Fort Bullen

One of the most outstanding landmarks in Gambia, the historic Fort Bullen was built by the British almost 200 years ago to cover the approaches to Banjul and the Gambia River. Built by Commodore Charles Bullen in 1827, the fort is located on the northern extremity of Barra Point. One of the the earliest fortresses in Gambia, this is a regular rectangular shaped fortification with circular bastions at the corners of the structure. There is a small beach around the Port and a guard post too.

The remnants of the fort include several walls that give you great views of the river and allows birdwatchers to view of the local estuarine bird life. There are three cannons standing just outside the fort pointing across the Gambia River. It was abandoned in 1870 and was again put to use as an observatory and artillery base by the British Army. Fort Bullen is a great stepping stone to reach Jinack Island, a tropical oasis with 11 km of deserted beaches.