Dakar, Senegal
Best places to shop in Dakar
4 markets, malls and shopping districts in Dakar — what to buy, when to go, and the tourist traps to avoid at each one.
Last updated 2026-08-11
1. Marché Sandaga
Photo: Ji-Elle · Public domain · source
The city's great central market — textiles, wax print cloth, electronics, produce and craft, spilling across several streets.
Where: MarketMap: Open in Maps Best time: Monday to Saturday 08:00–19:00Cost: BudgetWatch out Very persistent street sellers and unofficial guides attach themselves immediately. Pickpocketing is common in the crush — carry nothing loose.
2. Marché Kermel
Photo: Balou46 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The restored colonial-era covered market — flowers, produce, fish and craft in a calm circular hall.
Where: MarketMap: Open in Maps Best time: Daily 07:00–14:00Cost: Budget
3. Village des Arts and Soumbédioune
Photo: 4MAPS · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The artists' village of studios, and the craft village at Soumbédioune for wood, leather, jewellery and sand painting.
Where: Street ShoppingMap: Open in Maps Best time: Monday to Saturday 09:00–18:00Cost: Mid-rangeTip: Senegalese sand painting and Soumbédioune silver are the genuine local crafts. Watching a piece being made is the best assurance of what it is.
4. Wax print and Senegalese tailoring
Photo: Muhammad-Taha Ibrahim · Pexels License · source
The cloth merchants and tailors — bazin riche and wax print made into boubous, usually in two or three days.
Where: BazaarMap: Open in Maps Best time: Monday to Saturday 09:00–19:00Cost: Budget–MidTip: Buy the cloth at Sandaga and take it to a tailor separately; it is far cheaper than a shop making the whole garment.
More about Dakar
