Dakar is a peninsula surrounded by ocean on three sides. Volcanic cliffs, islands, turquoise coves and rocky seabeds full of fish: few capitals in the world offer so many water activities a few minutes from the city centre. Clear kayaking, boat trips, jet ski, scuba diving, sea kayaking, paddleboarding or offshore fishing: water tourism in Dakar can be enjoyed all year round.
In this guide, we have gathered everything there is to do on the water in Dakar: our own activities at Senegal Nautique, which we run every day with our clients, but also the places we recommend for diving, classic kayaking and sea fishing. Where to go, what budget to plan and which activity to choose for your profile: here is our complete guide to water sports in Dakar.
Whether you are passing through for a weekend, on holiday with your family, an expat looking for a new outing or a Dakar local who wants to rediscover the city from the sea, you will find enough here to fill several days, without ever going more than thirty minutes from the centre.
Why Dakar is made for water tourism
The Cap-Vert peninsula is the westernmost point of the African continent. This position, jutting out into the Atlantic, gives Dakar an astonishingly varied coastline: to the west, the cliffs of Ouakam and the Mamelles drop into clear water; to the north, the bay of Ngor and the Almadies offer sheltered beaches facing Ngor Island; to the south and east, the Corniche Est looks out over Gorée Island and the bay of Hann. Each side of the city has its own atmosphere, its own exposure to the wind and its own activities.
The rocky volcanic seabeds attract abundant marine life: rock fish, schools of small silver fish, octopus, passing turtles and, further offshore, dolphins and large pelagic fish. That is what makes Dakar an ideal destination both for seeing underwater, by clear kayak or by diving, and for fishing or simply sailing. The climate is on your side too: it is mild to hot all year, and the water stays pleasant for swimming most of the time.
Another advantage of water tourism in Dakar: everything is close. The water sports bases are a few minutes from one another, along the Corniche Ouest and around Ngor. In a single day, you can go clear kayaking in the morning at Ouakam, have lunch facing the sea, then head out by boat in the afternoon to Ngor Island or Gorée. No need for long journeys or a distant excursion: the sea is literally at the end of the street.
Finally, the offer has diversified a lot in recent years. Alongside the historic activities, such as diving and sport fishing, new experiences have appeared that are more accessible and more photogenic, like clear kayaking or drone photoshoots on the water. Whether you are looking for adrenaline, relaxation, nature or simply beautiful holiday photos, there is a water activity in Dakar that suits you. Let us start with the ones we know best: our own.
Clear kayaking, Dakar’s signature experience
If you only do one water activity in Dakar, choose this one. A clear kayak has a completely transparent hull: you float above the rocks, the seagrass and the schools of fish, as if you were walking on water. It is the experience that made Senegal Nautique known, and the one our clients recommend most to the people around them.
We offer clear kayaking at two main bases. At Ouakam, at the foot of the volcanic cliffs and the Mosque of the Divinity, the water is often a striking turquoise above the rocks. At Ngor, the outing takes place facing Ngor Island, in a more sheltered bay that is ideal for beginners and children. On request, we also organise outings on Lake Retba (Lac Rose), to float on water with pink reflections unique in the world. For the more athletic, the exploration from Ouakam to the Mamelles, about two hours along the coast, reveals caves and coves you cannot see from the road.
Clear kayaking costs 6,000 F per kayak, solo or duo, with or without an instructor. The life jacket is provided and worn throughout the outing. The activity needs no experience and suits everyone, from age 6 with an adult. Our bases are open every day from 11am to 7pm. The best time? Late morning or early afternoon, when the sun is high and brings out the transparency of the water.
It is also the most photogenic activity in Dakar. Seen from the sky, the clear hull resting on turquoise water makes spectacular images, which is why many of our clients pair it with a drone photoshoot. Couples, groups of friends, families, hen parties, birthdays or company outings: clear kayaking appeals to every profile. To know everything before you come, read our complete guide to clear kayaking in Dakar, or go straight to the clear kayak page.
Ready to walk on water?
6,000 F per kayak, life jacket provided, from age 6. At Ouakam and Ngor, every day from 11am to 7pm.
Book a kayakBoat trips and island hopping
Dakar looks different from the sea. A few minutes out, the Ouakam cliffs, the peninsula’s lighthouses and the islands appear from an angle you never see from the road. A boat trip in Dakar is the best way to understand the city’s geography, and it is also one of the most convivial outings to enjoy as a group.
At Senegal Nautique, we have two boats: an 8-seat boat, fast and comfortable, and a large 15-seat boat, with a spacious deck to gather, swim and enjoy. Departures are from the Port of Dakar or Ngor, and the boat is privately hired for your group, from 60,000 F. The tour of Ngor Island takes about twenty minutes, the trip to the Almadies point and lighthouse about an hour, and the big tour to the Mamelles lighthouse one to two hours.
