The West African country of Senegal has a number of amazing destinations for travellers to visit and enjoy with the historical city of Saint Louis being a popular location for many visitors. Situated in the north west of the country and approximately 350km north of the capital city of Dakar, Saint Louis, which is in close proximity to the mouth of the Senegal River, used to be the country’s capital during the French colonial occupation from 1673 to its independence in 1960; it was also the capital of neighbouring former colony Reunion.

Tourism is the city’s main draw card and its plethora of exciting activities and sights to explore make it one of West Africa’s most visited regions. Furthermore, Saint Louis has retained its impressive French heritage and preserved many of the buildings from its era of occupation quite well. A must see landmark is the Saint Louis Research Center and Documentation Museum which is home to a comprehensive and impressive display of ethnic Senegalese history and cultural heritage, while another famous sight in the city is the Pont Faidherbe Bridge which connects the island to the mainland.

Besides the many wonderful buildings and monuments visitors can view here, the natural spectacles on offer in Saint Louis are special and worth a visit too. Some of the top attractions include the colonial waterworks at Makhana, the National Park of the Birds of Djoudj, and the National Park of the Langue de Barbarie, which is a water bird estuary on the Senegal River. The cultural atmosphere of the city is astounding and it hosts many terrific festivals and events throughout the year. Saint Louis was honoured with the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.