We arrived at Toubakouta in Senegal not knowing what to expect and were delighted with what we found. Les Paletuviers is a delightful small hotel overlooking the mangroves. We arrived in the dark rather weary from our travels but were met with a very warm welcome and a cold Mojito. We had a delicious dinner and were entertained by some fabulous Senegalese dancing afterwards. The dancing was mesmeric and some of the most energetic I had ever seen. We stayed in a little thatched cottage. It was simply furnished but the beds were comfortable, the shower was good and there was air-conditioning.
We stayed for 4 nights and had perfect weather every day - 28-30 degrees which made a wonderful contrast to the UK. We could have been lazy and spent our time relaxing by the large, circular swimming pool but the excursions on offer and the chance to see something of the country with a local guide were too tempting. We visited a local market - awesome even for seasoned travellers - and met the charming Senegalese at a nearby fishing village. We took an early evening boat trip through the mangroves and were amazed at the birdlife - this is an ornithologists' paradise. That evening we watched Lutte, which is the National sport of Senegal and is a combination of wrestling and dancing.
We visited The Island which is also owned by the hotel and had a typical Senegalese lunch. We also spent a night at The Beach in a whitewashed thatched cottage where we were served a fantastic dinner in the moonlight with a campfire behind us and the ocean in front of us. Perfect.... I would recommend anyone who visits Les Paletuviers to take the excursions on offer - the guides are delightful, knowledgeable and multilingual. This is a great destination for winter sun and action, including canoeing, fishing, mountain biking, Senegalese dance classes, boat trips through the Mangroves, bird watching, a stay at The Beach, visiting local markets and villages, not to mention fabulous dancing and fascinating wrestling! The lovely Belgian owners, Caroline and Fred have started refurbishing, so it will only get better……..