Kitsurfers benefit from a north-northeast wind between 12 and 25 knots. ARNAUD SPANI/HEMIS. FR
Don’t rely on the grand straight avenues typical of 2000s Moroccan urbanism exiting the airport when arriving in Dakhla. Because if the city develops at the end of the dune belt, it is its lagoon that makes Dakhla a grandiose place. This 37 km long and almost 400 square km curved ecological treasure is a vast expanse of saltwater in the extreme south of Morocco and a haven for migratory birds, biodiversity in general and kitesurfing lovers in particular.
The bay has been Ramsar listed since 2005 as a protected wetland of international importance. Between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sahara, the lagoon is on the migratory route for birds between Africa and Europe. The pink flamingos have settled, but Morocco’s great cormorants are just passing through, as are dozens of seabird species.
Under the water surface, on the ocean side, fishermen bring out groupers, bars or croaks. Surfcasting, fishing on foot from the beach “in the wave”, is practiced day and night. The lagoon’s peaceful tides and calm waters also make it a mecca for mussel farming. Similar to our specials, the Dakhla oysters are fatty and delicate. They are eaten everywhere, at the hotel table or at the exit of the lockers at Talha Mar, an oyster farm that doubles as a restaurant.
The white dune that dominates the eastern shore of the lagoon. GUILLAUME SOULARUE/HEMIS. FR
The fiddler crab remains the lagoon’s most prominent resident. At the Dakhla Attitude Hotel, the muddy areas where these crustaceans live are protected by signs that read: “Please do not step on our houses”. The men’s oversized tongs have become the symbol of the hotel.
Ideal for kiting, Dakhla Attitude is the oldest accommodation in the bay and the one with the most beautiful location on the lagoon. Its nautical base, which has become legendary in the kitesurfing community, offers all water sports including Wing Foil, the latest fashion novelty. The Dakhla Attitude, like the other hotels at the bottom of the lagoon, is largely reserved for those who want to “kite” or discover this sport much easier than it seems. After a week and ten lessons, the joy of kiting is already great enough to decide to start over – or not.
A thousand shades of blue
Aziz Ouakrim, kite instructor, is one of the pioneers of this sport in Dakhla, whom he knew twenty years ago: “There were no hotels or international flights. It was the time of mobile homes and wild camping. Dakhla has long been a popular destination for van travellers, particularly for a long descent from northern Europe to the Sahara, often with boards and sails in hand. Today the vans are fewer in number and parked in an informal village just outside the entrance to the Ocean Vagabond Hotel.
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