Essaouira Beach is a broad crescent of golden sand sweeping south from the medina along the bay. Steady Atlantic trade winds — the local 'alizés' that give the town its old nickname 'Wind City of Africa' — make it one of the world's noted spots for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with several schools renting gear and offering lessons along the front. The same wind means the beach is more about action and long walks than lazy sunbathing.
At low tide the firm sand draws footballers, joggers and horse- and camel-riders, and you can walk south toward the river mouth of the Oued Ksob and the ruins of the Borj el Berod, a half-buried old fort said to have inspired Jimi Hendrix during his 1969 visit (the local legend that he wrote 'Castles Made of Sand' here is charming but apocryphal). The seafront promenade linking beach and medina is lined with cafés for a mint tea out of the breeze.
A private driver makes a beach stop simple to combine with the town: you can walk the sands or take a windsurf lesson, then be collected door-to-door without hauling wet gear across the medina — and head back to Marrakech whenever you're ready rather than to a coach timetable.
Highlights
- Wide Atlantic sands ideal for long walks at low tide
- World-class windsurfing and kitesurfing with rental schools
- Steady 'alizés' trade winds — Essaouira's 'Wind City' character
- Horse and camel rides along the shoreline
- Walk south to the Oued Ksob mouth and Borj el Berod ruins
- Seafront promenade with cafés linking beach and medina
Best Time to Visit
Mornings are calmest; afternoons bring the strong winds prized by surfers — spring through autumn offers the warmest, driest conditions.