The beginner surf lesson in Toubab Dialaw takes place at the foot of the red cliffs, about 40 km south of Dakar, on a beach sheltered from the wind. Equipment and instructor are provided, and the session extends, if the day allows, with workshops on art, fishing or local cooking.

Learning at dawn beneath the cliffs

Toubab Dialaw stretches between sea, coloured rocks and dense vegetation: a lébou village known for its red laterite cliffs and its artists’ studios. The session begins at dawn on a beach sheltered from the wind, where the golden light gives a fine panorama over the pirogues and the coast. The teaching adapts to each participant: clear explanations, loosening movements, first exercises on the board on the sand, then a gentle introduction in the water.

The equipment and the instructor are included. Bring light clothing and sunglasses, and your camera to keep pictures of the red cliffs. The swim is followed by workshops on local fishing techniques, visits to artists’ houses or tastings of Senegalese specialities, depending on the day. In the afternoon, a walk on the heights lets you see the Dakar peninsula in the distance.

If you live in Dakar, it is a morning 40 km from home, which combines with a village lunch and an afternoon stroll. If you are visiting, it is the gentlest way to discover a site that many reserve for artists and walkers.

Toubab Dialaw, between cliffs and studios

Toubab Dialaw is a lébou village (the lébou are the traditional fishing people of the Dakar coast) in the commune of Yenne, in the Rufisque department, between Bargny and Popenguine, set against an ochre cliff. A former fishing town, it has turned to tourism, and is regarded as the cradle of the Lébou people of Cap-Vert. It is part of the Dakar region.

After the session

Many painting, sculpture and contemporary dance studios open their doors, with concerts, exhibitions and shows at weekends. Craft activities are also offered in the region. The top of the cliffs gives a view over the ocean, especially at sunset. Further south, the Popenguine Reserve invites you to walk, and other surf lessons and courses are available along the coast.