Senegal
Where to stay in Dakar
Dakar is a city in Senegal, home to about 1,439,000 people.
- Best months
- January
- Nearest airport
- DSS39 km · Blaise Diagne International Airport
- Currency
- XOFWest African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Dakar
- Language
- Badyara, Balanta, French
About
About Dakar
Dakar is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 million in 2023.
Dakar lies on the end of the Cap Verte peninsula, which is the westernmost point of the African mainland. While the city has a population of 1.25 million (2023), the metropolitan area is home to about 4 million people. The Senegalese are very proud of their reputation for "teranga", or hospitality. Locals are extremely friendly and helpful, but as you would anywhere else, watch out for scams and pickpockets. Petty crime here is relatively high, so be cautious. The peninsula was settled by the Lebou people, closely related to the Wolof people, when the Portuguese first reached it in 1444.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Dakar
See
- African Renaissance Monument
- IFAN Museum of African Arts
- Ile de Gorée
- Les Almadies
- Dakar Grand Mosque
- Dakar Cathedral
- Hann Park and Zoo
- Léopold Sédar Senghor national stadium
- Village Des Arts
- Phare des Mamelles
- Place du Souvenir Africain
- Monument du Millénaire
Do
- Lake Retba
- Birdwatching
- Madeline Islands National Park
- Magic Land, Dakar
- Leopold Sedar Senghor French Institute
- Grand National Theater of Dakar
- Plage BCEAO
- Plage du Virage
- Ile de Ngor
- Plage de la Pointe des Almadies
- Plage des mamelles
- Plage de l'Anse Bernard
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Dakar to stay in
There is a wide selection of hotels, from the basic to the best 4 star chains. Many first time visitors stay at the expensive Meridien. There are, however, some good and reasonably priced places to stay.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Dakar
3 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| King Fahd Palace Hotel | 1995 | 12.8 km |
| Novotel Dakar | 0.7 km | |
| Hotel du Phare Les Mamelles | 9.8 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Dakar
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Dakar are January. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 219 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Dakar: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS), about 39 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
Opened in 2023, the 18 km Sunu BRT line runs through central Dakar from the Grand Mosque to the Corniche. Unlike the chaotic regular bus system, the train-like BRT has stations and dedicated lanes. Tickets have to be purchased before you get on board and cost 400 or 500 CFA depending on distance. The Dakar bus system, known as Dakar Demm Dikk (Dakar coming and going), is fairly dependable. Fares are CFA150 and there are no free transfers permissible with each ticket. There's not much in the way of a map of the bus system, so you'll have to figure it out on your own.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DSS · Blaise Diagne International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Dakar
Eat
Peanuts: The roasted peanuts you can buy on the street or get with your order of beer in any bar are delicious. These nuts are not greasy and have just the right amount of salt, and sometimes are still slightly warm from being roasted.
Drink
Gazelle is the local favourite beer - it comes in serious bottles, or Flag, which is stronger and more expensive.
Stay safe
Petty crime in Dakar is relatively high; crime against tourists is common, even around Place de l'Indépendance. Use common sense: women should not walk around alone after dark. Watch your pockets in crowded places, such as Sandaga, and keep a close eye on your belongings. There are many different scams to get money from tourists, so be wary. The favourites such as "I work at your hotel and have run out of fuel, please can I borrow €10", etc. are common, so don't be fooled. Crime around the airport is extremely high. Do not change money at the airport. Con artists wait inside the arrival terminal by the baggage carousel.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Dakar: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Dakar?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Dakar are January. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 219 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Dakar?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS), about 39 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Dakar?
West African CFA franc (XOF).
Nearby
Destinations near Dakar
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.