COCO OCEAN RESORT AND SPA THE GAMBIA
I have always thought of The Gambia in West Africa as a perfect introduction to the African continent.
Known as the ‘smiling coast’ The Gambia being an English speaking country makes it perfect for the first time tourist from the UK to feel even more at home in ‘Easy Africa’, as I call it.
Lovingly designed and built by Farid Bensouda and Walter Nettlau their vision of ten years ago is now reaching its full potential.
Many large hotels have the luxury of legions of designer’s and planners.
Not the case for Farid and Walter who shared construction and design tasks over several years and which are now providing the delightful ambience for their guests with a balanced mix of Moroccan and African styling.
Growing along with the forest of palms is the key as to why Coco Ocean is such a hit with holidaymakers, presidents, ambassadors etc. It is its staff!
Returning to a hotel and seeing so many familiar faces even after several years of my absence was special. Staffs that were once waiters or receptionists are now captains, supervisors or managers of their own departments.
Nestling next to a broad yellow sandy beach and the relatively warm Atlantic Ocean washing in as the tropical sun ensures that a comfortable warm temperature is maintained in The Gambia during our northern winter back in UK.
Their indoor fitness centre for those that need to pump iron, cycle or run on a treadmill looks out to sea through the tropical palms.
The ‘Bantaba’ style (a type of covered sitting place often where the men of The Gambia sit and talk in the heat of the day) shaded sun beds line the beachfront and are a good sun-safe choice.
However the helpful pool and beach attendants will see you have a perfect location either under a coconut palm or in full sun for that tan on the sand itself.
There are many excursions possible from the hotel if you want to see more of the country. A country where some of its wild life actually comes to you!
A troop of Green Vervet monkeys at around 4pm each day appear to then graze off flowers and shrubs in the gardens or cheekily sometimes try to head to the hotel’s kitchen garden. Where beans and carrots are on their menu if the gardeners don’t chase them away first!
Having a very flat landscape its hard to sometimes make sense of the country so a trip to Makasuta Nature Reserve is a way to see and understand more about the country and its animals, music and culture all on one tour, great value I thought?
There, low down, I had close-up views of some of the exotic bird from a dugout canoe in the tidal mangroves but then also from above from there 30metre high tree top tower lookout too.
Just a short distance away I was with a large troop of Baboons again more antics from them. One plucky male was quick to zoom in on one visitor’s banana that they left un-attended and it was taken peeled and consumed in seconds as he ran deftly along a wall to make his escape!
Another trip I would recommend is to the fishing port of Tanji or rather a fishing beach!
Large smoke houses or fish drying racks surround the thronging beach, as swarms of people go about their various piscatorial tasks. A smell of fish mixed with wood smoke pervades the air. Chatter and yelling as the rollers pound in on the beach to add the sea’s contribution to the cacophony. Quite a spectacle and well worth putting it on your to do list.
As is a stay at Coco Ocean!
The smallest of its numerous countries, the slimmest too! Closely hugging the snaking river for around 200 miles that gives the country it’s name.
Known as the ‘smiling coast’ The Gambia being an English speaking country makes it perfect for the first time tourist from the UK to feel even more at home in ‘Easy Africa’, as I call it.
Easy to reach and a popular winter sun destination one of its luxury secrets surely has to be the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa regarded by many in West Africa as one of the top hotels in that region.
Lovingly designed and built by Farid Bensouda and Walter Nettlau their vision of ten years ago is now reaching its full potential.
Many large hotels have the luxury of legions of designer’s and planners.
Not the case for Farid and Walter who shared construction and design tasks over several years and which are now providing the delightful ambience for their guests with a balanced mix of Moroccan and African styling.
The gardens that they hoped would provide a lush backdrop and palm tree avenues in the grounds are now as they wished or even better than even they anticipated, I think?
Growing along with the forest of palms is the key as to why Coco Ocean is such a hit with holidaymakers, presidents, ambassadors etc. It is its staff!
Returning to a hotel and seeing so many familiar faces even after several years of my absence was special. Staffs that were once waiters or receptionists are now captains, supervisors or managers of their own departments.
A hotel is often only as good as its staff and here they seem to know the right way of retaining, training and having staff that know who you are, even after 10 years!
Nestling next to a broad yellow sandy beach and the relatively warm Atlantic Ocean washing in as the tropical sun ensures that a comfortable warm temperature is maintained in The Gambia during our northern winter back in UK.
Its great draw is certainly its extensive spa. Located at the hotel’s centre with numerous and varied treatments available in its 13 rooms for massages, facials and pedicures. Their most popular treatment is their Hamam style experience with then a massage carried out on a heated marble table in their separate men’s and women’s facilities.
A large seating area to unwind in with a generous warm pool to help relax those muscles and mind even more.
Their indoor fitness centre for those that need to pump iron, cycle or run on a treadmill looks out to sea through the tropical palms.
Room styles vary around the hotel. The Beach Club Villas with large outdoor terraces are very popular and also the Royal Suites, which gives you the luxury of your own enclosed swimming pool. Smaller Junior suites are dotted around the complex and there are a selection of similar Dome Suite rooms situated around the upper levels of the main reception building.
All rooms have the ‘Farid style’ and influence. He wanted to ensure that
the things he appreciated himself as a guest would be there for his own
guests too!
A terrace of three stepped swimming pools for those that prefer that choice of exercise.
The ‘Bantaba’ style (a type of covered sitting place often where the men of The Gambia sit and talk in the heat of the day) shaded sun beds line the beachfront and are a good sun-safe choice.
However the helpful pool and beach attendants will see you have a perfect location either under a coconut palm or in full sun for that tan on the sand itself.
There are many excursions possible from the hotel if you want to see more of the country. A country where some of its wild life actually comes to you!
A troop of Green Vervet monkeys at around 4pm each day appear to then graze off flowers and shrubs in the gardens or cheekily sometimes try to head to the hotel’s kitchen garden. Where beans and carrots are on their menu if the gardeners don’t chase them away first!
Their antics in and around the hotel are highly amusing as tiny babies and larger parents shepherd the troop around swinging off shrubs and trees or tumbling and chasing each other.
Having a very flat landscape its hard to sometimes make sense of the country so a trip to Makasuta Nature Reserve is a way to see and understand more about the country and its animals, music and culture all on one tour, great value I thought?
There, low down, I had close-up views of some of the exotic bird from a dugout canoe in the tidal mangroves but then also from above from there 30metre high tree top tower lookout too.
Just a short distance away I was with a large troop of Baboons again more antics from them. One plucky male was quick to zoom in on one visitor’s banana that they left un-attended and it was taken peeled and consumed in seconds as he ran deftly along a wall to make his escape!
Another trip I would recommend is to the fishing port of Tanji or rather a fishing beach!
Dozens of colourful wooden painted pirogues drop off their harvests of the sea. Women and men wade out with baskets or bowls in the surf to bring the catch safely to shore to be sold either there on the beach and further inland or in the surrounding West African countries.
Large smoke houses or fish drying racks surround the thronging beach, as swarms of people go about their various piscatorial tasks. A smell of fish mixed with wood smoke pervades the air. Chatter and yelling as the rollers pound in on the beach to add the sea’s contribution to the cacophony. Quite a spectacle and well worth putting it on your to do list.
As is a stay at Coco Ocean!
A stylish relaxing winter sun get-a-way located in the same UK time zone and just over 5 hours away to get that rest in the West. Africa that is!
Visit Coco Ocean's website at http://cocoocean.com/ to find more information about their resort.
Copy and Pictures by Geoff Moore www.thetraveltrunk.net