Akine Dyioni Lodge

Set on the dunes of Kaengha above Diembering, Akine Dyioni Lodge looks out over rice fields on one side and the Atlantic on the other. The beach lies 150 metres from the site. Each of the seven rooms takes a different form, built by local craftsmen from reclaimed materials, and named for a person or artwork the owners admire, from the Dogon Sigui cycle to Malian musician Salif Keita. The Sigui room keeps a tented, safari-style shape with a veranda, a freestanding bathtub and an outdoor shower. Solar panels supply lighting, sockets and hot water, and there is no air conditioning; fans and cross-ventilation do the work instead. The restaurant, Nifaka, sits under a large fig tree and serves fish and produce sourced from Diembering's fishermen and market gardeners. Bar Kaengha stands under a fromager tree nearby. Guests can hire kayaks and paddleboards for trips through the bolongs, or bikes for the surrounding villages and mangroves. Birdlife is constant: sunbirds, bulbuls and gonoleks move through the grounds. The lodge runs on a well for water and composts its kitchen waste for the garden. Wifi shuts off from 10:30pm to 7am, and there are no televisions in the rooms. Suitable for couples, small groups and solo travellers, though not for children under fourteen.