Dakar is the capital of Senegal, port city with a grand mosque & a slavery museum on Île de Gorée island. It is located midway between the mouths of the Gambia and Sénégal rivers on the southeastern side of the Cape Verde Peninsula. The city’s name is derived from dakhar, a Wolof name for the tamarind tree and the name of a coastal Lebu village that was located south of what is now the first pier. Dakar stands as a multicultural, diverse city full of vibrant arts and traditions.
For being a former French colony, official languages used in Dakar are French and Wolof. The principal dialect is urban mixture of Wolof, French, and some Arabic.
The official currency is the West African CFA Franc (XOF). 1 USD is equal to 540.14 XOF. There are ATMs in Dakar, but banking facilities are limited in the rest of the country.
As a multicultural city, there are several places to check out once you’re there. Here are the top sites to visit while in Dakar :
Gorée Gorée is a tiny, carefree island off the coast of Dakar, in Senegal. It’s known for its role in the 15th- to 19th-century Atlantic slave trade.
House of Slaves |The House of Slaves and its Door of No Return is a museum and memorial to the Atlantic slave trade on Gorée Island, 3 km off the coast of the city of Dakar, Senegal.
Ngor Small island with a traditional village
Deux Mamelles| Deux Mamelles/Collines des Mamelles, or simply Mamelles are twin hills located in Ouakam, a suburban commune of Dakar, in the Cap-Vert peninsula, Senegal. These hills are of volcanic origin and they are the vestiges of a plateau from the early Quaternary.
Ile de Madeleine The Îles de la Madeleine lie west of Dakar in Senegal. The islands are uninhabited. The main island is Sarpan, known for its Stone Age tool finds. The islands are also known for their birds, fish and plant life. The cliffs are steep, and had been carved by the sea over millions of years.
Lake Retba Salty pink lake. Lac Rose lies north of the Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal, some 30 km north-east of the capital, Dakar, in northwest Africa. It is named for its pink waters caused by Dunaliella salina algae and is known for its high salt content, up to 40% in some areas. Swim in the pink waters of Lake Retba. Read more
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