Banjul, the keen island adventurer takes the ferry or a ‘soul seller’ (look at the images) between the harbour of Banjul and Barra. From there, you can either take a boat or walk around 1km to a raft mooring between the mainland and Jinack Island.
From there, the brave can hike for around 2 hours to the lodge or take a motorbike taxi (around 200 Dalasi), which is around US $ 3. The peace and quiet and the quality of the beach immediately make up for it. Certainly one of the last adventures that can be experienced in West Africa, the photos give you an idea of the journey.
