TANJI, ART VILLAGE, MOSQUE, SANYANG BEACH

Colorful, coastal, fishing village where you can enjoy the beaches and birdwatching. It is a very special experience to see the hectic, noisy, colorful scene of a Gambian fishing community at work. When the fishing boats land with the day’s catch in late afternoon, people descend on the beach in their hundreds, briefly transforming a tranquil fishing village into a loud, colorful marketplace. Ladies are running into to the water, shouting out to barter for the fish.

Baboucarr Ndow, known as EtuNdow, was born in 1966 at Bakau, The Gambia. He was one of the leading talented artists in the country and educator. He became an art teacher in 1984 instructing and encouraging school students in the visual arts then later moved onto lecturing at the University of the Gambia. He was studying at teh Art Academy in Kampen, Holland. He was an inspiration for youth and art in The Gambia. He died in 2014. May his soul rest in peace.

In 2001 he established Art village to promote African art, locally and internationally, including environment awareness and heritage preserving.  He organized many workshops to develop young local talent in the country as well as in the rest of the West Africa region. The place also attracted students from several European universities.

Since his death, his student, who is also his nephew, took over the place and is trying to continue the good work late EtuNdow.

The Art village is located in a very peaceful environment in the nature. Small buildings has been built from natural materials. Almost everything you can see in this beautiful village has been created from natural things and materials.

The president of Gambia is building a big and incredible mosque just beside the ocean. It will be a big Islamic centre. The place is amazing. Nobody is allowed to take any picture there! The police and army is all around the place. It is worth seeing it but please respect the rules. NO PHOTOS allowed. When you are there, put your camera inside your bag.

Spending a day at the beach can be so rewarding. It can bring unexpected and pleasant experiences. The long, sandy beach is a place for many people who enjoy walking, jogging and exercising at the beach. As wrestling is a popular sport here, you might see a group of men training for the wrestling competition.

Many birds can be spotted, when walking along the beach, but also expect to see some dead fish, jellyfish, cuttle-bones, shells and other natural sea decorations on the sand.

The beach is approx. 30 km long with palm trees rising alongside. In the time of the low season, you will feel like you have the beach all to yourself.You can relax at the beach and have lunch at Paradise Beach Bar.
Usually nobody is swimming there. It is just a chill out place.