Skip to content
TravelHub

Your settings

Remembered on this device and applied on every page.

Popular

Settle

Bakau: Travel guide, prices and free housing · 2026

Renters in Fajara trade urban chaos for quiet bungalow streets, securing a room for $54 while doing their daily shopping at the coastal fish wharf.

Bakau · CC BY-SA 4.0

About the place
Now in the cityBakau+27°CDrizzle · sunset 07:05 PMupdated 07:44 AM
EntryPick a passportThe answer depends on the passport.
Places on the map4
Language on siteEnglishofficial
Your first hour in town
Shared minibus to Bakau
GMD 100
Single ticket
GMD 8
Local SIM card
GMD 50
Sources: 3 · As of September 13, 2026
Source: Getting to The Gambia: Flights, Airport, and Transfers · Public Transportation in Gambia: Complete Guide to Buses, Taxis, and Ferries · Prepaid SIM Cards in The Gambia – Complete Guide - All Net Packages
Getting around
Monthly pass
GMD 500

Pay the conductor directly in local cash upon boarding shared minibuses or city buses.

Price anchorsall prices
Coffee at the counter
$2.14
Lunch at a canteen
$4.21
Beer at a bar
$1.75
Water, 0.5 l
$0.40
Room per month
≈ $54
Sources: 3 · As of September 13, 2026
Source: Cup of Coffee Price in Bakau (Gambia) ☕ Coffeestics · Cost of Living in Bakau - Prices & Expenses. Jul 2026 | CityCost · Cost of Living in Bakau, 🇬🇲 Gambia - For Locals, Nomads, and Tourists — Nomad Watch
What fits initineraries
1 day
Kachikally Pool, Botanical Gardens, Cape Point
3 days
+ Sait Matty Market, Fajara, Pipeline Mosque
7 days
+ Old Village, Cape Point Beach, Denton Bridge
Within two hours
About the place

Bakau is an Atlantic coastal town where residential suburbs sit beside a working fishing port and market.

Bakau expanded outward from the sacred Kachikally pool into the primary coastal suburb west of the capital. The historic core continues to function under a traditional Alkali and neighborhood Kabilos, including the migrant quarter of Bakau Wasulung Kunda. Later government planning converted farmland into low-density bungalow districts such as Fajara, Cape Point, and New Town, creating distinct residential pockets.

Read on

Daily provisioning depends on the municipal market along the main road and the coastal fishing wharf, which operates beside an industrial ice plant. Local women manage productive vegetable gardens across the settlement, while commercial shops line Sait Matty Road. Shared minibuses link the town to neighboring urban centers, requiring cash in dalasis or local mobile money accounts for routine commutes.

Associations
  • Kachikally PoolSacred crocodile pond around which the settlement originally grew.
  • Cape PointCoastline containing residential bungalows, shoreline hotels, and beaches.
  • Town Fishing WharfWorking coastal harbor and market serviced by a local ice plant.
  • Sait Matty RoadMain urban corridor holding neighborhood retail shops and daily services.
  • Cash-Only TransitMinibuses and street vendors require physical dalasis rather than cards.
Facts
  • The settlement originated around the sacred crocodile pool in the central district of Kachikally.
  • Traditional municipal governance in the historic village remains headed by an Alkali and divided into Kabilos.
  • An industrial ice plant operates directly at the coastal town beach fishing wharf.
  • Shared minibuses serving the town rely primarily on cash dalasis and local mobile money payments.
Source: Wikipedia · Public Transportation in Gambia: Complete Guide to Buses, Taxis, and Ferries
Bakau in pictures22 photos · 1 place
N3ddo! from MILAN, ITALY · cc-by-2.0 · Oct 10, 2006
Atamari · cc-by-sa-3.0 · Jul 2, 2007
Jmgreyes at English Wikipedia · cc-by-3.0 · Jan 3, 2008
tjabeljan · cc-by-2.0 · Jan 4, 2011

Money

Monthly budget and everyday prices

Price examples
Coffee
$2.14
Lunch at a canteen
$4.21
Beer at a bar
$1.75
Single transit ticket
GMD 8
Room, per month
$53.92
SIM card
GMD 50
Bottle of water
$0.40
IEC ID points

Up to 50% of exchange programmes, internships and other IEC services can be paid with points.

+300for registering with IEC ID+100for signing in to TravelHub
Points programme rules
5 sources · As of September 13, 2026
Source: Cup of Coffee Price in Bakau (Gambia) ☕ Coffeestics · Cost of Living in Bakau - Prices & Expenses. Jul 2026 | CityCost · Public Transportation in Gambia: Complete Guide to Buses, Taxis, and Ferries · Cost of Living in Bakau, 🇬🇲 Gambia - For Locals, Nomads, and Tourists — Nomad Watch · Prepaid SIM Cards in The Gambia – Complete Guide - All Net Packages
Compare with Serekunda →

Getting there and staying

Flight, airport, hosts and rent

No free-housing hosts here yet.

