Bakau is a town on the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

coast of

Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

, west of Gambia's capital city of

Banjul Banjul (,"Banjul"
(US) and ), officially the City of Ba ...

. It is known for its

botanical gardens A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

, its crocodile pool ''

Bakau Kachikally The Kachikally crocodile pool is located in the heart of Bakau, Gambia, about 10 miles (16km) from the capital Banjul. It is one of three sacred crocodile pools used as sites for fertility rituals. The others are Folonko in Kombo South and Beren ...

'' and for the beaches at

Cape Point Cape Point ( af, Kaappunt) is a promontory at the southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula, a mountainous and scenic landform that runs north-south for about thirty kilometres at the extreme southwestern tip of the African continent in South Af ...

. Bakau is the first major suburb outside

Banjul Banjul (,"Banjul"
(US) and ), officially the City of Ba ...

and the most developed town in the Gambia. Close to Bakau and

Banjul Banjul (,"Banjul"
(US) and ), officially the City of Ba ...

is Gambia's largest city,

Serekunda Serekunda (proper: Sayerr Kunda or Sere Kunda, ar, سيريكوندا, sometimes spelled Serrekunda) is the largest urban centre in The Gambia. It is situated close to the Atlantic coast, south-west of the capital, Banjul, and is formed of nine ...

History

Legend has it that Bakau grew up around the holy crocodile pool in Kachikally, the central district of Bakau. Bakau itself was a small village at the turn of the 19th century and grew in importance as it became a favourite place for private residences of colonial administrators, especially along the beautiful palm fringed beaches. Despite being a major town, the old village still exists and is run like any other in the Gambia, with an 'Alkali' (similar to 'Mayor') and divided into ''Kabilos''. There exists a much smaller village within the old village called Bakau Wasulung Kunda, indicating the migrant origins of its inhabitants. As people began to move out of

Banjul Banjul (,"Banjul"
(US) and ), officially the City of Ba ...

, government allocated residential areas quickly sprang around the old village, acquiring new names in the process. What were farms of the local population became well planned suburbs filled with bungalows, such as

Fajara Fajara is a coastal suburb of Bakau in the Gambia. It is home to Isatou Njie-Saidy, a former Vice-President of the Gambia, the former US Ambassador, and formerly the home town of the late Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, a former Prime Minister of the ...

, New Town, Cape Point, Mile7 and Farrowkono (formerly used as gardens by the locals)

Economy

Tourism is the most important business activity in Bakau providing a lot of employment, as well as income for the municipal authority. At Cape Point there are a few hotels on a beach, arguably superior to the main Atlantic Ocean beach, which is home to most of the hotels in the country. In town there are a fe
guest houses
There is also a major market along the main road famous for its fruit and vegetables. Fishing is also another major business activity and there is a fishing port by the town beach, together with a wharf where a market attracts many visitors. One of the few ice plants in the country is located there. Gardening is also another major business activity in which the local women are mostly engaged on for livelihood. The town has many shops, selling different types of products and services along the Sait Matty Road.

Afrinat International Airlines Afrinat International Airlines was an airline headquartered in Bakau, the Gambia. It was founded in 2002, and provided scheduled services within West Africa out of Banjul International Airport. In 2004, the airline ceased to exist. History Af ...

had its head office in Bakau. *Bakau Primary School *NewTown Primary School *Marina International Scholl *West African International School *Gambia Methodist Academy *American International School *Glory Baptist Senior Secondary School *Bakau Upper Basic School *Presidents' Awards Scheme *Katchikally Nursery School *Starlight School

Infrastructure

Bakau is perhaps the most developed settlement in the Gambia, with excellent communication facilities. Only the major roads are paved and the rate of electricity connection is almost universal. There are several hotels and a few guest houses. The only national Stadium, The Independence Stadium, is located here. The national broadcaster,

Radio Gambia Radio Gambia is the national radio broadcaster of the West African state of the Gambia. Established in 1962, it became the first radio station in the Gambia. History Radio Gambia was the first media broadcaster of the Gambia following its esta ...

, is located in Bakau at its Mile 7 studios. UN country headquarters is also located here with different foreign embassies. There is also a large military camp, a police barracks and a fire brigade.

Attractions

Kachikally Museum and Crocodile Pool The Kachikally crocodile pool is located in the heart of Bakau, Gambia, about 10 miles (16km) from the capital Banjul. It is one of three sacred crocodile pools used as sites for fertility rituals. The others are Folonko in Kombo South and Beren ...

