Reality Brief: Serekunda

Current alerts

No official alerts recorded for this region.

Essentials before you arrive

• Passport: France

  French nationals receive a free 15-day renewable short-stay visa on arrival, including at land borders.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, entry and residenceGuide: Entry and residence

• Passport: United Kingdom

  British nationals do not need a visa: the entry stamp allows 28 days, extendable twice by 28 days at the Banjul immigration office or the tourist police. Beyond that, a residence permit is needed.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), The Gambia travel advice: entry requirementsGuide: Entry and residence

• An airport security fee of 20 dollars (or 20 euros, or 1,000 dalasis) is due on arrival and departure by air; card machines are often out of order, so bring cash.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, entry and residenceGOV.UK (FCDO), The Gambia travel advice: entry requirementsGuide: Entry and residence

• A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from a country with a transmission risk.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), The Gambia travel advice: entry requirementsCDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Travelers' Health: The GambiaGuide: Entry and residence

• Malaria is present. See a doctor before departure about prevention and vaccines; any fever requires prompt medical attention.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, healthCDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Travelers' Health: The GambiaGuide: Health

• Canada lists police 117, medical assistance 116 and fire 118; the UK notes there is no single reliable emergency number: note the numbers of nearby police and fire stations.

  Government of Canada, Travel advice: The GambiaGOV.UK (FCDO), The Gambia travel advice: getting helpGuide: Health

• The currency is the dalasi (GMD). The economy is cash-based; dollars, euros and CFA francs are widely accepted. More hotels accept Visa cards; ATMs are scarce outside the Senegambia tourist area.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), The Gambia travel advice: safety and securityGovernment of Canada, Travel advice: The GambiaGuide: Money and banking

• Same-sex relations are illegal and can lead to long prison sentences; there is zero tolerance.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), The Gambia travel advice: safety and securityGuide: Daily life and local laws

Living in Serekunda

• Pickpocketing and bag theft are common in tourist areas: leave papers and valuables in the safe, carry photocopies, keep car doors locked.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies

• Old vehicles and frequent accidents: seat belts, helmets, child seats, moderate speed and no night driving. Main roads are in good condition; a 4x4 for tracks. From June to October, floods can damage roads.

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, safetyFrance Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, useful informationGuide: Safety and emergencies

• The currency is the dalasi (GMD). The economy is cash-based; dollars, euros and CFA francs are widely accepted. More hotels accept Visa cards; ATMs are scarce outside the Senegambia tourist area.

  GOV.UK (FCDO), The Gambia travel advice: safety and securityGovernment of Canada, Travel advice: The GambiaGuide: Money and banking

Field experience

• Tip

  Pharmacies, clinics and hospitals

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): pharmacies (6), clinics (6), hospitals (17). Locate those near your home in the first days and check opening hours and on-call services locally.

• Tip

  Where to shop for food

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): markets (6), supermarkets (20). Compare a few basic prices between market and supermarket before settling into habits.

• Tip

  Banks, cash machines and exchange

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): banks (23), cash machines (1), currency exchange (3), money transfer (5). Withdraw and change money at these official places, preferably during the day, never in the street.

• Tip

  A shop for your SIM card

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): phone and internet (7). Go with your passport: SIM registration is often mandatory.

• Tip

  A furnished flat for the first weeks

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): furnished apartments (29). A furnished flat gives you time to visit several neighbourhoods before signing a lease.

• Tip

  Consulates in the city

  Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): consulates (5). Note the address of your country's consulate or the nearest embassy.

• Emergency numbers

  Police 117, medical assistance 116, fire 118 (according to Canada).

  117116118

  Government of Canada, Travel advice: The Gambia· Oct 2, 2026

• Serekunda police station

  Police.

  +220 439 22 08

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, useful contacts· Oct 2, 2026

• Bakau fire station

  Fire station.

  +220 449 58 24+220 741 20 00

  France Diplomatie, Travel advice: The Gambia, useful contacts· Oct 2, 2026