Dakhla, Morocco: kitesurfing conditions and Essaouira
Dakhla has flat water and shallow learning areas on the lagoon, alongside deeper sections and offshore launches. Essaouira brings chop and waves on the main beach, with an old walled town behind it.
In Dakhla, Morocco, kitesurfing centres on flat water in a lagoon about 37 km long, with airport wind averages of 12-21 knots (6-11 m/s) depending on the month. It blows hardest from May to August. Essaouira, far up the coast, is open Atlantic with chop and waves, lower airport averages and an old walled town right behind the beach.
Both have colder water than you'd expect next to the Sahara. If you want flat water for freestyle, speed and long runs, Dakhla is the better fit. If you want waves and a walk through the medina in the evening, go to Essaouira.
Dakhla vs Essaouira at a glance
| Dakhla | Essaouira | |
|---|---|---|
| Water | flat water and shallow teaching areas, also deeper sections; more chop at high tide | open ocean, chop, waves; small lagoon |
| Airport average wind | 12-21 knots (6-11 m/s), peak in July | 6-11 knots (3-6 m/s), peak May-July |
| Direction | mainly north to northeast; angle to shore depends on the launch | north, northeast in winter; from the right on the beach |
| Getting there | flight with a connection for most; transfer time depends on camp | about 2.5 h by car from Marrakech, depending on traffic |
| Best for | freestyle, freeride, speed, learning on flat water | wave riding, freeride in chop |
Treat Essaouira’s airport average with care: the station is inland, away from the kite beach. A lower number in the table alone doesn’t mean you’ll need a bigger kite by the sea. Choose your session’s equipment for the actual wind and gusts at your launch.
Dakhla: a lagoon where it almost always blows
The town of Dakhla sits on a narrow peninsula in the Moroccan-administered part of disputed Western Sahara. Behind the town is a bay protected as a wetland. The kite camps and centres are on its shore and you ride straight from them.
At the camps on the northern tip of the lagoon, the northeast wind usually blows along the shore (side-shore). Its angle changes on other shores, and the lagoon has both shallow and deep sections. Before launching, check the wind’s angle to shore, depth and clear space downwind with the local centre. Mornings tend to be lighter, with the wind building around 2 pm; I’d choose a lesson time with the instructor based on the actual conditions.
Plan your time on the water around the tide too. At the northern camps, low tide brings flatter water and high tide more chop. Speed Spot offers flat water at low tide, with wind blowing away from the shore (offshore). It’s for experienced riders with rescue cover agreed with the local centre in advance. Before heading out, confirm that the cover is operating and how to signal for help.
A downwind route runs from Dakhla Attitude to White Dune. The centre offers safety boat support and a return by car; confirm the participation requirements and arrangements for your dates in advance. July and August can also mean busy kite areas, a possibility Evan Bartlett raises in the video below. When choosing a camp, I’d ask where lessons take place and where there’s room to ride independently.
Getting to Dakhla
Royal Air Maroc flies to Dakhla from Casablanca and Paris-Orly among others, Transavia also flies from Paris-Orly, Ryanair from Madrid and Binter from Gran Canaria. Routes change, so check them against your dates. Transfer time depends on the camp: Oasis212 in El Argoub, for example, quotes about 50 minutes by car from the airport. Confirm the timing with your accommodation.
Entry works as for Morocco. According to UK government advice, British passport holders can stay up to 90 days for tourism without a visa, with a passport valid at least 3 months after arrival. Check the rules for your own passport.
Essaouira: chop, waves and a town behind you
Essaouira is a walled town with a medina, and the main kite beach is a 10-minute walk away. The beach is big and sandy and the wind comes from the right, from the north. Expect chop, the short messy wind waves, and waves in places. The only flat water is a small lagoon, and kite guides say it feels busy with 6 kiters.
For wind, I’d aim for summer in Essaouira. Even then, choose your riding day and kite size around the forecast and beach conditions. Outside summer, allow for light-wind days too; if riding is the main reason for the trip, I’d keep some flexibility to respond to the forecast.
