Bakau

Tucked away on a low cliff between the mouth of the River Gambia and the Atlantic Ocean, Bakau is a small, densely populated coastal town with a good scattering of pleasant hotels. Its western and eastern enclaves, Fajara and Cape Point, are well-to-do havens for diplomats, professionals and expats, while central Bakau (home to fishermen, cooks and musicians) is a maze of crowded compounds where chickens and children scurry to and fro under the mango and pawpaw trees. This vibrant, mixed community lends the town a firmly down-to-earth, authentic atmosphere.

Cape Point on the east side of town is popular with families for its relaxed, cul-de-sac feel and good beach. Central Bakau draws budget travellers, while the excellent small, independent hotels and restaurants in Fajara on the west side appeal to those who prefer to steer clear of purpose-built resorts.

Bakau is the northernmost of The Gambia's most popular coastal resorts, and the closest to the capital, Banjul. The airport is 15km (9 miles) to the south.

The best beach in the area is at Cape Point; the sand here is attractive and well kept, although strong currents often make the water unsafe for swimming. The central Bakau beach is a noisy, busy fishing centre, where fishermen mend their nets and workers sort through the catch. Further west, a russet-coloured laterite cliff fringes the town; the scraps of beach at its foot are mostly tricky to reach. Fajara beach, in the far west, is broad and rather grubby, a favourite spot for impromptu beach football matches.

Bakau's most famous attraction is the Katchikali crocodile pool deep in central Bakau. Sacred to the local Mandinka tribe, who believe that bathing in water from the pool will cure infertility, it's home to a family of docile-looking Nile crocodiles. The town has a tiny clifftop Botanical Garden (Cape Point Road) with a few fine tropical specimens that are always a-flutter with colourful birds.

Gambians are extremely welcoming to kids. Cape Point, eastern Bakau, has one of The Gambia's most family-friendly hotels, the Sunbeach (Kofi Annan Street), with good facilities, an activities programme and a bright atmosphere. The larger resort hotels all have swimming pools and can provide babysitters on request. There are no dedicated family attractions in the area but kids like the crocodile pool, the market and the beach.

Bakau's main roadside craft market (Atlantic Road) is a good place to bargain for jaunty batiks and Gambian-style cotton clothing, or watch drum-makers at work and perhaps commission your own. The town also has a remarkable gallery of art, textiles and handmade clothing, the African Living Art Centre (Garba Jahumpa Road), in a beautiful building which is itself worth a visit.

While many hotels and tourist bars lay on special entertainment programmes of soulful kora (the Gambian national instrument) or lively drumming and dancing, you'll have a more authentic after-dark experience by making friends with a few locals and heading off together to one of the bars in town, some of which double as live music venues. Bakau's Independence Stadium sometimes stages major concerts by famous singers and bands from The Gambia or neighbouring Senegal - the sound quality is usually terrible, but the atmosphere can be terrific.

Bakau and Fajara have the best selection of restaurants in The Gambia, including a few which are superb by any standards. You can choose between delicate tapas from a chic deli, a candlelit feast from a gourmet restaurant, a burger washed down with Guinness from a tourist bar or a plate of fresh and tasty stew from a streetside vendor - with plenty more choices besides.

Bakau is rather spread out but easy enough to explore by bicycle or on foot, preferably with a reliable local guide. Alternatively, take a cab: the main hotel areas have ranks from which you can hire a ‘tourist taxi' for a fixed price, including wait-and-return if required. On the main roads you can flag down a ‘local taxi': these operate like buses, covering fixed routes and picking people up on request. Local taxis also take private bookings.

The popular beaches at Kotu and Kololi are 10 minutes away by road, but if you'd rather see more of the ‘real' Gambia, head down to Tanji, where you can watch fishermen haul their brightly-painted canoes onto the shore, or follow the coast south to explore the attractive beaches near the simple villages of Gunjur, Sanyang and Kartong. The wetlands and palm groves of nearby Kotu are excellent for birdwatching, and nature-lovers should also try an early-morning visit to the Abuko Nature Reserve or Pirang Forest Park, both a short journey away. Local tour operators offer enjoyable day trips to James Island and the Makasutu Culture Forest, cruises through the mangrove creeks near Lamin, and eye-opening visits to local villages, schools and clinics.

Ngala Lodge (Atlantic Boulevard), a boutique hotel with a quirky, arty charm, is one of the area's top-end addresses. The restaurant here is extremely romantic, and definitely worth a splurge. Or swap the busy resort area for a luxury wilderness retreat: treat yourself to a stopover at Mandina Lodge near Brikama or enquire about Sandele, the new high-spec eco-lodge near Kartong.

Yundum International Airport (BJL)