Pirang - a word of warning

[Alan G]

Just back from a 2 week trip to The Gambia and thought it would be useful to inform anyone planning to visit that Pirang Shrimp Farms is closed to the public.

On the day we visited a couple of well-known guides out there were present and they failed to convince (ie: bribe) the workers to let them in as they've been threatened with the sack if they do.

Apparently, this is due to the Swedish owners of the Shrimp Farm not being happy that their workers are being distracted by birders so they've closed it forthwith.

A real sting in the tail for us seeing as the said same owners also owned the hotel we stayed in, namely the Bakotu Beach Hotel.

I'm about to send a strongly worded email to the owners emphasising my disgust that, as customers who visited their hotel specifically due to its proximity to Kotu Creek for birding, our time and money was wasted visiting the shrimp farm only to find it closed.

Anyway, just to say it may be worth finding out if things have changed should before you chose to visit this specific site.

[rioja]

I was there last week with a guide. We parked on waste ground and walked along the canal to the area where the boats are. We looked through locked gates but the walk gave views of a good variety of birds.The guide didn't mention going into the farm area although I commented that the birds all seemed to be on the wrong side of the canal and too distant for good photo's.
Still well worth a visit though and I would have though there was a nice business opportunity to take tours beyond the fenced gates.