Ile de Goree, commonly known as Goree Island is a small island and lies just off the Dakar’s coast which is Senegal’s capital city. Goree Island used to be a famous slave trading center and most of the tourists know of it because of its rich history. The place has also its significance as African-American people come here to pay their respect and to reflect upon the past of their ancestors. The Maison-des-Esclaves (the house of Slaves) located in the island has over the time become a pilgrimage place for people who want to reflect upon slave-trading horrors and remember the millions who died as a consequence of slavery.
Although it’s still a matter of debate between many scholars whether the island was actually a major slave center as they argue that things have been exaggerated about the island, the symbolic representation of the island can be observed by anyone who visits there. And regardless of the actual number of slaves traded here, it’s agreed that slaves did actually passed through here and the island provides a focal-point to express the grief and pain they had no matter if they were in thousands or millions. The island has also been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and has been visited by many famous personalities including Bill Clinton, the pope, George Bush, Nelson Mandela etc.
You can visit the island conveniently as it’s easy to get there and may book an affordable cheap flights to Dakar. It’s good to book a flight in advance and can take you directly to Dakar, the capital city of Senegal. When you have arrived in Dakar, in order to get to the Island you can use regular ferries leaving Dakar’s main port between 6 in the morning till 11 PM and it normally takes about 20 minutes for a ferry to reach its destination.
The Goree Island is a very peaceful place to be with no cars around and is also small enough for you to find your way around the Island on your own although if you are interested to hire a guide you’ll find plenty of them. Island’s main attraction is the Maison des Esclaves (the House of Slaves) which was built by the Dutch in 1776 and held slaves there. It was converted into a museum and remains throughout the week except on Monday.
If you are interested in Senegal’s history you may like to visit The IFAN Historical Museum situated at Island’s northern end. Musee de la Femme and Maritime Museum are also one of the popular destinations of the island to visit. You can find a lot of economical accommodation options there with many guest houses available.
This museum, situated above ruins of the city, gives an up close look to the cityâ