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 The Gambian town of
Basse Santa Su is located 375km from
Banjul
in the Upper River Region (population 183,000) and is a final
destination stop for most river cruises that come this far and the
scenery is ideal for birdwatching with its lush tree canopy along the
river bank. A great place to spot the Egyptian Plover or crocodile
bird. It is 1 of 8 local government areas & is 4m above sea level.
Basse (geographical coordinates at 13°18'35"N, 14°13'47"W) is the major trading
centre for the upper reaches of the Gambia River and liveliest of the
upriver towns. It is a vibrant mix of linguistic diversity
with languages such as Mandinka, English, Arabic, French, Wolof and Sere being spoken.
There is a high degree of immigration from Casamance, Liberia and
other West African countries. Some of these people often enter The
Gambia with very limited financial resources and engaging in
subsistence activity such as domestic work, street trading and
prostitution.
Things To Do:
There exists plenty of historical architecture to see all around you. One of the old warehouses, built during the colonial
era, has been converted into a museum, cultural centre, bookshop and
restaurant called Traditions. There’s some high quality stuff on
offer, and you can even see the artists at work.
 Thursday is market day when the streets are
lined with shops and stalls. Several of the surrounding villages
also hold a weekly 'lumo' (market), with traders and shoppers
coming from all over The Gambia to take part. The most interesting sections of town are the
water-front and the market.
Local Economy:
Basse’s economy
relies heavily on seasonal agriculture from December to March. Kapok
(a silky fibre derived from the fruit of the silk-cotton tree)
is collected starting in February which is ferried from the north bank
in the Sandugu. The local gin brewery, built in 1974, was put in the
hands of GAMCOT. This has made cotton one of the town's most
profitable crops. The other mainstay of the area are the wide
selection of platters, colanders and African amphoræ that are
brought in by cart from Alohungari and into market. It is hoped that the new Trans-Gambia Highway will
breath new life into its local commercial houses.
Travel Information:
To get to Basse
from
Banjul you take the ferry
to Barra as the road conditions are better on the north bank. The
total travel time in a shared bush taxi is approximately 7 to 8 hours
and costs around D195 per passenger. When you reach Georgetown a trip by road takes just under
1 hour. There are 2 ferry services
connecting the north of the town to the south which is dissected by a
95 metre stretch of water. The first is for vehicles and the second is
for private passengers.
Facilities:
There
are numerous internet cafes and a Gamtel (phone centre tel: 5668000),
Post Office tel: 5668226 a police stations tel: 5668878, GPTC public
transport tel: 5668868, a Shell petrol station phone: 5668593, as well as
chemists in the main town area.
Bank Branches:
Standard Bank - Tel:
5668218
Trust Bank - Tel: 566807
Places to Visit:
Traditions Craft Shop
Food market
Tie Dyeing and weavers spot
Food market
Places to Eat:
Aminata's
Aunty Flo's
F&B's Bar & Restaurant
Kassoumai Bar
Plaza Club
Accommodation:
| Name: |
Telephone Number: |
| Agasimon Traditions: |
5668760 |
| Basse Guest House |
6668283 |
| Fulladu Camp: |
9906791 |
| Government Rest House: |
5668262 |
| Jem Hotel: |
9843658 |
| Kerr Mike: |
9931848 |
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