For a real day at sea, head for the islands. Gorée, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is easy to reach by private boat, without taking the ferry. Snake Island and above all Sarpan Island, in the Îles de la Madeleine national park, offer basalt cliffs, turquoise coves and seabirds just a few kilometres from the port. The Sarpan excursion is done aboard the large boat, on quote depending on your group.
The boat suits every occasion: birthday, hen party, marriage proposal, company outing or simply a day with friends. You can add a sweet and savoury platter of 26 or 50 pieces on board to turn the outing into a picnic at sea. Booking is done on WhatsApp, with a 30% deposit by Orange Money or Wave. All routes and prices are on our boat trips page, and our guide to boat trips in Dakar helps you choose your outing.
Jet ski and drone photoshoots
For thrill seekers, jet skiing in Dakar is the ideal activity. Our jet ski base is in Mermoz, on the corniche, and lets you speed along the cliffs, with the city on one side and the ocean on the other. A full safety briefing is given before every departure, covering the controls, distances and instructions, the life jacket is provided for every rider and passenger, and the team is with you so the session stays a pleasure from start to finish.
Jet ski sessions start from 15,000 F for 10 minutes, then 45,000 F for half an hour and 70,000 F for an hour. Ten minutes is enough for a first taste, half an hour lets you really get the hang of it, and the full hour leaves time to explore the coast. It is a perfect activity for a group of friends, a stag party or a rush of adrenaline between two calmer days. All the details are on our jet ski page.
To keep a memory that matches the experience, think of the drone photoshoot. Our pilots take aerial photos and videos of you on the water, most often above a clear kayak: the invisible hull, the turquoise water and the rocks below make images you cannot get anywhere else. Colourful dress, white outfit or swimsuit to match the sea: we advise you on the outfits that look best from the sky.
The drone photoshoot costs 35,000 F solo, 25,000 F per person for two and 20,000 F per person from three, with kayaks paid on top. The photos are delivered the same day, ready to share. It is the favourite of couples, birthdays and content creators, and it is organised at Ouakam, Ngor or the Almadies depending on the light and the sea. See examples on our drone photoshoot page.
Scuba diving at the Océanium
To go further below the surface, the reference in Dakar is the Océanium. Located on the Corniche Est, in the Plateau district, facing Gorée Island, the centre was founded in 1984 by Haïdar El Ali, a Senegalese diver and environmental activist well known for his commitment to the sea and the mangroves. The Océanium is at once a diving centre, an environmental protection association and a seaside venue, with a restaurant and a swimming pool.
For scuba diving in Dakar, the Océanium offers supervised discovery dives for beginners, outings for experienced divers and courses for those who want to earn a level. The outings explore the seabeds around Gorée and off Dakar, known for their wrecks and biodiversity: rock fish, moray eels, octopus, rays and schools of fish are common there. The centre is also developing an original underwater museum project, presented as a first in West Africa.
Diving and clear kayaking are two complementary ways to discover Dakar’s seabed. Clear kayaking lets you see underwater without getting wet, as a family, from age 6 and with no training at all: it is the ideal first step. Diving takes you into direct contact with underwater life, but it requires supervision, a minimum of ease in the water and a little more time. Many of our clients start with clear kayaking, then do their discovery dive a few days later.
A few practical tips: check directly with the centre for opening hours, prices and current conditions, as underwater visibility depends a lot on the swell and the season. Avoid flying within twenty-four hours after a dive, and plan a quiet day for your discovery dive. The Océanium also offers paddleboarding and sea outings, which makes it a good address for a relaxing day on the Corniche Est, just before or after a visit to Gorée.
Sea kayaking and paddleboarding
Alongside clear kayaking, Dakar also has a few places to enjoy classic kayaking and paddleboarding at your own pace. The most charming is on Ngor Island: the Maison d’Italie, also called Chez Carla, is a small hotel restaurant on the island’s south shore, right on the water. You can rent kayaks, paddleboards and pedal boats to explore the bay, facing the Ngor coast, before lunch on the terrace with Italian and Senegalese cuisine.
To get there, simply take a shuttle pirogue from Ngor beach, a crossing of a few minutes. An island access fee is charged on arrival. Expect a few thousand francs for an hour of kayaking, to be confirmed on site as prices change. It is a perfect outing for a quiet day: swimming, kayaking, lunch and a nap in the sun, far from the noise of the city. And on the way back, you can follow up with clear kayaking at our Ngor base, just across the water.
On the sporting side, Dakar also has a real tradition of competitive canoe and kayak. The Anse Bernard club, on the small beach of the same name in the Plateau, near the Corniche Est, is one of the historic clubs of the discipline in Senegal. Its paddlers have shone in regattas, notably in Saint-Louis, where the club has won many medals. It is the place to know if you want to try sprint kayaking or paddle regularly with enthusiasts: contact the club directly for sessions and access conditions.
