The beaches in the Cap Skiring area are some of the finest in all Africa. Here, you'll find most of Senegal's tourist hotels and the highest concentration of foreigners in West Africa, except for in Gambia. If you want a few days' sun and sand, this is the place, but if you're trying to see the 'real' Africa, pass on.To escape the bustle of Cap Skiring, head for Diembéring (JEM-bay-ring), 9km (5mi) to the north, where the beach is quiet and hassle-free.

Dakar gets mixed reviews from travellers. To its supporters, it's a modern, spacious city with a temperate climate and many interesting distractions. Its tree-lined streets and relatively small central area make it easy to walk around, despite its population of over a million, and its clubs and cafes pick up when the daytime attractions go dark. Detractors then point out that the cost of living is very high and some of the city's hustlers won't take no for an answer. You'll have to go and see for yourself. If you don't like Dakar, it's easy enough to escape, with daily transport to all parts of the country; then again, you might just join the ever-growing ranks of resident expatriates.Dakar's IFAN Museum on Place de Soweto houses a superb collection of masks, statues, musical instruments, stools and agricultural implements from all over West Africa. The handsome white Palais Présidentiel, five short blocks south of the Place de l'Indépendence, dates from 1906 and is surrounded by sumptuous gardens.Dakar has two major markets. Marché Kermel, east of the Place towards the port, is housed in a lovely new hall built after the original burnt down in 1993. This lively market sells mainly fruit, clothing, fabrics and souvenirs. The larger Marché Sandaga has more fruit and fewer souvenirs, but for visitors the sheer choice of fabric is a real draw. Dakar also has some of the best Internet facilities in the region, including a 24-hour Internet cafe.Out of the city centre is the Grande Mosquée, built in 1964, with its landmark minaret that's floodlit at night. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims, but it's worth coming here anyway to see the medina surrounding it. While not picturesque, its bustling atmosphere contrasts sharply with the sophisticated high-rise city centre.Pointe de Bel-Air, just northeast of the railway station, has two fenced private beaches and sailboards for hire, although the water is not particularly clean. Avoid the other beaches near Dakar, or you'll run a fair risk of being robbed.

Kaolack (pronounced KOH-lack) is a regional capital with over 200,000 inhabitants and is the centre of Senegal's groundnut industry. Midway between Dakar, Tambacounda and Gambia, it's often regarded as little more than a junction, but it's a lively city - more active than sleepy St-Louis or Ziguinchor - and is worth visiting for a day or two.Kaolack's main attractions are its beautiful large mosque, decorated in the Moroccan style, and covered market - the second largest in Africa after Marrakesh - with Sudanese-style arches and arcades. Despite these attractions, few tourists come here, so there's very little hassle. It's a great place just to wander around and soak up the atmosphere.

For a glimpse of what Senegal looked like in the colonial period, head for St-Louis, the first French settlement in Africa, which dates from 1659. Today, the city straddles the mainland, an island and part of the Langue de Barbarie peninsula at the mouth of the Senegal River. You reach the island on the 500m (1640ft) Pont Faidherbe, originally built to cross the Danube but shipped here in 1897. Two smaller bridges link the island to the peninsula.St-Louis was the capital of Senegal-Mauritania until 1958, when the two countries split up. On the island, which was the European quarter, you can see many grand old houses with their wrought-iron railings and wooden balconies and verandas. The part of St-Louis on the peninsula used to be the African quarter; today, it's a fishing community called Guet N'Dar and the liveliest section of town.On the island, local 'guides' will take you up onto the roof of the post office for a small fee, from where you get good views of the bridge and the city. Nearby is the old governor's palace, a fort during the 18th century, now a government building and useful landmark. The cathedral nearby dates from 1828; despite its modern appearance, it's the oldest remaining church in Senegal. South of Guet N'Dar is a unique Muslim cemetery, where each grave is draped with its occupant's fishing net.Getting online is now possible in St-Louis with the recent opening of a couple of Internet cafés with good connections and reasonable prices.Some 20km (12mi) farther south along the peninsula, along with some good beaches, is Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie, home to numerous water birds, such as pink flamingos, white pelicans, cormorants, herons, egrets and ducks.

Just 70km (40mi) east of Dakar, this is officially Senegal's second-largest city, although it feels quite small and is not at all unpleasant. You can come here to relax under its shade trees, eat in its cafes and cheap restaurants or simply to wander its central area and watch the world go by, but Thiès' main attraction is its world-famous co-operative-run tapestry factory, the Manufactures Sénégalaises des Arts Décoratifs. The tapestries are all based on the paintings of Senegalese artists and can range into the thousands of US dollars; they're worth a peek even if you have no intention of buying. Visitors are allowed only into the factory's exhibition rooms, but the most interesting part of the experience is touring the factory to see how the tapestries are made - call a few days in advance and you may get the full tour.

At first glance, Ziguinchor may not seem like anything special, but those who stay here grow to love it despite the influx of tourists during the winter months. The city is not big, with about 100,000 inhabitants, and you can easily cover the central area on foot. Budget travellers rejoice: it's also one of the cheapest cities in Senegal.The Marché St-Maur is worth a visit if you're looking for food or knickknacks. A block south is the Centre Artisanal, where numerous venders sell a variety of area crafts, from wooden carvings to fabrics and dresses to silver and metal work. Many of the area's hotels can organise a pirogue (dugout canoe) ride to the villages of Affiniam and Djilapao or the Île des Oiseaux (Island of Birds).