Saly is not a destination. It is a starting point.
People come to Saly for the beach and end up stuck between the pool and the buffet. A shame: the resort was built for holidays, and its real strength is having the whole Petite Côte within easy reach. The sea in front of you, the giraffes of Bandia inland, the mangroves of the Somone to the north, the shell island of Fadiouth to the south. Choose what you feel like, see how much time you have, then follow the links.
The resort itself, its history and its fight against erosion: see Things to do in Saly. To choose which village to stay in, from Toubab Dialaw to Joal-Fadiouth, see the Petite Côte.
Live in Senegal? Saly and its neighbours fit into a weekend from Dakar. Come midweek if you can, and head back on Sunday before the traffic jam. A resident account unlocks the resident rate: up to 30% off depending on the activity. Just passing through? Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) is less than an hour away: Saly is often the first or last stop of the trip. Keep one or two days for the sea, then get out of the resort.
By interest
Sea and water sports
This is Saly’s speciality. Jet skiing is done with supervision, as an introduction or as a ride along the coast; towed sports, with the inflatable ring top of the list, are a hit with groups. Boat trips (sunset, islands & sport fishing) range from sunset cruises to full-day outings, and sport fishing heads out early in the morning. Diving & snorkelling are offered as try dives or explorations; paddle, kayak & canoe make the most of the basins sheltered by the breakwaters.
Check what the price covers. On these listings, the price is not always calculated the same way: some outings are priced per person, others per craft (one jet ski, with one or two on board) or per boat. The whole section: water sports & sea activities.
Safari and reserves
Bandia Reserve is the easiest safari from the coast: about half an hour’s drive, and you drive among giraffes, rhinos and Derby elands, in a protected forest that was replanted and then fenced. Go in the morning, when the animals are on the move. Bandia is a private reserve: there is no public entry fee. Reserve entry, the guide and the vehicle are either included or payable on site and not included in the price, depending on the listing. See also the place page Bandia Reserve, and the safari and wildlife reserves & parks sections.
Further north, Popenguine Nature Reserve is explored on foot, early in the morning: bush replanted by hand by women from the village, above the cliffs of Cap de Naze.
The lagoon and the birds
Just north of Saly, the Somone lagoon is the perfect counterpoint to the resort: a reserve fringed with mangroves, born of an initiative by local women, now a Ramsar site. You discover it on a pirogue trip or by kayak, at dawn or late in the day, when the birds are most active. See also birdwatching. Any official fee for the reserve is shown on the listing and is payable on site and not included in the price. The village itself: the Somone.
Culture and villages
In the south of the Petite Côte, Joal-Fadiouth is the big cultural outing: an island of shells linked to the town by a wooden bridge, a cemetery where Christians and Muslims lie side by side, and on the other shore, Senghor’s home town. There is no official fee to access the island; the guided tour organised on the Joal side is charged, payable on site and not included in the price, unless the listing includes it.
Inland, the Nguéniène market is the Wednesday-morning louma: you do not visit it, you make your way through it, with small notes and plenty of courtesy. About ten minutes from Joal, Ndianda is a Serer village with no ticket office, living to the rhythm of the fields and the seasons. Closer to Saly, the quay at Mbour when the pirogues come back in, late in the afternoon, is still the liveliest scene on the coast. Sections: traditional sites & villages, guided cultural tours, island excursions.
To get hands-on: Senegalese cooking classes, crafts & traditional skills, drumming workshops.
Adventure on land
In the hinterland, laterite tracks and baobabs are the territory of quad & buggy, best done late in the afternoon. Horse & camel rides are ideally done on the beach, at low tide, early in the morning or at sunset.
Wellbeing
A traditional massage, a beach day with a sunlounger and shade, a yoga & meditation session at sunrise: the easiest bookings to fit in between two outings. The whole section: wellness & relaxation.
And in the evening, Saly is the Petite Côte resort with the most going on: see our evenings & gastronomy.
