I would have written earlier about Boboi but we arrived back from holiday and it has been mayhem! If you want to be 10 paces away from a deserted (apart from the cows and crabs) beach, eat incredible food, be surrounded by friendly, helpful people and emerse yourself in culture, then Boboi is the place to be.
I must admit that our trip started off quite badly. We were expecting Buba to collect us from the airport but unfortunately there were some miscommunications and Buba did not know. After a LOT of hassle at the airport for being toubabs, we got a very expensive taxi to Boboi. When we arrived David, the owner, was incredibly apologetic and bought a couple of bottles of Julbrew to our round house. It all got better from there!
The accommodation is basic: a bed with a mozzie net and clean bedding and a wetroom style en-suite with a shower, toilet and sink. The water is clean and runs all the time. It's cold but perfect in the heat! I have to mention as well that we were there in April and there were no mozzies as it gets quite breezy off the sea.
The food was the best that we had in the whole of The Gambia over two weeks, and we travelled all over the country. The domada was to die for! And if David's son, Rory, is there, ask him to make you pancakes with caramalised bananas - heaven!!
The staff are incredible and always smiling and helpful. Mani took us into Kartong on our first day and we visited a local shop and bought some material, then went to a tailor and had some clothes made up. We watched the tailor work and he was a real craftman - no pins needed! We felt integrated into society after just one week. It was a very special place.
My boyfriend proposed to me during our stay at Boboi and the staff were so happy for us. Some local guys from the village came and played the djembe that evening and we all sat around the campfire, it was very special.
If you want to be near the hustle and bustle and surrounded by hundreds of other tourists, then this is not the place to stay. You come to Boboi to get away from it all. Nearby there is a reptile farm run by a french man, who is trying to educate the locals (and tourists). This was lots and fun and very informative. One day, we went fishing along the Allahein river which separates The Gambia and Senegal. It was beautiful and and so peaceful. And of course, there is Kartong. We went to the village a few times, once on Easter Sunday when we were invited to drink palm wine with the locals - it is an aquired taste! We were also invited by the local beekeeper to see his bees. The hives were quite incredible and he also had a little 'petting zoo' with goats, chickens and puppies! He is setting up a business which will hopefully open later this year so that people can have food and drink while visiting the bees. We bought some honey which is gorgeous! And some beeswax moisturiser which is great for sensitive skin.
I also have to mention the 'bumsters'. People will come up and talk to you, not everyone wants something, they're just being friendly. We made friends on this holiday by talking to the locals and I know that we will see them again. If you don't want to talk to someone, that's fine, but don't be rude - The Gambia is their country.
All in all, perfect for us but not for people who like their home comforts.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
