AFFECTIONATELY known as "the smiling coast", The Gambia gives you plenty of reasons to grin.

There's the all-year-round sunshine, miles of deserted beaches - oh, and the beer is really cheap.

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So with the basics of a cracking holiday in the bag, I took the six-hour flight to West Africa's smallest country.

On arrival, I was already laughing. There is no time difference, so no jet lag.

My base for the week was the five-star Kiaraba hotel at the end of the main tourist road, the Senegambia Strip.

After grabbing a cocktail at the hotel's Beach House bar on the golden sands of Kololi beach, I was itching get out and about.

Don't be afraid to walk down the beach. Gambians are naturally friendly. The local sellers on the sands, known as bumsters, need a licence so there aren't so many of them these days.

But if you really want to be left alone, walk in the waves. The locals won't follow you as they don't like to ruin their trainers.

Another great sunbathing beach is Kotu. The sunbeds are free around the bars and it's never busy.

Expect to be waited on hand and foot by happy, brightly clad locals eager to cook you up a treat.

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If you go to the bars around Kotu Point there is a good mix of locals and tourists. Gambian beer JulBrew is around 30 Dalasi at the beach bars, which is about 65p. Expect to pay about £1 at a hotel.

If you stay on the beach until sundown you are likely to be treated to an impromptu drumming session, which is stunning. But beware, the musicians might try to get you to join in.

Tasty

Food in the Gambia is fairly basic but incredibly tasty, especially if you're invited by a local to eat at a compound. You'll have to share the dish and eat with your hands but don't let that put you off.

There are a couple of main dishes. Benechin is a rice dish with chilli cooked in loads of oil. You have it with beef, chicken or fish. Domada (again with fish, chicken or beef) is a thick peanut stew served with rice. It's delicious but very rich.

Butterfish and ladyfish are always guaranteed to be on the menu. These are staple dishes and Gambians don't eat many veg. You can get good Gambian food at any of the restaurants on the strip but I'd recommend trying the smaller places.

The atmosphere is livelier and they're great for people watching. I liked Happy Corner at Bakau and Amsterdam Dolphin in Kololi, which does a good mix of Dutch and Gambian food.

If you fancy cooking up some local treats, try a course with Ida Njai who runs classes at her home in Brufut.

Markets

You'll start the day at the Tanji fish market buying ingredients. Then it's back to Ida's to chop, prepare and cook a traditional Gambian meal which you'll eat with her family.

The local markets can be a bit intimidating as they're so busy, but they're fun too. Or try the vibrant craft market in the capital Banjul or the fish market in Bakau, where you'll find huge baskets of prawns.

For another taste of local life go to Serrakunda, Gambia's largest town, which is home to 15% of the population.

The covered market is a wonderful maze of workshops and stalls. Take a local guide as they will advise you on the best places to find bargains.

If you are after souvenirs for the family, go to the craft markets in Kotu or buy from the folk on the beach.

Expect a bit of lighthearted haggling, but enjoy the banter, make a new friend and get a hand-made bargain for around £1.50. That's a lot to a Gambian family and it will help them put food on the table.

Gambia is famous for its wildlife, especially its colourful birds. It boasts more than 500 species.

The Makasutu Cultural Forest is a good place for a spot of birdwatching.

Start at daybreak and you'll be rewarded with white-backed night herons, giant kingfishers and the African fin foot.

Animal lovers should take a walk to the monkey park in Bijilo. It's a proby tected area where you can walk through the trees and feed the green monkeys.

For nightlife, there are several discos on the strip. They can seem hectic but they're fine if you're up for an energetic night out.

Dancing

The more cautious dancer might prefer to play it cool and take in a Bob Marley tribute band in Ali Baba's garden. It's a fave for the more mature tourist and locals.

Some of the restaurants have their own bands. I liked Chosaan, an African restaurant, which plays traditional music that's guaranteed to get you dancing.

Serrakunda is also a great place for experiencing the night life and is home to one of the country's bestknown clubs, Jokor. This has live African, Caribbean and European music, and visitors can dance beneath the stars in a garden full of fairy lights.

My favourite memory of The Gambia is spending Sunday on the beach. Take yourself up to Cape Point at Backau to watch the locals enjoying their day off playing football and cooking on charcoal fires while the sun is setting.

A bit further around the nature reserve and estuary you will find Sunshine Bar. As the sun goes down they rev up their sound system and play reggae. This is where you can find One Force, a local group of musicians and DJs Piscies, Schoolboy, Mighty Simplest and not forgetting Dr Shaka, lead singer of Born Africans, The Gambia's most famous reggae group.

He is a national treasure and can occasionally be caught performing a song or two.

Once you've done with partying, round off a real Gambian night out at one of the shacks at the side of the Brikama highway and tuck into a freshly made omelette sandwich and sweet milky coffee for 15 Dalasi. The perfect end to a night for just 32p.

FACT FILE

A WEEK'S bed and breakfast at the five-star Kairaba Hotel in Kololi costs from £499 per person. Price includes return flight from Gatwick and transfers and is based on two sharing a deluxe room with specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience. The price for Ida Njai's Gambian cookery course is £25. To book holidays and the course call 0845 330 2087 or visit gambia.co.uk.