Dakhla: The Desert Meets the Ocean

Way Down South

Dakhla is far. Really far. You have to take a domestic flight from Casablanca to get here. It's a peninsula way down in the deep south of Morocco where the Sahara desert literally meets the Atlantic ocean. It looks like another planet.

Kitesurfing Heaven

If you don't kitesurf, you're going to learn. The lagoon in Dakhla is completely flat, the water is warm, and the wind blows perfectly almost every single day of the year. There are eco-lodges built right on the sand where you wake up, put on a wetsuit, and step straight into the water. Even if you're terrible at it (like I was), falling into the water here is pretty great.

Oysters and Sand

Because it's a coastal lagoon, the seafood is unbelievable. Dakhla is famous for its oyster farms. You can sit on wooden decks right over the water, eating fresh oysters that were pulled out of the lagoon ten minutes ago, paired with local fish baked in salt.

The White Dune

You have to take a 4x4 trip out to the 'Dune Blanche'. It's a massive, pure white sand dune sticking out of the middle of the blue lagoon. You can climb to the top and literally jump off the edge into the water below. Keep an eye out for pink flamingos walking around the shallow water. It's the ultimate escape from the normal world.