abene, senegal

The village Abéne is a rootsy village, located in the South part of Senegal, in the region of Casamance with its vibrant culture, natural beauty and great hospitality. Abéné is a traditional fishing village on the Atlantic Ocean where inhabitants subsist mostly on fishing, trade and agriculture. The typical fishing boats, called ”pirogues" lays out each day in order to go fishing. The main languages are: french, wolof, mandinka, jola and some english.

The atmosphere in Abéné is far from mass tourism and at first glance there does not appear to be much there - One main street surrounded with low houses, simple restaurants and shops selling fruits and vegetables, household utensils, handicrafts such as batik and wooden objects, fabrics and jewelry and a few "campements" (bed and breakfast). But here you get the opportunity to get close the local culture, design your own dress at the local tailor or discover ancient traditions and the vibrant music scene hiding in the forests.

music & dance

The music and cultural life of Senegal, Abene and the Casamance-region is incredible rich! In Abene you can hear drumming basically everywhere, everyday and you never know what happens when you follow the sound of the drums ...

Discover Senegal's many cultures at the sparkling music and dance festival Abene Festivalo, this annual 10-day cultural festival in Abéné begins at the end of December and extends into the New Year. The festival also includes traditional wrestling matches and other exciting cultural events. Musicians and artists from all over the world gather here to enjoy! 

nature

Nature invites you to stroll along the mile-long, pristine beaches and through the village's tropical greenery. The region is known for its many mango trees, eucalyptus, palm trees and huge fromage-trees. Abene is famous for the sacred tree, the mighty Ceiba - "Bantam Wora". It is actually six trees grown together and it represents a fusion of islamic and animist beliefs - Just like in Senegal where christians and muslims, jola, mandinka, wolof and other ethnic groups and religions are living and growing strongly together.

birdwatching

Senegal is also one of the world's best locations for bird watching, and we can arrange birdwatching trips for those who wish. Many of the birds of the region can also be seen from a random hammock right at Jaliya Camp. Have a look at some of the beautiful birds seen in the environment in our gallery.