Lake Retba, a Pink Wonder of Senegal

Africa has innumerable natural tourist resources and the very special Lake Retba is one of them. Situated in the north of Cap Vert peninsula and less than an hour away from Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, this lake is one the most visited sites in the whole country.

Exceptional Color
What makes the Lake Retba special is the fact that it is pink and salty. That is why it is also called the "Lac Rose". In fact, the high content of salt in the water allows it to house Dunaliella Salina algae. And it is this micro-organism that makes the Retba look like a giant pool of strawberry milkshake. Just prefer dry season to admire this amazing color of the lake for the hues often change during the wet season.

Salt Production
Visiting Lake Retba is also an occasion to discover the small salt collecting industry implanted by the lakeside. Countaining 380 grams of salt per litre, the lake has developed  an entreprise where the collectors daily works about 7 hours. While men, discovered in chest-high water, break the salt deposited at the bottom of the lake with a stake and shovel it to fill up canoes with a capacity of one tonne each, women are in charge of the landing of the canoes and pile up the salt on the shores. Everyone applies shea butter on their skin before working to protect themselves from salt and sun damages.

A Special Place in the World
The feminine color of Lake Retba is pretty in contrast with the salt deposits on the shores, many even say that the taste of the water does not match to its tender pink color, but it is one of the reasons why this lake is so extraordinary. If traveling in Senegal, the "Lac Rose" must be seen, it may take some time to visitors to realize that what they are seeing is real, but it is! A Mother Nature's work of art! The lake is so beautiful that it is often chosen as the finishing point of the Dakar Rally. And the pink water has anti-oxidant properties