Classic kayak or clear kayak: which to choose? The classic kayak is ideal for touring and sport, with good glide and the freedom to go wherever you like in the bay. The clear kayak is designed for wonder: you move more gently, but you see everything happening beneath the hull. For a first time in Dakar, with children or for beautiful photos, we recommend the clear kayak. To paddle for a long time and get some exercise, the classic kayak is perfect. The best option is still to try both.
Sea fishing at the Cabane du Pêcheur
Senegal is a country of fishermen, and Dakar is one of the best spots in West Africa for sport fishing. The waters off the peninsula are rich in large pelagic fish: sailfish, marlin, tuna, dorado and wahoo are sought there by anglers from all over the world. Closer to the coast, bottom fishing over the rocky seabed brings up rock fish, sea bream and groupers, a more accessible and very convivial kind of fishing.
In Ngor, the must-visit address is the Cabane du Pêcheur. Set on the beach facing Ngor Island, it combines a fish and seafood restaurant much loved by Dakar locals and a hotel, Atlantic Evasion, which also works as a fishing centre. You can arrange offshore sea fishing trips, late-afternoon outings and trips to watch dolphins there. And back on land, nothing beats tasting your catch or the fish of the day, feet in the sand.
The big-game fishing season in Dakar generally runs from spring to the end of the year, with different peaks depending on the species. Ask in advance about dates, the type of boat, the equipment provided and what is included in the package, such as lunch on board or drinks. Most operators practise catch and release for large fish such as sailfish and marlin: the fish is released after the photo, to protect the resource.
Fishing combines very well with our activities, as the Cabane du Pêcheur is a stone’s throw from our Ngor base. You could, for example, go fishing early in the morning when the sea is calm, have lunch at the Cabane, then spend the afternoon clear kayaking facing Ngor Island or touring the island by boat. If you prefer a private sea outing for your group, with no fishing rod but with swimming and a platter on board, our 8-seat and 15-seat boats also leave from Ngor.
Planning your water trip
With so many water activities, the hardest part is choosing. Here is the programme we recommend for a water weekend in Dakar. On Saturday morning, clear kayaking at Ouakam, at the foot of the cliffs, followed by a drone photoshoot if you want beautiful photos. In the afternoon, head to the Corniche Est for a discovery dive at the Océanium, or a private boat trip to Gorée. On Sunday, go to Ngor: fishing early in the morning or relaxing on Ngor Island at the Maison d’Italie, lunch at the Cabane du Pêcheur, then jet ski at Mermoz to finish in style.
Budget-wise, water tourism in Dakar remains very accessible. Clear kayaking is the most affordable activity, at 6,000 F per kayak. Jet ski starts at 15,000 F for 10 minutes, the drone photoshoot at 35,000 F solo, and a private boat trip from 60,000 F for the whole group, which quickly works out at a very reasonable price per person. Diving and big-game fishing need a slightly larger budget, to be checked directly with the centres.
Safety comes first. Always wear the life jacket provided, listen to the instructors and never go out to sea alone without telling anyone. Sea conditions change quickly in Dakar: we check the marine forecast before every outing, and we would rather postpone an activity than go out in poor conditions. Remember sunscreen, a cap, sunglasses and a bottle of water too, as the glare on the water is strong even when the sky is hazy.
To book our activities, the easiest way is our booking page: choose the activity, the date, the time and the number of people, the price is calculated automatically and your request reaches us on WhatsApp. For groups, agencies, hotels and companies, write to us from the contact page. And if you are looking for more ideas for your stay, on land and at sea, read our guide what to do in Dakar.
Your day on the water starts here
Clear kayaking, boat trips, jet ski and drone photoshoots in Dakar. Book online, confirmed on WhatsApp.
Book an activityFrequently asked questions
What water activities can you do in Dakar?
Clear kayaking at Ouakam and Ngor, boat trips to Ngor, Gorée or Sarpan Island, jet ski at Mermoz and drone photoshoots with Senegal Nautique, as well as scuba diving at the Océanium, classic kayaking and paddleboarding on Ngor Island and sea fishing in Ngor.
Where can you go scuba diving in Dakar?
The Océanium, on the Corniche Est facing Gorée, is Dakar’s reference diving centre. It offers discovery dives, supervised outings and courses, around Gorée and off Dakar.
How much does clear kayaking cost in Dakar?
At Senegal Nautique, clear kayaking costs 6,000 F per kayak, solo or duo, with or without an instructor. The life jacket is provided and the activity is open from age 6 with an adult.
Where can you go sea fishing in Dakar?
In Ngor, the Cabane du Pêcheur and its hotel Atlantic Evasion organise offshore sport fishing trips, facing Ngor Island. Ask in advance about the season and the package.
How much does jet skiing cost in Dakar?
At Senegal Nautique, jet ski costs 15,000 F for 10 minutes, 45,000 F for half an hour and 70,000 F for an hour, from Mermoz. The safety briefing and life jacket are included.