Introduction:
 Sanyang
Village and Sanyang Point beach resort are located in
the Kombo South District in the West Coast Region in
the southwest coastal area of The Gambia in West Africa.
The old village is located 5km from the coast on the
Kombo
Coastal Road, and 31.54 km by road from capital
of Banjul, and its estimated population of about 7,000
is comprised mostly of Mandinka,
Wolof, Fula
and Jola. The main economic activities here are farming
and artisan fishing. There is a tarmac road that goes
east from the centre of town, through Jambanjali (Jambanjelly)
and Jalabang and onwards to the district capital
of Brikama
town.
Accommodation:
 Not
far from the holiday beach resort and just off the 'How
Ba Road' is Kobokoto
Lodge, with 20 rooms in huts and the main building,
each with ensuite shower and WC. The Guesthouse Gambia
has 3 double rooms and shared bathing and kitchen facilities.
It has a pool, barbecue and four acres of garden. There
is the Sanyang Nature Camp which has 32 African style
round huts with ensuite shower, WC, bar and restaurant,
and a big nature garden. On the beachfront is the Rainbow
Lodge, with African style round huts, ensuite bathing,
toilet and diner with bar.
Beach Area:
 The
4.8km wide curve of finely grained Pelican, Osprey and
Paradise Beach (jointly known as Sanyang Beach), were
already drawing tourists to the area when the adjacent
settlements were still far off the tourist trail. It
is considered by many to be one of the best beachfronts
in The Gambia, and which seems to have escaped much
of the earlier coastal erosion. South of the fish centre
the seafront is at its most remote and deserted, backed
by inland lagoons fringed with mangroves.
About half a kilometre to your left is the fish landing
site. The easiest way to get to the palm tree fringed
sands is by the wide How Ba Road, which starts at the
village crossroads and leads almost directly to the
shore. To get to the vibrant coastal fishing centre
you take the Sanyang Fishing Village Road which leads
you through residential areas, farmland, scrubland,
wooded areas, a mangrove fringed lagoon and onto the
fish centre on the shore. This section has a bustling
fish market where you can see small cold stores, women
busy gutting and cleaning catches, crabs and seagulls
picking at scraps, fishermen mending their nets,
and dozens of colourful local and Senegalese pirogues.
General Area:
 At
Sanyang Village you will find the alkalo's residence,
and in the centre a taxi rank lined with tired looking
Gambian 'Gelle Gelle' taxi
vans, tyre repairers, street vendors, barbers, shops
and the market's vegetable stalls. Concrete block houses
with corrugated roofs dominate, and between them are
sandy roads overlooked by huge mango trees providing
residents with much needed shade. Along the high street
is where Brikama
Area Council have a collection office where you
can make payments for your annual property rates.
In 2006 villagers were grateful to be finally connected
to the electricity grid, along with their own power
station.
 The
best locations for nature and beach enthusiasts is between
the main highway and the coast, in between is the sloping
land area peppered with many hectares of woodland savanna
with lofty 'koni' palms, cashew, baobab
trees, casuarina, and further down are mangrove
swamps, creeks, inland pools, dune swales and crop fields.
One of the earliest, large property developments in
the region is the fenced, residential community at Aquasun
Gardens with twelve, 3 bedroom, 2 storey villas
with shared pool.
Founding Family History:
 Oral
history says that Sanyang Village was founded around
1918 by the Mandinka Bojang family, on what was mostly
forested land. They were followed by other 'founding'
families called Kore, Namba, Jabak and More Kunda who
settled in nearby areas. The population continues to
grow fairly rapidly as a result of migrants from southern
Senegal, and people from the north west towns such as
Serrekunda seeking to buy land on which to build houses.
Tourist Attractions & Things
To Do:
• Bird Watching
 Sanyang
is abundant in migratory and Gambian bird species due
to its rich vegetation, variable habitat and wetlands.
While bird
watching within the region you might be able to
spot various raptors as well as African Paradise Flycatcher,
Sanderling, Black Shouldered Kite, Turnstone, Hueglin's
Masked Weavers, Ringed Plover, Bar Tail Godwit, African
Palm Swift, Grey Plover and Whimbrel.
The lagoons and creeks are thriving with birds including,
Spur Winged Plover, Grey Headed Gull, Greenshank, Pied
Kingfisher, Black Headed Heron, Caspian Tern, Ringed
Plover, Cattle Egret, Lesser Black Back Gull, Long Tailed
Cormorant and Intermediate Egret.
• Sports
Fishing
 The
best areas for angling are in the ocean and along the
streams and lagoons close to the shore. To get to the
inland waters just make your way to the fishing village
on the shore; just before the main sheds to your left,
is a wetland with mangroves where you can find Catfish.
While sea fishing
you can expect to catch Bobo, Longneck and Cassava Croaker,
Snapper, Mackerel, Bonga, Sunpat Grunt, Stingray, Butterfish,
Captain Fish and Guitarfish. Going further out to sea
by boat it's possible to catch Tarpon.
• Sanyang
Fish Market
 At
times a hectic spot where you will see up close vibrantly
coloured Gambian pirogues parked on the shore. The air
is full of the smell of fish and sea snails, and hoards
of flies make their way from fish pile to fish pile,
while men pull the heavy wooden pirogues onto shore.
The market has three stores, as well as a special vegetable
and meat market. Smoking, chilling and salting is carried
out in the curing sheds at the rear. While there you
can buy some unfrozen, fresh fish and sometimes crabs,
lobsters and 'edible' sea snails (Cymbium).
• Nature Treks
With its well shaded footpaths and varying habitats
there is plenty of wildlife,
scrub and trees in the area.
• Beach
Bars & Restaurants
 During
the winter holiday season you are likely to see a number
of juice bar stalls dotted along the sands catering
mostly to tourists. Most of the coastal bars in Sanyang
were demolished in 2013 by orders of the Gambian authorities.
Black and White
Freeman's Place
Marcus's Beer Garden
Rainbow
Bar
Osprey Beach Bar & Restaurant
• Sanyang
International Cultural Festival
 Held
each January, the first event was held between the 24th
to 27th January, 2013, which had amongst its performers
was the Kora player Jaliba
Kuyateh. The festival is 4 days of contemporary
and traditional world music, cultural
dance, a tourism fair, African cuisine, kid's
games, arts and crafts, visiting historic places and
sacred
shrines. Some of the money generated goes to helping
poor school children and improving school facilities.
Health & Safety:
The area is more remote than the Gambia's other resorts
north of Tanji
and there is a lot of wilderness here. Daytime is fairly
safe but at night do not go out unaccompanied. Use a
vehicle in the evening if possible, otherwise stay close
to your lodgings at night. Also carry your mobile phone
and a pocket torch.
Travel Information:
To get to Sanyang Village take one of the green tourist
taxis at Banjul
Airport and head southeast towards Brusubi. At Brusubi
turn left and continue past Tanji, Batokunku, Tujering
and other settlements until you get to the village junction.
The other route is from the airport go south to Brikama,
then directly west into the settlement's centre. See
if your accommodation offers airport transfers as this
is most advised.
[Geographical coordinates 13° 16' 47" N -
16° 44' 25" W / Kombo South, Western Region (WCR)] |
