A scant five hour flight from Europe and only seven hours from the frigid, frozen Eastern Seaboard of the U.S., tropical Senegal is gaining popularity as a winter destination for those wishing to whittle away their time from the snow and ice by scuba diving, watching exotic birds, lounging on pristine beaches, and taking in the unique blend of cultures that is this former French colony.

Though five-star resorts have been built to take advantage of the natural beauty here, it’s only a short trip from pretty much anywhere in the country and you can find yourself gazing across the pink water that makes up Senegal’s Dead Sea, Lac Rose; trekking out into the bush for a safari amongst “flat-topped acacias and thousand-year-old baobab trees”; or boating through the vast Sine Saloum Delta, home to 600 species of birds and various water mammals. Or you can stay put where you are and enjoy the cool, arctic breeze blowing outside. It’s your choice.