Sidi Kaouki, south of Essaouira, is a choice I’d reserve for experienced wave riders. The wind can blow along the shore or diagonally away from it, with stronger currents and sometimes shorebreak, where waves break right at the beach. Check the wind direction, currents, rocks, shorebreak and rescue arrangements with the local centre before riding. I wouldn’t choose it for your first independent sessions. The main town beach is on the Essaouira spot page.
You can fly to Marrakech and continue by car; allow roughly 2.5 hours for the drive, depending on your departure point and traffic. Essaouira also has its own airport, about 15 minutes from town.
When to go: wind by month
These are monthly averages from Windfinder’s airport stations: 6/2004-9/2026 for Dakhla and 4/2012-9/2026 for Essaouira. They help with choosing a season, but don’t tell you how the wind will behave at your beach during a session.
| Month | Dakhla wind, knots (m/s) | Essaouira wind, knots (m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 13 (7) | 8 (4) |
| February | 15 (8) | 8 (4) |
| March | 16 (8) | 9 (5) |
| April | 16 (8) | 10 (5) |
| May | 18 (9) | 11 (6) |
| June | 20 (10) | 11 (6) |
| July | 21 (11) | 11 (6) |
| August | 18 (9) | 10 (5) |
| September | 17 (9) | 9 (5) |
| October | 14 (7) | 7 (4) |
| November | 13 (7) | 7 (4) |
| December | 12 (6) | 6 (3) |
For strong wind and big air I’d go to Dakhla from May to July. If you’re choosing where to kitesurf in June or where to kitesurf in July, these months fall within Dakhla’s windiest part of the year in the airport records. October to January have lower averages of 12-14 knots (6-7 m/s). A lower monthly average doesn’t promise gentle lesson conditions; plan tuition with an instructor around the weather on the day.
What to pack: kites and wetsuit
I’d pack for the dates, my weight, board and the wind ranges of the kite models I use. Monthly averages help me choose a season; for an individual session, I choose a size for the actual wind, including gusts. Treat the kite size calculator as a rough planning aid and compare its result with the manufacturer’s guidance and conditions at the launch. If you’re still learning to make that choice, work through it with your instructor.
I’d bring a wetsuit. For summer in Dakhla I’d pack a full 3/2 mm; for winter I’d check a thicker suit, such as 4/3 mm, with the local centre. For Essaouira I’d pack a full 4/3 mm even in summer; from October, check with the centre whether a 5/3 mm would suit you better. Factor in your session length and how easily you get cold. Pack a warm layer for the evenings.
Who Dakhla suits and who Essaouira suits
Beginners can learn in Dakhla, with flat water helping in the shallow teaching areas. Just expect strong afternoon wind and the tide, and pick a course that teaches you to read the wind and get yourself back to shore, not only to get going. Offshore spots are for experienced riders with rescue cover agreed in advance and operating during the session.
Experienced riders will like Dakhla's flat water for tricks and speed. I know similar shallow sandy lagoons from the Red Sea, where I go on kite safari. The difference is that there the boat follows the wind between islands, while in Dakhla you stay by the lagoon.
Essaouira suits riders who want waves and don't mind chop. There's less flat water for your first solo sessions.
Even among the best kitesurfing spots in the world, I’d choose by my level and what I want to do on the water: in Dakhla, the launch and support matter; in Essaouira, it’s whether I want chop and waves. Compare the locations of Essaouira and nearby spots on the kite spot map.
Questions
When is the wind strongest in Dakhla?
The weather station at Dakhla airport records the highest averages from May to August, 18-21 knots (9-11 m/s), peaking in July. October to January are the lightest months at 12-14 knots (6-7 m/s) on average. The wind is usually stronger in the afternoon than in the morning.
Is Dakhla good for beginners?
You can learn in the lagoon’s shallow teaching areas, but depth and wind direction vary between launches. Expect strong wind, especially on summer afternoons, and tides; choose lesson conditions with your instructor. Offshore spots are not for beginners.
Do I need a wetsuit in Morocco?
Yes: a full 3/2 mm is an option for summer in Dakhla; for winter I’d check a thicker suit, such as 4/3 mm, with the local centre. For Essaouira I’d pack a full 4/3 mm even in summer. From October, check with the centre whether a 5/3 mm would suit you better.
Do I need a visa for Morocco?
