Sea View Villas for Rent in Somone
No villas listed in Somone yet
The page exists, the properties are on their way. In the meantime, here are other options for your stay — and if you own a property in the area, now's the time to list it.
In Somone, "sea view" is a phrase that deserves one more question. The village is bordered by two bodies of water: the ocean on one side of the sandbar, the lagoon on the other. They are a few hundred meters apart, they have nothing in common, and many listings say "sea view" for either one.
There is a second question, rarer still and just as useful: at what time of day. A lagoon view is not the same at high tide — a smooth sheet of water stretching to the mangroves — and at low tide, when the ebb uncovers wide mudflats and the landscape becomes a brown expanse criss-crossed by birds. Both are beautiful. They are not the same vacation.
Two waters, two views
The lagoon view is the most sought-after and the one that gives the village its reputation. The water is calm, the mangroves close off the horizon, pirogues glide silently, and herons, egrets and flamingos are part of the everyday scenery. At sunrise, it is one of the most beautiful views in Senegal. It is alive and ever-changing — precisely because it breathes with the tides.
The ocean view, on the other side of the sandbar, is classic and constant: the horizon, the swell, the sun setting straight ahead. It does not change from one day to the next, and that is what people want from it. The wind is stronger there, which is a comfort in the hot season and a drawback on days of strong trade wind.
Dual exposure exists, on a few plots on the sandbar that see both. It is rare, expensive, and it is the best product in the village.
None of these three situations is better than the others. What matters is knowing which one you are booking — and that is settled with a direct question to the owner, whose contact details are available to you as soon as you book.
The tide, a factor in its own right
On the lagoon side, the tidal range is large and it transforms the landscape twice a day. At high tide, the water reaches the roots of the mangroves and the lagoon is a mirror. At low tide, it recedes and uncovers wide mudflats, a glistening brown bed that the birds come to explore — which is actually the best time to watch them, and many photographers come just for that.
You simply need to know beforehand, because disappointment always comes from the gap between the listing photo, taken at high tide, and arriving on a low-tide afternoon. A villa with a slightly raised terrace, or set a little back from the shore, keeps a nice stretch of water in the frame at all hours: that is the real selection criterion on the lagoon side.
One last thing about framing, specific to this side: what you see also depends on what grows in front. The mangroves are spreading, and a hedge of mangrove trees that grows two meters in three seasons blocks a low viewpoint. For a lagoon-side house, ask when the listing photo was taken.
What "sea view" covers here
Villa on the lagoon front — terrace facing the water and the mangroves, garden sloping down to the shore. The village's postcard image and the first to be booked.
Sandbar villa with ocean view — facing the horizon, with the beach a few steps away and the sun setting straight ahead. Windier, more classic, very consistent.
Villa with dual exposure — the rare plots that see the lagoon on one side and the ocean on the other. The best in the village, in very small numbers.
Villa with upper-floor view — in the second row, the view opens up from a high terrace while the ground floor sees nothing. Good value for money, provided you check where the view is advertised from.
Where you are
Somone is an hour and forty minutes to two hours from Dakar on the toll highway. The village sits on a narrow strip and breaks down into three locations.
The lagoon shore, to the north and east, has the most spectacular views and the most complete calm, with the reserve within paddling distance. Some access is via unpaved roads.
The sandbar, between the two waters, is the rarest location: a few hundred meters on foot from either side.
The area toward Ngaparou, to the south, is better served and closer to shops. You lose the view but gain convenience.
Remember to ask for the walking distance to the ocean beach: it is often given as the crow flies, which makes no sense here since you have to go around the lagoon.
When the view is at its best
From November to April, the dry season brings clear skies and cool mornings. It is also peak bird season, when migrants fill the reserve: on the lagoon side, the view is then at its most interesting, especially on a falling tide early in the morning.
From May to June, the water warms up and the humidity has not yet set in: the most comfortable window of the year, with visitor numbers already down.
From July to October, the rainy season (hivernage) makes the mangroves spectacular and the landscape entirely green. Skies are changeable, often magnificent after a squall. It is mosquito season at dusk and the season of the best rates.
