This swampy area south of Dakar, where the Sine and Saloum Rivers meet, is one of the prettiest parts of Senegal, with mangrove trees, lagoons, forests, dunes and islands. It's home to the
Saloum Delta National Park, where you can take pirogue trips on the rivers to look for flamingoes, pelicans and other birds.
On the coast, at the tip of a small peninsula, is the fishing village of
Djiffere, a beautiful spot where ocean waves crash ashore just across from calm inland water. Other interesting places in the area include the offbeat coastal town of
Popenguine, which is predominantly Catholic and hosts a Catholic pilgrimage each spring to honor the Virgin Mary, and the interior villages of Fimela, Foundiougne and Toubacouta, which are surrounded by mangroves, palm trees and a range of birds.
Sine-Saloum Delta is 75 mi/125 km south of Dakar.