Tanbi Wetland Complex, Ramsar site near Banjul, The Gambia

Tanbi Wetland Complex is a reserve of about 6,000 hectares on the southern channel at the mouth of the Gambia River, west and south-west of Banjul. Roughly 4,800 hectares are mangrove forest, cut by a latticework of tidal creeks known locally as bolongs, with saltmarsh, bare flats and dry woodland towards the west and south.

The wetland gained international protection when designated as a Ramsar site in 2007. This recognition placed it on the global registry of wetlands of outstanding importance for conservation.

Women from the Jola community continue gathering and roasting oysters from the mangrove forests during the dry season, a practice deeply woven into local life. This tradition sustains both food security and community bonds within the region.

Visitors can arrange boat trips from Denton Bridge that travel through Oyster Creek to Daranka Bolong and explore the estuary. The experience is best during the dry season when water clarity improves and wildlife is easier to observe.

The complex is a breeding area for the shrimp Farfantepenaeus notialis, and its tidal creeks, called bolongs by locals, include the Lamin Bolong and Daranka Bolong, which join to form the Lamin-Daranka Channel. Named islands within the reserve are Chitabong, Daranka and Lamin.