The Nguéniène and Joal-Fadiouth excursion pairs a bush market with a shell island, in one day on the Petite Côte. You go from the bustle of the Nguéniène market to a visit of Joal-Fadiouth, linked to the mainland by a wooden bridge; transport, lunch and guide are included.

The market, then the island

Nguéniène is about fifteen kilometres from Saly and the Somone, in a Senegal of baobabs and millet granaries, and its weekly market, the louma, is held on Wednesdays: it is the stop for seeing a regional market at work, far from the postcard. The rest of the day leads to Joal-Fadiouth, where you enter the island by the wooden bridge. The detail of the island (lanes, granaries on stilts, cemetery) is described on our Joal-Fadiouth page.

Transport, lunch, the visit and the guide are included. Only drinks are at your own expense. Door-to-door pick-up is included from the Petite Côte (Saly, Somone, Ngaparou), and possible from Dakar with a transport supplement.

Between Nguéniène and Joal

Nguéniène, in the Thiès region, has its own page, Nguéniène and its weekly market, which explains what you find there; Joal, in the Fatick region, is at the other end of the day. The Petite Côte is about a hundred kilometres of coastline, beaches, bird lagoons, lively markets and fishing villages, at a deliberately slower pace than Dakar. This excursion gives you a sample.

If you live on the Petite Côte, it is a day trip that takes you away from the usual beaches; if you are visiting, it shows you, away from the hotels, places where Senegal is lived day to day. The louma is held on Wednesdays: that is the day the market is in full swing.

To extend the outing

You can add other visits in the region: the island excursions bring together Joal and the Saloum Delta, the guided cultural visits widen the choice, and the Bandia Reserve remains the easiest nature outing to add to a stay on the coast.