• Relax on the pleasant beaches in the resort area near Banjul, where friendly bars and restaurants are never more than a short stroll away, or head further south to the wild stretches of Atlantic coast and walk for miles along empty sand.

• Book a few music and dance lessons with a dance teacher, a master of the kora (The Gambia's national instrument) or with a drumming teacher who may help commission a djembé (drum) from a local craftsman.

• Take a long-distance boat trip on the River Gambia, the dominant feature of the country. Look out for monkeys leaping through the riverside foliage, spot pelicans and hippos, or just relax and enjoy the peace of the wilderness. 

• Shop for souvenirs and local handicrafts such as batiks, beads, weaving, musical instruments, jewellery and woodcarvings in the various bengdulas, or Africa-style craft markets, dotted around Banjul and the resort areas. 

• Spend a day fishing, either sea-angling in the Atlantic, creek-fishing inland near Banjul, or line-fishing from one of the beaches and hook a marlin, barracuda, ladyfish or snapper. 

• Soar over the fields, villages, creeks and beaches of the coastal region in a microlight. Short airborne tours and longer trips can be arranged from the microlight base at the airport. 

• Book a couple of nights at the waterside visitor camp of the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Trust (website: www.chimprehab.com) in the River Gambia National Park. It's a beautiful place to stay and visitors have the opportunity to observe semi-wild chimps from a safe distance. 

• Go to a live music session given by one of The Gambia's many excellent local bands, or a concert featuring stars from neighbouring Senegal, home of Youssou N'Dour, Baaba Maal and many other West African greats.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.