The beautiful country West African country of Senegal borders the Atlantic Ocean and is home to about 12.5 million people, with just over 2.5 million of them living in the
capital city of Dakar. The nation gained its independence from France back in 1960 and became a republic three years later. French is still the official language and there are many
local ones spoken as well. It’s usually pretty hot and humid year-round with a rainy season between June and October and a dry season from November to May.
The scenic country is filled with beautiful sandy beaches, lush forests, mangrove swamps, coconut palm groves, estuaries, savannah and semi-desert. The Casamance region is known for
some of Africa’s best beaches and is quite popular with visitors and has many excellent hotels to choose from. Some of the other popular centers in Senegal are St. Louis, Mbour, Saly
Portudal, Cap Skiring, Tamba, Podor, Ziguinchor, and Banjul.
The capital city of Dakar used to be the capital of French West Africa and its influences from the European
nation can be seen in the city’s
architecture with its government house, café terraces, and colonial buildings. Dakar offers a fine variety of restaurants and hotels as well as beaches, water sports, museums, a
vibrant nightlife and music scene, and a casino. It’s also one of the continent’s top destinations for cruise ships.
The city of St Louis is also a wonderful sight as its narrow streets are also home to wonderful colonial houses. The city partly sits on an island and you can get there over the Pont
Faidherbe Bridge. It’s also a good place to start a cruise from up the Senegal River. For some more great beaches, you might want to check out the Petite Côte area, which offers about
95 miles of fantastic beaches. Two of the hottest spots are Mbour and Saly Portudal.
If you’d like to explore the picturesque countryside and hike and boat through it, you can visit the Parc National du Delta du Saloum. This area has numerous small islands and is a
great place to take a traditional African boat known as a pirogue to visit them. In total, Senegal is home to four reserves and six national parks. You can stay overnight in most of
them in lodges and campements.
The parks are filled with an amazing assortment of African wildlife and the rest of them are Parc National de Niokolo Koba, Parc National des Oiseaux de Djoudj, Parc National de Basse
Casamance, Parc National Langue de Barbarie, and Parc National de l’Île de la Madeleine. However, the only one that has large mammals is Parc National de Niokolo Koba.
You can reach Senegal by air at the main airport in Dakar and then get to town by bus or taxi. There are smaller airports in Cap Skiring and St. Louis. There’s a major port in Dakar as
well for sea travellers and rail service from Mali. By road, you can get to the country by Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Algeria, and Gambia.
When in Senegal you can travel by air to places that have aerodromes, such as Podor, Tamba, and Ziguinchor. There are also several ferries to cities with ports, such as Dakar,
Ziguinchor, Île de Gorée, and Banjul. There’s limited rail service from Dakar to some towns and buses and taxis are common. You can also rent cars there in the larger towns.
The food in Senegal is among the tastiest in Africa as there’s a heavy French influence on the cuisine. Fish and chicken are popular, but with peanuts often giving them an added
flavour. Senegal mainly a Muslim nation so you won’t find much pork, but you can still enjoy alcoholic drinks. Some of the best dishes include barbecued chicken with lemon and onion
sauce, herb-stuffed fishcakes and rice, stuffed mullet, meat in peanut sauce, and shrimp-stuffed avocado. Mint tea, palm wine, and roasted coffee with pimento are popular drinks.
The best place for nightlife is Dakar as it has quite a bit of live music to offer in its nightclubs and other venues. There are also several theaters for movies and traditional
wrestling is often held on the weekends.
Senegal offers a fascinating history along, fabulous beaches, national parks full of interesting flora and fauna, and a diversity of customs and cultures. It’s one place you don’t want
to miss if you’re traveling to Africa.
About Senegal