The white-washed sea side towns of Morocco permeate the consciousness of every traveler who dreams of the sights, sounds and tastes of Islamic Africa. When you travel to Morocco, you travel to a new understanding of the world. Experiencing Morocco on the coast is an ideal way to escape the constant strain of the modern industrialized world into something more simple and beautiful. Here are the five top beaches in Morocco for visitors.
Dakhla bay
Do kite surfing, fishing or diving sound like the best part of a beach vacation to you? Come camp among the Saharan dunes or with the desert nomads for a completely foreign outdoor experience. This area is on the list to become a national park soon, but for now it still remains a pristine taste of the wildlife of Morocco on land and in the water.
For those looking for a more indoor experience by the calm and windy waters of Dakhla Bay, we recommend hotel Calipau Sahara Dakhla. You can enjoy their sea water filled swimming pool while gazing out onto the bay. Technically you can swim in the bay without ever leaving the resort, because sand can be so icky and so far away from your cocktails and fresh seafood.
Essaouira
For those who want an introduction into the many aspects of regular Morrocan culture with the medina, souks, fishing port and more, Essaouira offers an idyllic white-washed city on the Atlantic Coast. This city traditionally attracted more bohemian tourists, but recently a more chic crowd is drawn to this authentic Moroccan city. Since Essaouira has a history of tourism, the locals are friendly and accustomed to tourists coming to visit their home.
Despite being on the Atlantic coast, the beach offers calm sea waters thanks to the protection of the Iles Purpuraires Islets. The coast is still windy, but the waters are calm and safe to swim in. The wind off the coast makes for great windsurfers, and you almost always find these athletes out enjoying the water in this unique part of the world.
Saïdia
This beach is given the name the Blue Pearl of Morocco to match the beautiful blue Mediterranean sea it boarders with 14 km of white powdery sand. This beach is extremely popular due to its large size, low winds and perfect temperatures, so brace yourself to be surrounded by a bunch of sun worshipers. Get out there early to reserve a spot or go out in the late afternoon when many others have already packed up.
The beach does have a life guards posted during the day, but the water is extremely calm and pretty shallow. You can walk out far without the water going over your head. These calm waters are perfect for families and timid swimmers.
The Mediterranean village next to beach is actually really quiet at night, so if you want to do any partying you can go to the nearby Ibiza. In the village there is a really nice marina with access to some water sports like water skiing. The great thing about sleepy Mediterranean villages is that you don’t have to put up with aggressive salesmen and touts that Morocco is infamously known.
Sidi Kaouki
Orange rock crags line the coast of this beach to make for a stunning Moroccan beach scene. This beach is fairly popular due to its geographical uniqueness, but it is really large so it is easy to spread out from other beach goers. It can be quite off-putting for some travelers to be immersed into a landscape with the sea, crag rocks, but not much else in the way of trees or grass. You are in the desert though, there isn’t supposed to be grass!
If you have seen the second The Sex and the City movie, you may find this beach too familiar. It doubled as Dubai in a beach scene in the movie. Tourists enjoy watching the movie to try to figure out which scenes were shot at Sidi Kaouki, and no I won’t give you any hints.
Tamuda Bay
Tamuda Bay offers a white sandy beach located on the gentle Alboran Sea. The low-lying wet lands of the area were transformed into a tropical resort and golf course, complete with a green lawn. It isn’t everyday that you see such green grass in Morocco. It is a perfect location for someone who loves the elegance of a resort lifestyle.
To go off the resort you can visit the culturally diverse town of Tetouan that is a short drive away. The international Mediterranean film festival takes place here in March, so the town has developed an artsy and sophisticated edge. In addition in May Tetouan holds the Comic Strip Festival. Room prices do go up around these festivals, but if you have the money it can be fun to explore the area when these events are going on.
Featured images:
License: Creative Commons
image source
License: Creative Commons image source
License: Creative Commons image source
License: Creative Commons image source
Holly Williford currently lives and works in the suburbs of Washington D.C. On humid summer days sometimes she wishes she lived in the deserts of Morocco.