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Information of Senegal |
Capital: Dakar
Official Language: French
Currency: CFA Franc
Senegal located on the western part of South Africa is a place of captivating beauty with stunning coastlines; palm fringed beaches, sandy deserts and tiny fishing villages. Senegal borders Mauritania to the north, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south, Mali to the east and Atlantic Ocean to the west. The climate is tropical, hot and humid. The country abounds in astounding historical riches. There are numerous historic museums, natural and heritage sites to overwhelm the tourists. Diverse flora and fauna with wonderful natural parks and reserves welcome the tourists with their ethereal charm. The reefs and cays of coastal Senegal offer exciting diving opportunities. Moreover a trip to Senegal will provide a chance to encounter the Senegalese and have a taste of their customs, foods, music, habits and cultures. The urban areas are well decked with top class restaurants, bars, clubs and wonderful shopping malls.
Major Cities of Senegal
Dakar is the capital city of Senegal. Kaolack, Saint Louis and Ziguinchor are other major cities. Dakar located on the Cape Verde Peninsula, on the country's Atlantic coast is a vibrant port city and the country's administrative, economic and cultural center. Some major attractions in Dakar are Senegal National Assembly, Senegal Presidential Palace, Kermel and Sandaga Market, Dakar Grand Mosque, Goree Island and Hann Park. Dakar's main beaches include the Plage Bel-Air, N'Gor and Yoff. Other beaches with good natural views are Toubab Dialao and Yenn with magnificent red cliffs. St Louis located in the north west of Senegal near the mouth of Senegal River boasts of a rich historical background with a nostalgic milieu. St. Louis was a leading economic, commercial and trade center during the 18th C. With a good number of museums, national parks, monuments and colonial architectures St Louis can certainly be called a tourist's Disney land. National Park of the Langue de Barbarie, the National Park of the Birds of Djoudj, the Fauna Reserve of Gueumbeul, Langue de Barbarie Beach, the colonial French Usines de Mbakhana, the palace of Baron Roger at Richard-Toll and the Maka-Diama Dam are some popular places of St. Louis that deserves a visit.
Tourist Attractions of Senegal
Dakar Museum or Institut Fondemental d'Afrique Noir (IFAN) is a prime tourist attraction of Dakar. The museum is the treasure trove of some exclusive West African artifacts like masks, statues and musical instruments. Ile de Goree Island situated at a short distance from Dakar is listed as a UNESCO World-Heritage site. The island being the first French settlement hosts many French colonial buildings. Maison des Esclaves or House of Slaves and Fort d'Estrees Historical Museum are places of great tourist interest. The pinkish Retba Lake situated nearby is a popular picnic spot. The Petite Cote in the south of Senegal is a beautiful place with some picturesque beach resorts like Mbour and Saly Portudal. Sine Saloum Delta formed between Saloum and Sine rivers is a place of untamed natural beauty consisting of vast expanse of marshes, lagoons, sand dunes and groundnut growing regions. A travel to the surrounding islands of Betani, Guior, Guissanor, Ile de Mars and Palmarin riding on a Dirogue or traditional African boats can be a paradisiacal experience. Cap Skirring and Ziguindor in the Casamance region are two popular tourist places endowed with magnificent beaches, hotels and resorts. Parc National de Niokolo Koba in the southeast of Senegal is one of the largest wild life reserves of Africa. It is the natural habitat of some exquisite species of birds and animals like elephants, panthers, crocodiles, antelopes and birds. Langue de Barbarie national Park in St. Louis is a sprawling natural park in the southern tip of Langue de Barbarie, the estuary of the Senegal River. The park is the abode of some exquisite species of birds like cormorants, brushes, pink flamingos, pelicans, herons and ducks.
Getting Around of Senegal
Senegal has good air connections with European and Asian countries. Most airline offices are situated near the Place de l'Indépendance in Dakar. Some aerodromes are located in Ziguinchor, Podor and Tamba. Air Senegal offers daily flights to all main Senegal towns. Gambia Air Shuttle offers flights from Dakar to Banjul. There are rail services from Dakar to towns en route for Bamako in Mali. Generally the urban areas of Senegal have well paved roads but the road networks in the interior are rough and uneven. Hence it is not advisable to drive at night. Buses are available for short distance travels. Mini-buses locally termed as car rapide are less expensive. Taxis are also popular modes of transport. Bush taxis and estate cars offer comfortable remote journeys. There are numerous hotels and resorts located in the metropolitan towns and cities of Senegal. Sofitel Dakar Taranga, Le meridian president Dakar, Novotel Dakar and Coralia Club Le Baobab are some premier hotels of Senegal with modern luxuries like air conditioned bars, restaurants, meeting rooms, swimming pools, tennis, golf and fishing.
For further details and information on Senegal and its tourist destinations flip through the pages of allwonderscountries
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