Gambia is a sliver in the side of Africa, one of its tiniest countries, but its attractions are just as bright as any in the region. The capital city, Banjul, is a uniquely African experience, with good-humoured locals and a streetside culture that chases away the holiday daze of glitzier cities.

For an even more 'traditional' outlook, a quick trip upriver brings you into the Gambian heartland, where the colourful buzz of weekly markets vies for your attention with boat trips through mangrove creeks and bike jaunts to mud-hut villages.