Dakhla is a medium-sized city of just over 100,000 people located 400 kilometres north of the Mauritanian border. The city is built on a peninsula that runs down from the mainland creating a lagoon area with warm turquoise waters that is popular for kite surfing and wildlife.
Like Essaouira, Dakhla also has a temperate climate and is also very well known for having great windy conditions for surfers, due to Sirocco and Trade winds. It is one of the unknown pearls of Morocco that is fast becoming popular because of its beaches, sport, and nature. In fact, the number one activity in Dakhla is kite surfing and there are many hotels in the area that offer kite surf camps.
Beach life in Dakhla
Located on an almost island, at the entry of the Rio de Oro, the bay of Dakhla and its splendid lagoon with warm turquoise waters is home to migratory birds, pink flamingos, turtles, monk seals, rays and humpback dolphins.
In addition to lazing around, swimming and surf-casting fishing, you’ll have the opportunity to practice the most fashionable nautical activities. The city tops the list of worldwide water sports since 2014. Surfers, kite-surfers or windsurfers, who also consider this spot as one of the most beautiful on earth, meet on the beach of Foum El Bouir to experience challenges. Going down further south, you’ll arrive to the superb white sand beach of Puertito, as well as the beach of Puerto Rico, where you’ll have the opportunity to sleep in tents beneath the stars.
The shores of Dakhla are said to some of the most beautiful in Morocco, offering peace and the chance to bask in 25-degree sunshine, all year round. For a quiet swim in crystallised waters of the lagoon try PK25 beach or for a livelier vibe the Foum El Bouir beach that is popular among water sport enthusiasts. Surfers, kite surfers and wind surfers can experience thrilling waves and winds, and many famous surfers are attracted to Dragon Point a renowned spot for incredible swells to ide for metres.
From a day out surfing the waves, a good stretch is what is needed, and in Dakhla there are many yoga retreats and wellness holidays. In fact, some facilities combine yoga with surfing and windsurfing activities offering a variety of courses for all abilities.
In recent years Dakhla has also become famous for oyster farming; the oysters develop at a rapid rate in the waters of Dakhla thanks to the prevalence of phytoplankton, which the oysters feed on. Fast growth is also attributed to the temperature in the waters of Dakhla, which is consistent and doesn’t change much. Shoreside you can also practice surfcasting or fish using a stand-up paddle board as the waters are rich with marine life. It is therefore no surprise that Dakhla is well known for its range of fish restaurants and is a paradise for seafood lovers.
