About an hour and a half from Dakar, the resort town of Saly draws sunseekers to its beautiful shores.
GEORGES GOBET/AFP/Getty Images
Buzzing coastal towns —
Saly is a beach-vacation hub and part of Senegal's Petite Côte, a sweep of buzzing coastal towns south of Dakar.
GEORGES GOBET/AFP/Getty Images
Mbour —
A rush of activity comes with the arrival of fishing boats in Mbour, just down the road from Saly.
Sophie Eastaugh
Toubab Dialaw —
The bohemian village of Toubab Dialaw, just an hour south of Dakar, has a pristine beach and a lively arts scene.
Sophie Eastaugh
Sine Saloum —
Time slows down with a journey into the Sine Saloum region's labyrinth of mangrove creeks.
Sophie Eastaugh/CNN
Mar Lodj —
One of the best places to feel the region's calm is Mar Lodj -- a small, car-free island in the Saloum delta.
Sophie Eastaugh/CNN
Dakar —
Back in the capital, the hustle of commerce extends to Dakar's sidewalks.
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Thieboudienne —
Senegalese specialty Thieboudienne is made from fish, rice and vegetables simmered in tomato paste and stock. This hearty dish, Thiebou Yapp Guinar, is made with chicken, olives, and crunchy balls of fried rice.
Saint-Louis —
Steeped in history and charm, Saint-Louis was the colonial capital of the whole of French West Africa until Dakar usurped it in 1902
