Diembering

Diembéring sits on a wooded rise a little north of Cap Skirring, one of the largest Diola villages in the Casamance, with a beach below it that runs for kilometres with almost nobody on it. The village is known for an enormous kapok tree at its centre and for keeping more of its traditional character than the coast further south. Campements run by villagers offer rooms, and paths lead down through palm and cashew to the shore.

History

Diembéring began as a fishing village and still is one, though tourism has opened other livelihoods; it lies about 10 km north of Cap Skirring and is home to the Diembéring dialect of the Kwatay language (Wikipedia, Diembéring).

What's there

• The kapok tree - a very large fromager at the centre of the village.
• The beach - a long empty Atlantic shore below the ridge.
• The village - Diola compounds and rice fields on the wooded rise.
• The palm forest - oil palm and cashew between the village and the sea.

When to go

November to May is the dry season. The rains from June green everything and make the sand tracks difficult. Weekdays are quiet even in season.

Things to know

The track in is sand and hard going without the right vehicle. Accommodation is village campements, simple and without reliable power. There are no shops or restaurants beyond what the campements provide.

Nearby

Cap Skirring is south along the coast, and Oussouye is inland to the east.

Key facts