Dionwar village, Sine Saloum delta

HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

Dionwar is a fishermen village where the time has stopped. No cars, only a few old buildings.

HIGHLIGHTS 1:

The mosque, emerging from the mangrove like a lighthouse, is worth to be seen. Unfortunately, it is impossible to visit it for non Muslim persons.

HIGHLIGHTS 2:

If you are interested in nature and animals, the island standing in the ocean (just opposite from Dionwar, 2km west, at the south from Djiffer), is a nature reserve where you can see birds and turtles. You can get there with a dugout.

HIGHLIGHTS 3:

Once you have visited Dionwar, get inside the Sine Saloum delta, and visit Falia, an other charming village

A TIP FOR A UNIQUE VISIT

Visiting Dionwar will be an unforgettable experience. You will see lovely villages in the delta, explore rivers, get lost in the mangrove fields, see hundred of birds...

The best is to rent a dugout for the whole day (30,000 CFA = 50 euros, including oil, a driver and a guide). The tour we suggest you is to rent a dugout at Ndangane (Djiffer is also possible, but not such a good place). Then, go south to the ocean and visit Dionwar. Then, go east into the delta to Falia. Once you have visited Falia, go north, across the mangrove, back to Ndangane.

Usually, the trip proposed to tourists is a short trip to go to visit the "birds" island (île aux oiseaux): this is a tourist place with a restaurant, not so interesting...

GETTING THERE

You can go to Ndangane (40km SE from Joal Fadiouth) or Djiffer (45km S from Joal Fadiouth) by taxi. Once you have arrived, you have to bargain the price on the shore of the river, where stand the dugouts.

A TIP TO EAT

Take a picnic and water for the whole day.

A TIP TO SLEEP

No place to sleep in Dionwar or Falia, except the expensive Niominka resort (1km north from Dionwar).

IMPORTANT STUFF

OPEN HOURS

You will need to leave early (8am).

VISIT DURATION

Beware, the trip is long.

ENTRY FEES

Taxi (from Joal) and dugout for the whole day should be about 50,000 CFA

SECURITY - ACCESS RESTRICTIONS

Beware, the trip might be dangerous, particularly from Djiffer to Dionwar, where you will go through the ocean: ask the driver to stand close to the shore, because usually, dugouts do not have safety equipments on board... You can also get lost in the mangrove: that’s why you should not go there alone.