Basse Casamance — the lower Casamance region — is the lushest part of Senegal, a world apart from the dry scrubland of the north. The landscape is dense: tropical forest with high-canopy trees, rice paddies, mangrove estuaries, and the Casamance River winding through it all. The region is home to the Diola people, whose culture, religion, and traditions are quite distinct from the Wolof-dominated north.
The Parc National de Basse-Casamance, near Oussouye, protects a large area of forest savanna and mangrove swamp. Wildlife includes buffalo, several monkey species (including red colobus), warthog, mongoose, and over 200 bird species. It is open year-round, with access by road from Oussouye, and offers one of the best forest walks in Senegal.
The beaches in the region — especially at Cap Skirring, near the border with Guinea-Bissau — are widely considered the finest in West Africa: long, white, and backed by palms. The sea is warm and calm, the fishing villages are active, and the resort infrastructure is lighter than at Saly to the north.
Note: the Casamance region experienced a decades-long low-level separatist conflict. The situation has been largely peaceful since the mid-2010s, but it is worth checking current travel advisories before venturing into remote areas. Travelling to the main tourist destinations — Cap Skirring, Oussouye, Ziguinchor — is generally straightforward.