Petite Cote Road Trip - Toubab Dialaw & Popenguine

the three amigos

After a quick stay in the Dakar, Fatou, Megan, and I decided on another road trip.  Since we did the north, it made sense to spend the second week exploring our way along the southern coast, known commonly kas Petite Cote, which stretches from Dakar, south to the Sine-Saloum Delta near the border with Gambia.  Compared to the northern stretch of Senegal, this area is much more developed.  Bigger towns and cities and with that: resorts, condos, and vacation homes of wealthier Dakarians and mostly French expats.  The ecosystem is quite different compared to the dusty and dry northern Sahel, especially once you reach the Sine-Saloum Delta.  These are wetlands and a major pit stop for migratory birds, shellfish, and fish nurseries.  Tourism does seem to be gaining foot here but most of the towns we stopped through continue to survive off seafood. Even culturally, this area is home to the minority Serer peoples, in which many are Christian.  

TOUBAB DIALAW

Toubab Dialaw

the rooms were a little too moist for our taste

By the time we left, it was clear the rainy season was in full swing.  Sporadic downpours cancelled any hope of having a beach day, but no worries, as the first town we stopped in was Toubab Dialaw, which known for its reputation as a bohemian artist village snuggled along the beach.  That would be because of a popular lodge and acts as the town’s cultural center that has been attracting musicians, artists, and fans here since the Haitian owner began building this compound some thirty years ago.  But when we got there it was nearly empty except for his wife and a few people who worked there.  We considered staying the night, but just had a really eeire vibe from the wife and the room she showed us felt moist, yes moist, and I don’t even like that word.  So we decided to head south and try and find a less “moist” accommodation in the next town of Popenguine.

Toubab Dialaw is known as an artisan village

Had the weather been sunnier, we probably would had stayed.  Clean beaches

 POPENGUINE

gorgeous lightning storm on arrival

We arrived to our accommodation during a spectacular lightning storm.  Just across the dirt road was a lone restaurant that kept its doors open for us even though it seemed like closing time and seemed like we were the first ones to step foot inside in a while.  This seemed to be the case for a lot of places we visited outside of Dakar.  There just didn’t seem to be many tourists anywhere we went, especially at night. There really isn’t a culture of being out.  That was something I had to get used to.  I’m so used to doing things in the evening, I was feeling a bit anxious.  I had to resign to the fact that this trip was more about adjusting my expectations and just go with the flow, no matter how slow the tempo felt.  Just a quite night with a couple good friends over fresh seafood and the sound of waves crashing below our patio view of the Atlantic.  

quiet dinners with good friends

Popenguine by morning

The next morning, we stopped by Basilique Notre-Dame de la Deliverance, which is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in Senegal, known as a shrine to Virgin Mary.

The biggest Christian pilgrim sites in Senegal

We left about noon and took our time making our way for the Sine Saloum Delta which took the better half of the day.  We passed through the resort seaside towns of La Somone, Saly, and the other big city on the coast of Mbour, which looks like a smaller and rougher version of Dakar. 

Beach of Saley

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