From the airport to the centre
Shared minibus to Bakau
GMD 100
Day trips
  • Serekunda≈ 50 minTravel to the country’s largest urban center for expansive street markets and transport links.
Step by step on arrival
  1. 01Buy a local SIM card at an airport terminal kiosk using your passport.
  2. 02Withdraw local currency at an airport cash machine or exchange counter.
  3. 03Board a shared minibus outside the terminal heading toward town.
4 sources · As of September 19, 2026
Source: TravelHub · OurAirports (public domain) · Getting to The Gambia: Flights, Airport, and Transfers · Prepaid SIM Cards in The Gambia – Complete Guide - All Net Packages

Visa and practicalities

Choose a passport

Set your passport — processing time, fee and documents differ between passports.

Good to know
  • Purchasing and activating a mobile SIM card through local vendors requires presenting a passport.
  • Ferry tickets must be bought in person at terminal booths and cannot be booked online.
  • Taxi fares must be negotiated prior to departure, with drivers charging higher rates after nightfall.
Frequently asked
What attractions is Bakau known for?

Bakau sits along the Atlantic coast west of Banjul. The town features the Kachikally crocodile pool, botanical gardens, and beaches around Cape Point. It retains a traditional village settlement alongside established residential quarters like Fajara.

Source: Wikipedia · Wikipedia
How do travelers get to Bakau from the international airport?

Banjul International Airport serves as the main arrival point for travelers visiting the region. Road transfers to Bakau operate via shared minibuses, private taxis parked outside the terminal, or prearranged hotel shuttles. Shared minibuses offer the most economical option directly into town.

Source: Getting to The Gambia: Flights, Airport, and Transfers
Where do residents and visitors buy fresh food and daily goods in Bakau?

A produce market along the main road supplies fresh vegetables and fruit. Retail shops and everyday commercial services line Sait Matty Road. Fresh catch is traded directly at the town wharf and fishing port near the beach.

Source: Wikipedia
How can visitors obtain a mobile SIM card in Bakau?

Official carrier stores operate within Bakau, and arrival booths at the airport also distribute cards. Licensed street vendors and selected guesthouses offer SIM packages as well. Buyers must present a valid passport for subscriber registration.

Source: Prepaid SIM Cards in The Gambia – Complete Guide - All Net Packages
What payment methods are accepted for local public transport?

Cash in dalasis is required across shared minibuses, taxis, and ferry crossings. Bank cards are not accepted for routine transit fares. Passengers must pay fares in physical cash at the vehicle or booking booth.

Source: Public Transportation in Gambia: Complete Guide to Buses, Taxis, and Ferries
3 sources
Source: Prepaid SIM Cards in The Gambia – Complete Guide - All Net Packages · Public Transportation in Gambia: Complete Guide to Buses, Taxis, and Ferries · Cost of Living in Gambia - Prices & Budget 2026 - Africarrieres

Getting here

Airports, distances and public transport

Getting hereOurAirports (public domain)
Banjul International Airport BJL16 km from the centre
Ziguinchor Airport ZIG111 km from the centre
Cap Skirring Airport CSK120 km from the centre
Public transportGMD 8Single ticket · Pay the conductor directly in local cash upon boarding shared minibuses or city buses.

When to go and itineraries

When to come and what fits into a day, three days and a week

Ready-made itineraries
Bakau Highlights and Coastal Walk4 stops
  1. 09:00Kachikally Museum and Crocodile PoolObserve the sacred reptiles and examine the ethnographical displays on site.
  2. 11:30Bakau Botanical GardensWalk through the forested garden paths near the shoreline.
  3. 14:00Bakau Fishing PortWatch coastal fishing boats arrive at the wharf and visit the open fish market.
  4. 16:30Cape Point BeachRest along the sandy shoreline and ocean promenade.
Town Landmarks and Serekunda Border7.7 km on foot
  1. 10:00Independence StadiumView the national sports arena and surrounding event grounds.
  2. 12:30Pipeline MosqueObserve the prominent urban landmark along the transit corridor.
  3. 15:00Denton BridgeExamine the vital causeway linking the coastal area to the island of Banjul.

Similar nearby

Similar in budget and close to Bakau

Cities of Gambia
Countries nearby
Frequent questions about Bakau

Can’t find the place you need? Search understands any language. Open search