The smallest country in continental Africa, with a tourism shape that fits
The Gambia is 11,300 km² of land hugging the Gambia River, surrounded by Senegal on three sides and the Atlantic to the west. The visitor pattern is unusually narrow: a coastal resort strip from Banjul down through Kololi, Senegambia, and Kotu (the "smiling coast"), short upriver excursions to Janjanbureh or the Bao Bolong wetlands, and a fair number of European package tourists who fly into Banjul (BJL) for winter sun. That concentration is good news for connectivity — the cellular footprint maps onto the population, which clusters along the coast and the lower river.
Roamzy charges $7.17 per gigabyte in The Gambia. That's $0.0070 per megabyte, billed in real time on Gambian networks. No subscription, no expiry on the unused balance, no minimum bundle. One per-MB rate across 193 countries — the figure on the invoice, not a marketing line.
How much will Roamzy actually cost on this trip?
A typical visitor uses 0.4–0.7 GB per day on cellular, with resort Wi-Fi covering downloads and video calls: maps along the coast, the WhatsApp to a guide, the camera-translator on an English-Wolof menu, voice notes home, the bank-app push for the contactless payment that occasionally works. Call it 0.5 GB/day:
| Trip length | Roamzy ($7.17/GB) | Tourist roaming pass | Local SIM at Banjul |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days (~1.5 GB) | $10.75 | $25–60 | $5–15 + KYC and a passport scan |
| 1 week (~3.5 GB) | $25.09 | $50–110 | $8–20 + paperwork |
| 2 weeks (~7 GB) | $50.18 | $100–220 (often two passes) | $15–35 + 30-day cap |
Competitor prices in columns 3 and 4 are 2025 ranges based on typical offerings; exact figures depend on your home carrier and the airport store you visit. Roamzy's rate in column 2 is our actual published rate from the pricing page.
A local SIM at Banjul International is sold to foreigners but the registration is paperwork-heavy. For a one-week resort week, the eSIM is the lighter call: attached on the descent, the WhatsApp to your driver moves before you've cleared the terminal.
Where does Roamzy work in this country?
- Banjul, Serekunda, Kanifing — 4G across the urban coastal cluster, dense LTE on the road in from BJL
- Kololi, Senegambia, Kotu, Bakau — solid LTE through the resort strip, signal on the beach in front of the major hotels
- Brikama, Soma, Farafenni — workable 4G in the inland market towns
- The river upcountry (Janjanbureh, Basse Santa Su) — signal at the towns and ferry crossings, weaker on the boat between
- Bao Bolong wetlands and Niumi National Park — patchy; signal at the entry, weaker once you're on the water or in the reserve
- Kiang West National Park — 3G at the lodge, bush-zero further in
How do I install my Roamzy eSIM?
| Plug type | Voltage | Frequency | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type G | 230 V | 50 Hz | iPhone XS+ | Pixel 3+, Galaxy S20+ |
- Sign in to Roamzy via Telegram or Google
- Your first eSIM is free and comes with real data on us. After that, top up from $20 in stablecoins (USDT or USDC): no cards, no banks, no FX surcharges
- The QR code appears in your dashboard as soon as the eSIM is issued
- On the iPhone itself (iOS 17.4 or newer), tap Tap to install in the QR card; otherwise Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → scan QR (on home Wi-Fi before flying)
- The counter starts when you land at Banjul (BJL)
Outlets are 230 V Type G (UK-style) — bring an adapter if you're coming from the US or continental Europe. Setup edge cases are in the FAQ.
What are Roamzy's honest limitations?
- No welcome promo that flips on the second top-up. Top-up #1 and top-up #20 cost the same per megabyte.
- No fine-print throttling. One rate, full speed — first GB and the tenth both cost $0.0070/MB.
- No auto-renewal. Balance runs out, the eSIM stops.
The Gambia gets no special edition, no seasonal bundle, no countdown timer. It gets a meter and a rate, which is what pricing looks like when engineers design it; there is nothing in it to undercut.
What if my route continues across West Africa?
- Senegal — surrounds The Gambia on three sides; the eSIM hands over at any crossing
- Guinea-Bissau — south along the Atlantic, separate country rate
- If you want the underlying mechanics — how roaming actually gets priced and why it hurts