Place · The Plateau
Kermel market
The Plateau's covered market near the port: fruit, flowers, fish and small crafts; a 30–45 minute morning stop with cash in small notes and a firm no to touts.
- Covered Plateau market
- Fruit, fish and crafts
- Best before 11:00
- Go weekday morning, before 11:00
- Bring cash
- Hard in a wheelchair
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 11Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry an original yellow fever vaccination certificate on…Broken pavements and heavy traffic
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- West Africa ↗Carry an original yellow fever vaccination certificate on any West African trip: several countries on the coast road demand it of every arrival, and the rest demand it after you have passed through a neighbour.
- West Africa ↗Cross land borders and drive between cities in daylight only; plan each crossing as a full travel day with cash for fees and passport copies for checkpoints.
- Senegal ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport on official Senegalese government sources before booking.
- Senegal ↗Dress modestly in towns and at religious sites: shoulders and knees covered.
- Senegal ↗Check your government's advice before travelling to parts of the Casamance region in the south.
- Dakar and Cap-Vert ↗Traffic is heavy at rush hours; build a buffer for every road leg and the airport.
- Dakar ↗Broken pavements and heavy traffic: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Dakar ↗Blaise Diagne airport is about 45 km from central Dakar: pre-book the ride, agree the fare first, and decline drivers who approach you inside the hall.
- Dakar ↗Dress modestly in the city and at religious sites: shoulders and knees covered; beachwear stays on the beach.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Go weekday morning, before 11:00
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun · busiest Fri, Sat · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: Free
- Time to spend
- 35–50 min · up to 80 min if you linger
Best time to go
Busy from mid-morning; calmer before 10:00.
By weekday: quietest Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun, busiest Fri, Sat.
Opening hours
- Note
- Stall hours vary; most trading is morning to mid-afternoon (check).
- Hours note
- Desk estimate: morning to mid-afternoon; confirm locally.
Which month is quietest
- Janlight
- Feblight
- Marlight
- Aprlight
- Maylight
- Junlight
- Jullight
- Auglight
- Seplight
- Octlight
- Novlight
- Decbusy
Quietest Jan–Nov · busiest Dec.
Estimate: desk reasoning from school-term, weekend and season patterns; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Near the Plateau port end; walk from the hotel or a short taxi
- Ticket
- on site · official site · bring cash
- Stairs
- Not recorded
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance
- NoLifts
- NoAccessible toilet
- NoWheelchair
- NoStroller · poor
Sensory load
- Sensory load3/5 Medium
Exposure: medium
What to bring and the rules
- Cash · The ticket desk is likely to take cash only.
- A small bag · Carry a small cross-body bag; leave valuables at the hotel.
- Casual; cover shoulders and knees out of respect.
- Carry a small cross-body bag; leave valuables at the hotel.
- Ask first; some vendors expect a small tip for portraits.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: Nearest AC café or hotel lobby (field-verify)
Nearest rescue anchor: D — Boulangerie or supermarket (AC, field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Ask before photographing vendors and their stalls.
- Keep bags zipped and in front: pickpockets work the aisles.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- Go before 11:00: it is cooler and the aisles are calmer.
- Bargain gently for crafts and cloth; fruit and fish are usually near a fixed price.
- Cash only; small XOF notes make everything easier.
- Confirm the exact market layout and days with the hotel; the site has been rebuilt over the years.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Bring cash; cards may not be taken (check).
- Dress code
- Casual; cover shoulders and knees out of respect.
- Bags & lockers
- Carry a small cross-body bag; leave valuables at the hotel.
- Photos
- Ask first; some vendors expect a small tip for portraits.
- What's closed
- Sunday afternoon and public holidayscheckMany stalls close; mornings are safest.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free | Prices at stalls are negotiable; ask twice. |
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
20min
Worthwhile
35min
Typical
50min
p95
80min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (50 min).
With the other 10 min, these are a walk away (their own visit time is on their page):
- Place de l'Indépendance walk8 min on foot · 2 min spare
- Thieboudienne lunch, Plateau canteen10 min on foot · 0 min spare
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partly
- Lifts: no · no
- Accessible toilet: no · no
- Wheelchair: no · no
- Stroller: no · nopoor
Crowded aisles and uneven floors.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Market and food fans | good | Fruit, fish and everyday food in a manageable size. |
| Families with small children | caution | Crowds and heat. |
Skip it if
- You have already planned Sandaga for a market fix.
- It is the hot afternoon.
With kids
- with kids
- Crowded and hot; hold hands.
- child price
- Free
Combine with
Combine with
- 8 minPlace de l'Indépendance walk
- 10 minThieboudienne lunch, Plateau canteen · eat
Walk the The Plateau area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is it worth a detour?
Yes if you like markets and are on the Plateau anyway; otherwise Sandaga is the bigger, more hectic option.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
How much should I bargain?
Start at about half on crafts and cloth and settle around 60–70%; do not bargain on food with a fixed price.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Photos
Deep dive
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Dakar
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The quietest window written into this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.