Senegal, more famous for the world renowned Dakar Rally than any thing else is the trendsetter of the urban Africa. Its cities especially the capital Dakar have arguably the most vibrant lifestyle and the liveliest nightlife in the whole region. So the urban centers of Senegal have always been the tourist magnets for the country but just recently the tourists have started to get attracted by the natural and scenic beauty of the country as well.
Senegal has a diverse landscape as you will find vast desert in one part of the country while the other one is mostly lush green. The new attraction of the tourism sector of the country is its beaches and especially the tropical paradises of Casamance region. With its white sandy beaches, turquoise water and lush surroundings vacation in Casamance also has an added advantage of observing the unique culture of the Diola people, a major ethnic group that resides in the area.
Casamance is located in the north of the capital and after taking a cheap flight to Dakar, you will travel to Ziguinchor the capital of the Casamance. There is a bus service available in Dakar that runs regularly between the two cities but you can also hire a car for making this journey. As the tourist interest in the region is increasing there has been a lot of improvement in the tourism infrastructure of the area and many new hotels have emerged in the city and along the beaches.
Ziguinchor is a historical town and if you are interested in the colonial history of the country then you should stay there for a couple of days to fully explore the architectural monuments left from the colonial era. The city museum of Ziguinchor has many artifacts from the colonial and pre colonial era Senegal and it will surely be worth visiting. The best thing about Ziguinchor and Casamance as a whole is the small price tag attached to the accommodation and other facilities in the region.
In Casamance the real attraction is its beaches, these palm fringed and white sandy beaches stretch for miles and there are plenty of deserted places along them to get a full body tan. As said earlier there are quite a few resorts along the beaches so feel free to indulge in the some fun water sports. The water along the beaches is lukewarm and thought to be perfect for a swim or for snorkeling. There are many reefs just a short distance from the beach so you can hire a yacht to take you to them and if you are a qualified diver you can scuba dive to explore the reefs and exotic marine life of Casamance.
There are a few villages of the Diola tribe in the region and you can either ask your resort to arrange a tour to them or visit them by your self to have an exciting cultural experience. The folk music and dance of Diola are thought to be the one of its kind in the continent and it will surely make your vacation even more enjoyable.
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