Capital: Dakar | Language: French, Wolof | Currency: West African CFA (franc) | Religion: Islam | Population: 15 million
Senegal’s name comes from the Wolof ‘Sunuu Gaal’, which means ‘Our Boat’. It fits – on every beach there are brightly painted, often cleverly named wooden fishing boats lined up in neat rows, and fish for sale at incredibly lively markets in between. One of West Africa’s most politically stable countries, Senegal sees a fair bit of tourism at the beach resorts along the coast. Visa-free for most, it makes a good starting point for a trip in West Africa.
What’s it like to travel in Senegal? Is it safe for solo female travelers? And what is a sept-place, anyway? Read on, for advice on traveling independently by public transport from Dakar and along the beaches of the Petite Côte.
Exploring the abandoned Ducor Hotel in Monrovia, Liberia. Once one of Africa’s finest luxury hotels, it fell into ruin during the country’s civil war.
Travelling around independently in Guinea-Bissau can be complicated, but the islands in the Bijagos Archipelago are so worth the trouble.
We wanted to go to Cap Skirring, a town on the beach, and every tout in the vicinity knew it too, making our journey more difficult. But once we got there, we hired our own bike and went exploring. If you don’t puncture the tire and run out of gas, it’s a great way to get around. And even if you do – it’s a lot of fun anyway.
We started off in Dakar, Senegal. Travelling by public transport towards Freetown, our roadtrip took us right through the Gambia, ‘The Smiling Coast’ of Africa. Why go around it when you can go through it?
What’s it like to travel in Senegal? Is it safe for solo female travelers? And what is a sept-place, anyway? Read on, for advice on traveling independently by public transport from Dakar and along the beaches of the Petite Côte.
Exploring the abandoned Ducor Hotel in Monrovia, Liberia. Once one of Africa’s finest luxury hotels, it fell into ruin during the country’s civil war.
Travelling around independently in Guinea-Bissau can be complicated, but the islands in the Bijagos Archipelago are so worth the trouble.
We wanted to go to Cap Skirring, a town on the beach, and every tout in the vicinity knew it too, making our journey more difficult. But once we got there, we hired our own bike and went exploring. If you don’t puncture the tire and run out of gas, it’s a great way to get around. And even if you do – it’s a lot of fun anyway.
We started off in Dakar, Senegal. Travelling by public transport towards Freetown, our roadtrip took us right through the Gambia, ‘The Smiling Coast’ of Africa. Why go around it when you can go through it?