River deltas are synonymous with biodiversity. From the fluvial and marine to the terrestrial and avian, the varied topography supports an assembly of species that can only occur in their unique environments. But not all deltas are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Recognised by UNESCO in 2011, Sine-Saloum is an eco-wonderland encompassing 180,000 hectares (444,790 acres) of raw natural beauty. The merging of not one but three rivers (Saloum, Diombos and Bandiala) into the Atlantic creates a remarkable biosphere of brackish creeks, deep mangrove forests, salt flats and open estuaries. More than 200 islands and islets are carved between dry savannahs and murky bolongs (saltwater canals). Throw in bustling villages, man-made shellfish mounds and large bird-nesting sites, and you start to get the picture: Sine-Saloum is not the average delta.