What to see in Senegal: 8 must-sees

Enter the Maison des Esclaves on Gorée and walk through the door that once opened onto the Atlantic, where millions of captives set sail for the Americas. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, the island preserves Fort d'Estrees, colonial houses with ochre facades, and car-free cobblestone alleys. From the beach in Dakar it's a twenty-minute ferry ride; then walk up to the lighthouse for a view of the city across the bay.

Explore the island of Saint-Louis, the former French colonial capital, where wooden balconies and ochre facades line the Senegal River. Inscribed by UNESCO in 2000, it retains bustling markets, fishermen in colorful pirogues, and the Faidherbe Bridge linking the island to the mainland. Wander its narrow streets, try thiéboudienne by the quay, and watch daily life still pulsing among houses two centuries old.

Stop in Dakar, the Senegalese capital that gazes out at the Atlantic from the westernmost tip of Africa. Browse Sandaga Market among wax prints and spices, climb the African Renaissance Monument, and take in the coast from the Mamelles lighthouse. Take the ferry to Gorée Island, with its colonial houses and the House of Slaves, and end the day at the beaches of Yoff or Ngor, where fishermen paint their colorful pirogues as mbalax plays in the bars of the Plateau.

Follow the channels of the Saloum Delta by pirogue, gliding between mangroves that form green tunnels over the brackish water. The Fatick region, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, combines shell islands, sandbanks, and bolongs where pelicans, flamingos, and ospreys nest. Walk the coastal trails at dawn, when low tide exposes oysters clinging to the roots, and watch Serer fishermen hauling in their nets near villages like Fadiouth, built entirely on shells.

Walk along the shores of Lake Retba, about 30 kilometers from Dakar, and watch the water shift through shades of pink with the changing light. The cause is the alga Dunaliella salina, which thrives in water as salty as the Dead Sea. You'll see salt harvesters extracting salt by hand, coating their skin with shea butter for protection, and piling up white mounds along the shore. You can float effortlessly, ride a quad bike through the nearby dunes, or head to the Atlantic beach that separates the lake from the ocean.

Visit N'Gor Beach, just minutes from central Dakar, and walk its fine white sand as fishermen arrive in their colorful pirogues. Grab a board and try its waves, a favorite of local surfers, or snorkel in the clear water along the coast. Afterwards, sit down at a seaside terrace and try the grilled fish while watching the boats come in at sunset.

Djoudj National Park, north of Saint-Louis, where the Senegal River forms lagoons and channels that stretch across 16,000 km² of mangroves and wetlands. Walk its trails and sail to the colonies where pelicans, flamingos, and cormorants gather by the thousands during migration season. Discover why this bird sanctuary, one of the most important in West Africa, has become a benchmark for birdwatching and delta conservation.