Senegal Travel - Dakar

Exactly one year ago, we spent New Year's Eve in Dakar. We were fortunate to spend 6 weeks in Senegal and we loved it. We would love to share some travel tips with you:

• Dakar: 

We recommend staying on Ngor Beach or even better, on Ngor island. We stayed at Maison Abaka on Ngor Beach and we really enjoyed our stay. We loved watching the locals work and play on the beach--wash the goats in the water in the early mornings. You're five steps away from a delicious seafood meal on the beach at La Cabane du Pêcheur. 

Ngor Island is less than 5 minutes away via boat, a classic pirogue boat. The boat ride in itself is a fun experience. The island is small, but beautiful with lots of ornate doors and intricate mosaic work on the houses that you can discover while walking in the narrow alleys lined with beautiful trees and flowers. Eat lunch on the beach and enjoy a beautiful sunset. You can also surf on Ngor Island at the surf camp. 

Les Almadies is also a good neighborhood to stay while in Dakar, close to the water with lots of beach restaurants and bars. One of our favorites was Le Phare des Mamelles, a super interesting lighthouse from 1864 with amazing views, live music, cocktails and good food. I highly recommend for a fun night out. 

While in Dakar, you must go spend a full day on Ile de Goree. a UNESCO World Heritage site, the largest slave-trading center on the African coast. It's very emotional, yet beautiful. 

Also worth visiting is the African Renaissance Monument; inaugurated on April 4, 2010 for the 50th anniversary of Senegal's independence from France. It is the tallest statue in Africa.

Secret tip: if you are not afraid of some serious haggling, stop by the Soumbedioune market for some souvenir shopping.

We love to follow the adventures of Margot in Dakar, and we share her love and passion about Senegal. 

After Dakar we headed to Saint Louis with a stop at the Pink Lake and the Lompoul Desert. Stay tuned!