Tanji Beach

In Tanji, there are essentially two types of beaches. The first is a fish landing location just in front of the fishing hamlet, therefore it is not appropriate for swimming or sunbathing. You'll discover old, shredded gillnets, sea snail shells, rotting fish, plastic bags and bottles, and other flotsam and jetsam floating in the ocean or sitting on the coast because it's a highly active, working beach. The smell of smoked fish fills the air; an unbelievable amount of flies swarm over fresh or abandoned seafood; birds hover above hunting for scraps; fisherman land their afternoon catch from long African pirogues, throwing buckets of catch onto the heads of local women; who then ferry it to the shore. Activity is frenzied and messy, but surprisingly efficient.

The Karinti Bird Reserve is located north of Tanji fishing community, after the bridge, where the shoreline has a few sandbars and lagoons, where the beach is significantly cleaner and generally deserted, however access is often hampered by dense scrub woods. The bay's strand, about 1 km south of the fishing settlement, is more typical of a holiday destination: pristine, white sands backed by a strip of palms and shoreline scrub. You might glimpse a passing car or a herd of cows strolling by. This beach is a beautiful sight to see, and you’ll definitely want to soak in the local culture here.

Location: Tanji, Gambia