Had yellow fever vac today, it cost £35, but had been quoted £50 at another local surgery, so it pays to shop around. It lasts for 10 years and was issued with a certificate and told to keep it with my travel documents. Maleria tablets, I got these on a private prescription (Doxycycline) paid £21.20 for the course at a local chemist, but my friend got them cheaper in Boots, so again it depends on where they are dispensed. Have a great holiday!

I shopped around for malarone ( 2 week holiday ) and the prices ranged from £45 to £75 each. If you cannot get any quotes near to £45 try boots online as they are less than £50 each.

Does anyone know if taking my camcorder into Gambia will be a problem at all. I vagually remember someone saying that you may get stopped and asked if you have a camcorder in your luggage/hand luggage and I've certainly been somewhere I've been asked but can't remember if it was Gambia or not.

Going in a week's time...woohoo!!

Kay

Another quick question.......does anyone know if the Kombo Beach Hotel supply beach towels? And do you have to pay for the mattresses on the sun beds on the beach? Or the ones by the pool free?

Cheers

Kay

Got back from Gambia on Fri.Had fantastic time.Stayed at Ocean Bay in Cape Point.Lovely hotel,great beach,v friendly people.

I highly recommend a guide called Max who took us on day trips in his 4x4 and also to Kololi for a good meal.V knowledgable, friendly and cheap.Got his details from stace1983 on here.

Many thanks Carol by the way !!

PM me for his email and mob number as I'd be glad to pass it on.

Hi Andy,Glad you enjoyed your holiday,bet you're going back a.s.a.p.!! So pleased you enjoyed your outings with Max,he's a great bloke doesn't rip you off and as you say he knows his stuff!! Cheers,Carol

Hi Andy, Glad you enjoyed your holiday, I wouldn't go anywhere else now, and we've never gone to the same place twice, until Gambia!!. Glad you were pleased with Max, he's a lovely chap,and so knowledgable about his country,Its nice to find someone you know you can trust not to rip you off isn't it?He was so happy to meet you and he's also taken another couple of people on trips off the forum,he emailed me and said what nice people you were and thanked me for putting you in touch with him,bless him!! When you going again!!??.We're hoping to go in April,Max said he can get us good self catering accomodation cheap, but the flights are so expensive it seems to work out cheaper to do a package, but we're still looking into it. Anyway glad you were happy with Max,he deserves to be recommended so thanks for that. I'll tell him you have recommended him he'll be delighted, Cheers, Carol

OOPS!! Sorry for the two posts, didn't think I'd sent the first one!!

Have you booked suo?? We are going to Palma Rima hotel on 3rd March 2007.

Malarone tablets are cheapest at Tesco pharmacies, I have just paid £48 for my yellow fever jab.
Doxycyclin has too many side affects for me, so I would rather pay that little bit more. take less tablets but not be ill on hols!!!

I got malarone at Asda for £48, I was quoted £52 at Tesco. The big supermarkets tend not to have a big mark up but smaller pharmacies can mark them up by about 50%.

Hi fidget, no after all the research we have had to put the holiday back due to some family problems that have cropped up, however we have now had our vaccinations and we may book around April. Hope you have a good holiday and it would be great if you could post some up to date info on the area/hotel when you get back - thanks

I promise to let you all know about it when I get back. I will try not to bore you with too many details!!!

Hi, I'm finally going to Gambia at the end of march and can't wait! I'm booked in for a week at badala park hotel, got my jabs and everything else sorted out. Can anyone tell me what to expect, good trips out etc?? Funnily enough, all the stories about bumsters aren't bothering me, the only thing i'm worried about (I'm travelling by myself) is getting through the airport by myself Any help/advice anyone can give me for my first trip to the gambia would be really appreciated, thanks.

Kat

does anyone know the state of the beach at sunset beach hotel i have heard that it is now none existant `and that you ave to go further down the beach to use it

Hi We stayed at Kombo Beach,(next door to sunset)came back beginning of Feb,the people from sunset beach had to come through the Kombo and use their beachfront, it's just a walk thro the tennis courts not really far,but it is nice to be able to just walk out of
your hotel onto the beach,but no big deal I wouldn't have thought,a stroll in the beautiful Gambian sunshine!

cheers for that stace as last year they said they would sort it out but when who knows gambian time

A couple of yeas ago we stayed in Banjul at Corinthia Atlantic Hotel - very nice but a VERY long 2 weeks as nothing much going on. 2nd April we are going to Kololi (which we did visit and seemed more going on). Greatly looking forward to our trip (know most of the scams!!!) but would like to know the current exchange rate and how easy it is to change money NOT in ATM. Any good ideas????

Hi We stayed in the Atlantic also, and agree while the hotel is nice,I agree bit too far out, we stayed in Kotu,which was ideal,on our 2nd visit,and off to Kotu again in April!Money changing is easy, to be honest we mainly used the hotel as their was very little difference in the exchange rate between the hotels and the (many) money changers. Have a good time