, Bakau *

Botanical Gardens A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

, Atlantic Boulevard Road, Bakau *

Fajara Hotel Fajara is a coastal suburb of Bakau in the Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The ...

, Fajara, Bakau * Ocean bay Hotel, Cape Point *

African Village Hotel African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

, Bakau * Cape Point Hotel, Cape Point *

Sun Beach Hotel The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

, Cape Point *

The Garden Guest House ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

, Bakau *

Bakau Basketball Academy Bakau is a town on the Atlantic coast of Gambia, west of Gambia's capital city of Banjul. It is known for its botanical gardens, its crocodile pool ''Bakau Kachikally'' and for the beaches at Cape Point. Bakau is the first major suburb outside ...

, Bakau * Swedish and Norwegian Counsulate *

Independence Stadium Independence Stadium may also refer to: * Independence Stadium (Bakau) in Gambia * Independence Stadium (Namibia) in Windhoek * Independence Stadium (South Africa) in Mthatha, a football stadium in South Africa * Independence Stadium (Tanzania) ...

, Bakau *

Rock Heights Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

, Cape Point *

Tanbi Wetland Complex Tanbi Wetland Complex is a wetland reserve in the Gambia outside of Banjul which was established in 2001. Location The wilderness site of the Tanbi Wetland Complex, in Gambia, is on the southern channel at the mouth of the River Gambia. It encom ...

, Old Cape Road *UNICEF office *British embassy, 48, Atlantic boulevard, Fajara *Fajara war cemetery,

Notable people

Dawda Jawara Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (16 May 1924 – 27 August 2019) was a Gambian politician who served as Prime Minister from 1962 to 1970, and then as the first President of the Gambia from 1970 to 1994. Jawara was born in Barajally, MacCarthy Island ...

, former head of state of The Gambia *

Hassan Bubacar Jallow Hassan Bubacar Jallow (born 14 August 1951) is a The Gambia, Gambian judge who has served as Chief Justice of the Gambia since February 2017. He was the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) from 2003 to 2016, and Pr ...

, Chief Justice of The Gambia *

Raymond Sock Raymond Claudius Sock (born 5 June 1946) is a Gambian judge who currently serves as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Gambia. He had previously served as a Justice from 2012 to 2015, when he was dismissed by President Yahya Jammeh. Early li ...

, Judge * Amie Bensouda , Corporate Lawyer *

Jaysuma Saidy Ndure Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (born 1 January 1984) is a Gambian- Norwegian sprinter. He is of Serer heritage of the noble Ndure family. In 2002, he went to Oslo, aged 18 and settled with his father who has lived in Norway since the 1970s. Having change ...

, athlete *

Njogu Demba-Nyrén Njogu Demba-Nyrén (born 26 June 1979 in Bakau) is a Gambian footballer who has represented the Gambia at full international level and currently plays in Sweden for Dalhem IF. Greece He had a successful career in Greece where he played for a l ...

, footballer *

Kekuta Manneh Kekuta Manneh (born 30 December 1994) is a Gambian-American professional soccer player who plays as a winger. Club career Youth and amateur Manneh began his career at the several youth academies, including Gilcock Academy, in Gambia before mo ...

, footballer *

Amadou Sanyang Amadou Sanyang (born 1 August 1991) is a Gambian footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder. Career Professional Sanyang began his professional career with Real de Banjul of the Gambian Championnat National D1. Sanyang's time with Real ...

, footballer * Lamin Jallow, footballer * Jizzle, musician *

Malando Gassama Malando Gassama (born Malang Omar Gassam; 7 February 1946 – 25 January 1999) was a Gambian percussionist who spent most of his music career in Sweden. He recorded and performed with many notable Swedish and international artists such as ...

, percussionist *

Abdou Jammeh Abdou Jammeh (born 13 February 1986) is a Gambian professional footballer. Career Jammeh previously played for FC Torpedo Moscow in the Russian First Division. He signed for Torpedo in early 2008, following the relegation of his previous si ...

, footballer * Bubacarr Jobe, footballer

Gallery

File:Gambia 012 from KG.jpg File:Gambia 008 from KG.jpg File:Gambia Bakau 0002.jpg File:Gambia Bakau 0001.jpg, Church in Bakau File:BeachResort Bakau Gambia.jpg, Atlantic Ocean from a Bakau resort File:Road Scene Bakau Gambia.jpg, Road in Bakau

References

External links

Bakau Hotels, Photos, Information and Map

Bakau is linked to Kings Langley, a village in Hertfordshire, UK
{{Coord, 13, 29, N, 16, 41, W, region:GM_type:city, display=title Populated places in the Gambia