The Petite Cote: Senegal's easy beach coast

Toubab Dialaw and Popenguine

At the northern end, **Toubab Dialaw** is a small village on red cliffs, popular with artists, musicians and weekenders from Dakar. Its best known stay, **Sobo Bade**, is a whimsical mosaic covered arts centre and guesthouse. The beach is lovely, though the sea can be rough.

Down the coast, **Popenguine** is a quiet village known for its basilica and a major Catholic pilgrimage at Pentecost, when tens of thousands walk from Dakar. Next to it, the **Popenguine Nature Reserve** is a community managed reserve of cliffs and dry forest with good walking and views.

Somone

The **Somone lagoon** is a small protected area where a river meets the sea, framed by mangroves and full of herons, pelicans and flamingos at times. Take a pirogue trip at high tide or walk the sand spit to the ocean. The village has a handful of relaxed hotels and restaurants and is quieter than Saly next door.

Saly

**Saly Portudal** is the country's biggest resort area, with large hotels, a marina, restaurants, bars and golf. It is easy and comfortable, though some visitors find it a little bland. The beach has suffered from erosion in places, so check how much sand a hotel actually has in front of it. Persistent vendors on the beach are common: a smile and a firm "no thank you" usually works.

Bandia and Fathala

The **Bandia Reserve**, inland between Somone and Dakar, is a fenced private reserve with giraffes, rhinos, zebras, antelope and huge baobabs. Note that many of the animals were introduced from other parts of Africa. It makes an easy half day game drive for families. Further south, the **Fathala Reserve** near Toubacouta offers walks with lions, which some travellers choose to avoid on animal welfare grounds.

Mbour

**Mbour** is a working fishing town just south of Saly. Its fish market on the beach, where hundreds of pirogues land their catch in the late afternoon, is chaotic, smelly and unforgettable. Hold onto your belongings and wear shoes you do not mind getting dirty.

Joal-Fadiouth

At the southern end lies **Joal**, birthplace of Senegal's first president, poet Léopold Sédar Senghor. A long wooden footbridge connects it to **Fadiouth**, an island built entirely on piled up seashells, with a Christian and Muslim community living side by side. A second bridge leads to a shared cemetery on a neighbouring shell island and to granaries on stilts. Local guides meet visitors at the bridge; agree the fee and length of the tour first.

Getting around

The Petite Cote is connected by the main road south from Dakar and by the toll motorway to the airport and Mbour. Taxis and shared taxis link the towns, and most hotels arrange transfers. Allow extra time on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, when weekend traffic to and from Dakar builds up.

Where to stay

Saly has the widest choice, from large all inclusive resorts to small guesthouses. Somone and Ngaparou are calmer, with boutique hotels near the lagoon. Toubab Dialaw and Popenguine suit travellers who like creative, simple places close to nature.