Some practical info on Dakar and Saint Louis.
January 2025
We had to negotiate hard to get an official yellow taxi at the airport to go to Yene, one of the villages closest to the airport.
Exchange rate at the airport was bad: 630 XOF for 1 €.
Taxi fare: 15,000 XOF = 24 €.
It’s still quite far from the airport. The driver won’t know the place, so it’s better to have the location saved on a GPS like Organic Maps or similar.
La Résidence Keur Fleurie in Yene Hotel fleurie residence Address: Route de Toubab Dialaw Phone: +221 78 484 95 95 19,000 CFA (about 30 €) for two people per night. Dinner was a single dish for 5,000 CFA (very expensive for just one plate). Breakfast: 2,500 CFA. The place is in a very small fishing village. No restaurants, no bars. If you go there, you’ll have to eat and have breakfast on-site. There’s nothing to do in the area in the evening. The room and bathroom are nice, the beds are comfortable—one large and one small. The Wi-Fi barely works. There are mosquitoes. You’ll need to ask for towels, top sheets, and blankets if needed. To get back to the city, take bus 228 to the train station. You’ll need to go to the paved road and wait. Bus fare: 500 XOF. You arrive at Bargny station, and surprisingly, there’s a high-standard train—cleaner and more efficient than the best TER trains. It’s almost unreal. The cheap train takes you into Dakar. Just choose the station closest to your destination.
Apartment Villa Lumière Tel +221 77 710 91 79 Address: Scat Urbam (Hlm Grand Yoff) Rue Gy 178 in Dakar If you see this apartment on booking.com, **do not go**—it’s a dump. Don’t trust the photos, unless you’re into "roots"-style places, then it’s up to you. For one night without booking: 12,000 CFA for two people. One large bed, no Wi-Fi. It feels like walking into a squat. Once inside the apartment, it’s better, but everything is run-down. The guy is very nice, but this apartment has no business being on an online booking site!
Gorée Island There are several departures per day. Crossing takes half an hour. Price: 5,000 CFA.
To Saint Louis From Liberté 6, Demdick buses leave twice a day. They’re comfortable but often full, so book in advance. Price: 5,000 CFA, and it takes 5 hours to get there. First night at Chez Marie, found on Airbnb. It’s not on the island—it’s in the Balacos neighborhood, Rue BL 16 or 14, near Rue Modu Sow Ousmane. The house is nice and quiet. The hosts take great care of you. The room is good, with Wi-Fi, and breakfast is included in the price. Price for two people: 20,000 CFA (30 €).
Another hotel on the island: Hôtel du Palais. Rue Ababacar (Tel: (221) 33 961 17 72 / 78 137 47 07). 25,000 CFA (39 €) for two people without breakfast. It’s the cheapest we could find. It’s old-fashioned. In the bathroom, there’s no water pressure in the shower, though it’s hot. You’ll have to ask multiple times—or even harass them—to get top sheets, blankets if needed, and towels. The mattresses aren’t comfortable—one large bed and one small. Wi-Fi in the room. Prices in Saint Louis are very high, and the quality of the hotels really doesn’t justify such steep rates.
Restaurants: (in my opinion) One of the best is Le Fleuve Plus. Rue Blaise Diagne. The best: La Linguère, on the same street.
Shared taxi (7-seater) to Rosso, Senegal, to cross the border into Mauritania (the border is the Senegal River). Go to the garage (bus/taxi station). From there, only shared 7-seater taxis make the trip, and they only leave when full. In front of each spot, a sign indicates the taxi’s destination. It costs 2,500 CFA—if you’re lucky. Otherwise, they’ll charge you an extra 500 CFA for luggage. If you can, choose the seat next to the driver (by far the best). Ironically, you have to wear a seatbelt even though the taxi is a rolling wreck! Otherwise, pick the seats behind the driver and prioritize the window side. The back seats are very uncomfortable.
By contacting hotels directly, you won’t pay the booking.com fee, which can add up to several euros.
La Résidence Keur Fleurie in Yene Hotel fleurie residence Address: Route de Toubab Dialaw Phone: +221 78 484 95 95 19,000 CFA (about 30 €) for two people per night. Dinner was a single dish for 5,000 CFA (very expensive for just one plate). Breakfast: 2,500 CFA. The place is in a very small fishing village. No restaurants, no bars. If you go there, you’ll have to eat and have breakfast on-site. There’s nothing to do in the area in the evening. The room and bathroom are nice, the beds are comfortable—one large and one small. The Wi-Fi barely works. There are mosquitoes. You’ll need to ask for towels, top sheets, and blankets if needed. To get back to the city, take bus 228 to the train station. You’ll need to go to the paved road and wait. Bus fare: 500 XOF. You arrive at Bargny station, and surprisingly, there’s a high-standard train—cleaner and more efficient than the best TER trains. It’s almost unreal. The cheap train takes you into Dakar. Just choose the station closest to your destination.
Apartment Villa Lumière Tel +221 77 710 91 79 Address: Scat Urbam (Hlm Grand Yoff) Rue Gy 178 in Dakar If you see this apartment on booking.com, **do not go**—it’s a dump. Don’t trust the photos, unless you’re into "roots"-style places, then it’s up to you. For one night without booking: 12,000 CFA for two people. One large bed, no Wi-Fi. It feels like walking into a squat. Once inside the apartment, it’s better, but everything is run-down. The guy is very nice, but this apartment has no business being on an online booking site!
Gorée Island There are several departures per day. Crossing takes half an hour. Price: 5,000 CFA.
To Saint Louis From Liberté 6, Demdick buses leave twice a day. They’re comfortable but often full, so book in advance. Price: 5,000 CFA, and it takes 5 hours to get there. First night at Chez Marie, found on Airbnb. It’s not on the island—it’s in the Balacos neighborhood, Rue BL 16 or 14, near Rue Modu Sow Ousmane. The house is nice and quiet. The hosts take great care of you. The room is good, with Wi-Fi, and breakfast is included in the price. Price for two people: 20,000 CFA (30 €).
Another hotel on the island: Hôtel du Palais. Rue Ababacar (Tel: (221) 33 961 17 72 / 78 137 47 07). 25,000 CFA (39 €) for two people without breakfast. It’s the cheapest we could find. It’s old-fashioned. In the bathroom, there’s no water pressure in the shower, though it’s hot. You’ll have to ask multiple times—or even harass them—to get top sheets, blankets if needed, and towels. The mattresses aren’t comfortable—one large bed and one small. Wi-Fi in the room. Prices in Saint Louis are very high, and the quality of the hotels really doesn’t justify such steep rates.
Restaurants: (in my opinion) One of the best is Le Fleuve Plus. Rue Blaise Diagne. The best: La Linguère, on the same street.
Shared taxi (7-seater) to Rosso, Senegal, to cross the border into Mauritania (the border is the Senegal River). Go to the garage (bus/taxi station). From there, only shared 7-seater taxis make the trip, and they only leave when full. In front of each spot, a sign indicates the taxi’s destination. It costs 2,500 CFA—if you’re lucky. Otherwise, they’ll charge you an extra 500 CFA for luggage. If you can, choose the seat next to the driver (by far the best). Ironically, you have to wear a seatbelt even though the taxi is a rolling wreck! Otherwise, pick the seats behind the driver and prioritize the window side. The back seats are very uncomfortable.
By contacting hotels directly, you won’t pay the booking.com fee, which can add up to several euros.
