Understand
Mbour is located in the middle of the Petite Cote region, only 80 miles south of Dakar. Supporting a population of around 200,000, its Senegal's fifth largest city and one of the country's fastest growing. Bursting at the seams, many of the outlying cartiers are miles from a paved road, and half built houses can be seen everywhere, especially if you venture into the outlaying areas. A visit to the market, or the fishing port will give one a sense of what the cities' main economic activites are. For the traveler, Mbour gives you a more authentic taste of Senegal and Africa in comparison to the prefabricated mass tourism feel of Saly Portugal.
A great base in which to explore the region, Mbour is located less than a day trip away from many other interesting sites on the Petite cote and the nearby Sine Saloum Delta. One can visit Mbour, see the beaches, visit the market, but then have a the opportunity to visit,for example, nearby Joal Fadiouth, Park de Bandia, La Somone or Popenguine.
As a large city, Mbour contains a melange of all of the countries' ethnic groups and languages. While wolof is spoken widely throughout the city, and is the main form of communication among the Senegalese, one will also hear Sereer as it is the second most dominant ethnic group in the city, and at times, Pulaar, French etc.
Due to its place as a large city expanding rapidly, Mbour suffers from the high employment that is endemic to many cities in Senegal and around Africa. Many young Senegalese have left their villages and smaller towns in search of better opportunities in the tourist economy of Mbour and Saly. Finding work hard to find, they end up turning to the sex trade or hassling tourists. Try to understand in any bad exchanges with the Senegalese that they stem from a dissaffection with the government and system that provides much less opportunities compared to the west.
