If you are looking for holiday destination in West Africa look no further. Sénégal’s Petite Côte is your spot. It is probably the most developed and tourist ready part of West Africa. With accommodation ranging from simple huts and home-stay all the way to (too) big tourist resorts. From village tranquillity to cities bustling with life. For my part I opted for something in between.
Leaving behind that nice beach bar at Yoff virage I’ve picked up tiny fishing village of Toubab-Dialaw as my next destination. I was expecting to run into a few locals but instead discovered a wealth of tourists in an eco hotel that was to be a home for the night. What at first seemed as too quiet village by the late afternoon burst into life with plenty of kids occupying the local beach with a game of footy. As for me I’ve found a refuge away from enlightened tourists at a very local restaurant on the beach. My evening started with a bottle of La Gazelle and a chat with local craftsellers while gazing at the sundown over the Atlantic ocean. After the long awaited but seriously delicious dinner right there on the brink of the sand beach my evening was spiced up by a surprise visit of a local puffhead willing to chat the night away.
Next morning I left the cosiness of Sodo-Bade hotel and popped into local taxi to get me back to the main road where I hopped on a local bus taking me to slightly livelier La Somone where by pure chance while I was looking for a hotel to stay in for the night I’ve discovered a proper gem. Going by the name of Keur Pélican it is a small family run hotel. Olivier and his wife have left behind their jobs and life in Belgium to start anew and open a nice and warm new place. Walking with backpack and my photo bag over the shoulders under hot Senegalese sun, fighting the dust and asking all locals brave enough to fight the midday sun whether they know this hotel that was very obviously hiding from me I literally stumbled into Keur Pélican.
Their friendliness, nice welcoming shade, pool, bar and music playing convinced me to abandon the plans of looking for original hotel and crash right there. Sitting by the bar with a bottle of La Gazelle in front of me and chatting to Olivier, the friendly owner, I was told the blatant truth Рthe old hotel I was so eager to find was, in fact, replaced by the very same Keur P̩lican. And instead of staying planned night I was easily convinced to spend two and make them the base for exploring La Somone and nearby city of Mbur.
La Somone, with it’s miles and miles of ocean beaches is perfect for long strolls and is also sitting on a beautiful lagoon but that one is sadly occupied by numerous villa s and a hotel resort. Nonetheless La Somone is a nice village with just about enough traditional life and a blend of modern tourist commodities added to the mix to grow on you before you know it. Especially if you are enjoying sundown in a beach bar with chilled bottle of La Gazelle in front of you.
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