British passport holders can visit for tourism for up to 90 days without a visa, with a passport valid for at least 3 months after arrival, according to UK government advice. Czech citizens have the same 90-day visa-free stay. Check the rules for your own passport before you book.
Dakhla or Essaouira?
Dakhla if you want flat water, lots of wind and full days on the lagoon. Essaouira if you don't mind chop, want waves and a town in the evening. Essaouira is easier to reach: about 2.5 hours by car from Marrakech, depending on your departure point and traffic.
Sources
- Oasis212 in El Argoub: side to side-onshore wind, shallow and deep areas; airport transfer about 50 minutes; shorty in summer, 3/2 mm in spring and autumn, 4/3 mm in winter www.ion-club.net (checked 18 October 2026)
- Speed Spot: low tide, offshore, experienced riders only, service with boat safety on site; Dakhla Attitude - White Dune downwind with safety boat and return by car dakhla-attitude.ma (checked 18 October 2026)
- Sidi Kaouki: side to side-offshore, stronger currents, possible shorebreak, not recommended for beginners or riders still progressing through the basics; Essaouira: at least 3/2 mm in summer, 5/3 mm from October www.ion-club.net (checked 18 October 2026)
- Essaouira: the local centre’s FAQ recommends a full 4/3 mm wetsuit year-round www.ion-club.net (checked 18 October 2026)
- Marrakech - Essaouira transfer approximately 2.5 hours, depending on traffic and departure point taxi-essaouira-marrakech.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- Kite size depends on weight, local wind, riding style and board type; the manufacturer distinguishes model wind ranges www.duotonesports.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- The calculator provides a rough estimate; gusts, the kite model, board and rider level also affect the choice kitewithjaja.pages.dev (checked 18 October 2026)
- Evan Bartlett, video from 1:38: reports hearing that July and August can be crowded; describes fewer people during his own Christmas holiday visit www.youtube.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- Dakhla airport station (observations 6/2004-9/2026): monthly averages Jan-Dec in knots (m/s): 13 (7), 15 (8), 16 (8), 16 (8), 18 (9), 20 (10), 21 (11), 18 (9), 17 (9), 14 (7), 13 (7), 12 (6); dominant direction NNE, NE in December and January www.windfinder.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- Essaouira / Mogador inland airport station at 31.3975 N, 9.6817 W (observations 4/2012-9/2026): monthly averages Jan-Dec in knots (m/s): 8 (4), 8 (4), 9 (5), 10 (5), 11 (6), 11 (6), 11 (6), 10 (5), 9 (5), 7 (4), 7 (4), 6 (3); north dominant from April to October www.windfinder.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- Dakhla Bay is 37 km long and has been a Ramsar wetland since 2005; the protected site includes habitats other than open water rsis.ramsar.org (checked 18 October 2026)
- Western Sahara is disputed; Morocco took over administration of the areas vacated by Mauritania in 1979, and a berm separates Moroccan and Polisario forces minurso.unmissions.org (checked 18 October 2026)
- Dakhla: northeast side-shore wind at the northern lagoon camps, usually lighter in the morning and building around 2 pm; flatter at low tide, choppier at high tide; full 3/2 mm wetsuit as an option, warm layers for evenings www.iksurfmag.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- Essaouira: wind typically 16-26 knots (8-13 m/s), from the right; chop and waves on the main beach, small flat-water lagoon busy with around 6 kiters; beach a 10-minute walk from the medina; Essaouira airport about 15 minutes by car www.iksurfmag.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- Sidi Kaouki: exposed sandbar beach break with rocks www.surf-forecast.com (checked 18 October 2026)
- Dakhla airport: Royal Air Maroc from Casablanca and Paris-Orly among others, Transavia from Paris-Orly, Ryanair from Madrid, Binter from Gran Canaria en.wikipedia.org (checked 18 October 2026)
- British passport holders can visit Morocco for tourism for up to 90 days without a visa; passport must be valid at least 3 months after arrival www.gov.uk (checked 18 October 2026)
- Czech citizens: visa-free short stay in Morocco up to 90 days, passport valid at least 3 months from entry mzv.gov.cz (checked 18 October 2026)
