Essaouira Bay
A sand bay with permanent wind, Morocco's kitesurfing capital.
Duration
2 hrs – 4 hrs
Best time
Mornings, before the wind builds
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Essaouira bay is swept by the trade winds almost all year, a steady north-easterly Moroccans call the taros. That is a nuisance for swimming and an asset for sailing: the town is Morocco's capital of kitesurfing and windsurfing.
The beach runs several kilometres and stretches south to the mouth of the Ksob river and the ruins of Bordj El Berod, a fort swallowed by sand — a Jimi Hendrix album cover is wrongly attributed to it, but the local legend holds firm.
Getting there
The beach runs straight on from the medina and extends south. The kite schools are set up halfway along.
What to bring
- Swimsuit
- Board
Rules on site
The wind builds reliably in the early afternoon: for swimming or sunbathing, come in the morning. Atlantic water stays around eighteen degrees in summer, and the currents near the river mouth are real.