Five-star Bijilo, about 17 km from Banjul, Banjul
Coco Ocean Resort & Spa
Domes and Moorish arches on the beach at Bijilo, about 98 suites, villas and penthouses, and a spa that grows its own aloe vera.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- Suites
- About 98 as built, with villas and penthouses
- Setting
- On the Atlantic beach at Bijilo
- Spa
- Nine treatment rooms, a hammam and three saunas
- From the airport
- About 10 km, around 20 minutes (our estimate)
The hotel
Moorish domes on the Atlantic.
Coco Ocean was planned by the Gambian-Moroccan Farid Bensouda and his German partner Walter Loehn, who already ran the Coconut Residence nearby. The International Finance Corporation helped fund it in 2008 as a resort of about 98 suites on Bijilo beach, on the coast road between Banjul and the airport. The buildings follow North African lines, with domes, arches and stained glass.
Much of the furniture, woodwork and glass was made by Gambian craftsmen. The design was meant to keep the heat out, with deep eaves, louvred windows and solar heating for eight of its nine pools. Since then the resort has received heads of state, the President of India in 2019 and the President of Turkey in January 2020, and it hosts weddings and concerts in its gardens over the ocean.
- Pools on the ocean A central pool on three levels looking out to sea, and a beachfront infinity pool kept for villa and Beach House guests.
- Coco Ocean Spa A Moroccan spa with a hammam, nine treatment rooms and three saunas, using aloe vera grown on the grounds. Guests from 16.
- Golf lounge An indoor TrackMan simulator for a round in the shade, open to everyone.
Rooms & suites
Suites, penthouses and villas by the sea.
Eleven types of room, all of them suites, penthouses, villas or beach houses.
- Suites Junior, Deluxe and Superior Suites The core of the resort, in three sizes, all with air conditioning, a minibar and Wi-Fi.
- Up top Penthouses and the Royal Penthouse Junior and Superior Penthouses, Royal Suites and a single Royal Penthouse at the top of the range.
- On the sand Beach Club Villas, Beach Houses and Presidential Villas Facing the ocean or in the second row, with use of the beachfront infinity pool.
Dining
Moroccan, Thai and on the beach.
Restaurants as listed by the resort and the Gambian tourism directory. Shown for information.
- Safran Moroccan The main dining room, buffet and à la carte
- Thai Restaurant Thai Evenings
- Coco Beach Beach restaurant Casual dining on the sand
- Coffee Shop Café In the resort; Sunday brunch is held every week
Good to know
Before you go.
- Children Welcome; babysitting can be booked. The spa and gym are for guests aged 16 and over.
- Pets Not accepted.
- Events Weddings, conferences and concerts take place in the gardens and halls, with a conference room for 250.
Getting there
Flying to Banjul.
Banjul International Airport is about 10 km away, some twenty minutes by car by our estimate. Private jets use the same airport, which is open day and night and clears foreign aircraft through customs.
- Dakar 30 min
- Casablanca 3 h 30
- Lisbon 4 h 10
- Paris 6 h 00
- London 6 h 10
Questions
What guests ask first.
- Where is Coco Ocean Resort & Spa?
- On the beach at Bijilo, on the coast road about 17 km from Banjul and about 10 km from the airport.
- Does Coco Ocean have a spa?
- Yes. A Moroccan spa with a hammam, nine treatment rooms and three saunas, for guests aged 16 and over. Treatments use aloe vera grown at the resort.
- Is Coco Ocean good for families?
- Children are welcome and babysitting can be booked, though the spa and gym are for guests from 16.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Banjul?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Banjul, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Banjul
Other hotels worth the trip.
- Ngala Lodge Suites on the clifftop at Fajara, the nearest of these hotels to the capital.
-
Kairaba Beach Hotel On the beach at Kololi, with a spa and health club, and Casa Fernando, the Kingfisher and the Shikra among its seven bars and restaurants.
Staying at Coco Ocean Resort & Spa?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Banjul, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.