Lac Rose, SenegalPhoto: Abrahami, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Senegal
Senegal, made simple: Dakar's energy, Atlantic beaches and teranga, without the worry
Senegal is West Africa's warmest welcome. Dakar buzzes with music, art and surf on a peninsula reaching into the Atlantic, Goree Island tells one of history's hardest stories, Saint-Louis keeps its colonial charm, the Sine-Saloum Delta drifts through mangroves and Casamance is green, slow and beautiful. This guide answers the questions about entry, money, getting around and safety so your trip feels calm from day one.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyEntry rules, money, seasons and health, answered with official sources
- LandingBlaise Diagne International Airport at Diass and the road or train into Dakar explained
- Your days in SenegalDakar, Goree, the Petite Cote, Saint-Louis, the delta and Casamance
- Home againDeparture tips so the last day is as easy as the first
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain what costs more and what costs less, so your budget holds.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Senegal's word for hospitality is teranga, and it is a national point of pride. We answer the tricky questions about visas, taxis, the CFA franc and haggling before they start, so you arrive ready to find your Bliss.
Coming from Paris, Milan, Madrid or Harlem to see family in Dakar, Touba, Thies or Ziguinchor, or tracing your roots through Goree? This guide was written with you in mind too.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your basesDakar's city life, the beach towns of the Petite Cote, historic Saint-Louis, the quiet delta or lush Casamance: start with the destinations that fit you.
- Sort the essentialsEntry rules for your passport, CFA francs and mobile money, the right season, malaria advice and travel insurance, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for restaurants, surf spots, markets, galleries, lodges and live music.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to fit city, coast and countryside into your dates without long wasted drives.
Everything your Senegal trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Dakar and Goree, Saint-Louis, the Petite Cote, the Sine-Saloum Delta and Casamance, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred restaurants, beaches, markets, galleries and lodges, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Dakar and stays from the capital to Cap Skirring.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Open the finderFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and shape a route that works.
Plan my tripAsk a question
Stuck on something the guide does not answer? Send us a note.
Contact us
The classic Senegal trip
Dakar, Goree and the delta in one easy loop
Most first trips start in Dakar: grilled fish at Ngor, sunset at the Mamelles lighthouse, the African Renaissance Monument and a ferry to Goree Island. Then head south along the Petite Cote to Saly or Somone, on to the mangroves and shell islands of the Sine-Saloum Delta, and finish with a few days in Saint-Louis or the green villages and beaches of Casamance.
- Goree Island and Saint-Louis, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Surf, seafood and live mbalax music in Dakar
- Pirogue trips through the Sine-Saloum mangroves
- Palm-fringed beaches and Jola villages in Casamance
Start with the destinations
See how Dakar, the coast, the delta and the south fit together.
Senegal destinationsWhere to go in Senegal
A vibrant Atlantic capital, a historic island town, easy beach resorts, a mangrove delta and the lush south.
Cap Vert peninsula, west coast
Dakar and Goree Island
A lively Atlantic capital of surf, seafood, galleries and mbalax, with historic Goree Island a short ferry ride away.
Read the guidePhoto: Fawaz.tairou, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Mouth of the Senegal River, north
Saint-Louis
The former capital of French West Africa, a faded, photogenic island town with jazz, fishing pirogues and world class birding nearby.
Read the guidePhoto: Abrahami, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Atlantic coast, south of Dakar
Petite Cote
A gentle stretch of Atlantic beach south of Dakar, with resorts at Saly, the Somone lagoon and the shell island of Fadiouth.
Read the guidePhoto: Ousmane Goudiaby 95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Saloum River delta, southwest
Sine-Saloum Delta
A UNESCO listed maze of mangroves, creeks and island villages, perfect for slow days by pirogue and nights in eco lodges.
Read the guidePhoto: Issiaga0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Far south, between The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau
Casamance
Senegal's lush southern region of rice paddies, palm forests, Jola culture and some of West Africa's finest beaches.
Read the guidePhoto: Catjacket, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Senegal safe for visitors?
Senegal is one of West Africa's most stable and welcoming countries. The main issues are pickpocketing and bag snatching in busy parts of Dakar, persistent touts at tourist spots and road safety. Some border areas carry extra advice, so read your own government's current travel advice before you go.
Do I need a visa for Senegal?
Many nationalities, including ECOWAS citizens and travellers from the US, UK, Canada and the EU, have generally been able to visit for short stays without a visa, while others need one in advance. Rules differ by passport and change, so check with a Senegalese embassy and your own government's advice before booking.
What language is spoken in Senegal?
French is the official language, but Wolof is the language of the street, the market and the taxi. Pulaar, Serer and Jola are also widely spoken. A Wolof greeting such as nanga def is always warmly received.
What currency is used in Senegal?
The West African CFA franc. ATMs are common in Dakar and the main towns, and mobile money apps such as Wave and Orange Money are everywhere, but carry cash for taxis, markets and rural areas.
When is the best time to visit Senegal?
The dry season from November to May is the most comfortable, with sunshine, low humidity and cool evenings on the coast. The rainy season, roughly July to October, is hot and humid, and some lodges in Casamance and the delta close.
How many days do I need in Senegal?
A week covers Dakar, Goree and a few nights on the Petite Cote or in the Sine-Saloum Delta. Ten days to two weeks lets you add Saint-Louis in the north or Casamance in the south.
Ready to find your Bliss in Senegal?
Use the free trip planner to turn ideas into a route that fits your dates and budget.