A tip on light: on the lagoon side, the best time is sunrise; on the ocean side, late afternoon. If you are torn between two houses, that alone may decide it, depending on your schedule.
Good to know & booking
The lagoon is best discovered from the inside as well as from the terrace: pirogue trips leave a few minutes away, paddleboarding and kayaking let you approach the mangroves silently, and the birdwatching is among the best on the Petite Côte. Go out early: it all happens before eight.
This page only lists houses with a view of the water; the full selection is on the villas for rent in Somone page. For a sea view on an ocean coast without a lagoon, see the villas with sea view in Ngaparou, five minutes to the south. And if you would rather be looked after than independent, the guesthouses in Ngaparou cover the same area.
For a short stay or without a car, the hotels in Somone spare you all the logistics of a house and often give direct access to the lagoon from their jetty.
You commit 20% of the total online to secure the villa, then pay the balance to the owner on arrival, usually in cash. Since front-row houses are booked far in advance, this saves you tying up the whole amount for months. An additional deposit may be requested in high season; it is stated on the listing and follows the same policy. Tourist tax paid on site.
Cancellation is free up to 7 days before arrival in low season (June 1 – October 31) and 14 days in high season (November 1 – May 31); after that, the booking is final and the 20% is non-refundable. A booking canceled within 24 hours of confirmation is refunded in full if arrival is more than seven days away. Last-minute bookings are final once confirmed, with one change of dates allowed up to 48 hours before. If the owner cancels, we offer you an equivalent house in Somone, Ngaparou or Saly, or refund all fees in full. The resident rate is shown on each house for residents of Senegal and the Senegalese diaspora, on an account verified after a phone call.
Who is it for?
Bird and light enthusiasts, for whom a view that changes twice a day is an asset, not a flaw: they are the natural audience for the lagoon front.
Couples and contemplative stays, seeking the total calm of the lagoon shore rather than the bustle of a seafront.
Families who want the ocean beach and the lagoon on the same day: that is the sandbar location, the rarest and most versatile.
Dakar residents coming down for a long weekend, for whom the view is the main reason for the trip.
Frequently asked questions
"Sea view" in Somone: ocean or lagoon?
Both exist, and many listings use the same phrase for either one. The village is bordered by the ocean on one side of the sandbar and by the lagoon on the other. Ask the owner directly before booking: they are not at all the same vacation.
Does the lagoon view change with the tide?
Completely. At high tide, the water reaches the mangroves and the lagoon is a mirror. At low tide, it recedes and uncovers wide mudflats that the birds come to explore — which is actually the best time to watch them. A slightly raised terrace keeps a nice stretch of water in view at all hours.
Do you swim on the lagoon side or the ocean side?
On the ocean side only. The lagoon is a landscape and a place for boating — pirogue, kayak, paddleboard — not a place to swim. A villa with a lagoon view therefore means walking to the ocean beach to get in the water: ask for the real walking time, as going around the lagoon makes the trip longer.
Which exposure is best?
It depends on your schedule. On the lagoon side, the best time is sunrise, with low-angled light and the birds. On the ocean side, it is late afternoon and the sun setting straight ahead. A few plots on the sandbar see both: the best product in the village, in very small numbers.
Can vegetation block the view?
On the lagoon side, yes: the mangroves are spreading, and a hedge of mangrove trees that grows two meters in three seasons blocks a low viewpoint. Ask when the listing photo was taken, and favor a slightly raised terrace that stays above whatever grows.
Can a second-row villa have a view?
Often, yes, from a high terrace, while the ground floor sees nothing. Value for money is good, but check explicitly which level the view is advertised from — it is the main source of misunderstanding with this type of listing.
How does payment work?
You pay 20% online to secure the villa, then the balance to the owner on arrival, usually in cash. Since front-row houses are booked far in advance, this saves you tying up the whole amount for months. Finally, budget for the tourist tax, 1,000 FCFA per person per night. It is paid directly to the property, which collects it — we do not — and the amount is given as a guide.