Dakar - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
There are a lot of nice hotels in the sine saloum area that offer a different pace than what Dakar does. - Apr 2022
I highly recommend traveling to Cabo Verde and the Canary Islands for long weekends. They are fascinating and different places, and give you an appreciation of just how diverse Africa is. - Jul 2020
See the above – in addition to what’s listed, get out to Gorée Island (a must see), take a trip down to Cap Skirring in the Casamance area, and see some of the interior of the country. - Dec 2019
Music, art, and surf. - Dec 2018
Surfing is available, but you would be swimming in dirty water. Saly is a place to visit. - Dec 2018
Beach beach beach. Surfing is outstanding. There are a number of hidden gem trips to take. You just have to be patient with the traffic and the roads. And then when you get to your destination, know that you'll be speaking French, not English with the hosts. - Apr 2016
Softball season is popular with the American diplomats and expats. Plenty of beach get-aways two hours south of Dakar. - Aug 2015
Dakar has some neat, historical sites, but make sure to leave the city. Senegal has some very interesting places to visit like Lampoul (desert camping and camel riding), Sine Saloum (sleep in a tree house or over the lagoon), Niokola Koba game park in Tambacounda, and Dindefelo water falls down in Kedougou. Link up with a peace corp volunteer to learn more about their village and possibly go visit! - Aug 2014
Boating (sail and motor boats), fishing, surfing, horseback riding, clubs with pools and fitness classes. Historical places to visit (not necessarily clean or well maintained). African drumming and dance classes. You can even scuba dive. - Apr 2014
Desert camping, visiting some of the other towns in the country, taking a boat out to the islands off Dakar. Before coming here, I thought the beaches would be the highlight of our tour. They are not. They are usually polluted to the point that wading in the water is actually wading through trash. - Jun 2013
As mentioned above, there is the restaurant and music scene. Beach weekends are a quick getaway. There's the resort with baobob treehouses. St. Louis for the architecture and jazz festival. Craft and art shopping. Accrobaobab for ziplining. Bandia reserve is not that exciting if you've done safaris in East and Southern Africa, but it is still fun. Goree. - Mar 2013
Fly to Cape Verde. - Oct 2012
This is a "make your own fun" kind of place. People enjoy the beach (some are OK, many are littered or used for goat grooming), fishing, haggling in the markets. Outside of Dakar you can visit Accrobaobab, Bandia, the resorts of the Petite Cote and Sine Saloum, bird watching, sports, watching African Cup soccer, Lampoul, Lac Rose. - Mar 2012
Hmm. Clubbing, music scene.visit a resort in la petite cote. Visit the former slave colony - Gore Island or swim across to it for the annual swim (5km).You should try to see a wrestling match with all the mysticism and spiritualism associated with this national past time. - Aug 2011
Dining, beaches, outdoor bars, ferries to local islands, sailing clubs, and trips inland - Jan 2011
Not much really. You've got Goree Island, Bandia Animal Reserve, a couple respectable beaches, Saly.....this is no East Africa. Nothing close to what you'd get in Kenya, Tanzanior South Africa. - Feb 2010
Beaches, Islands, nature reserves, restaurants, and sports. Music is suppose to be good too. - Feb 2010
Bandia, Accrobaobab, buggies, horseback riding, swimming, tennis. Visit St Louis, Lac Rose, Bassari country, Casamance, Sine Saloum, etc. - Jan 2010
Sports and the outdoors. Knowing French helps. - May 2009
