Even though we’ve been living in Greece lately, even the Aegean region gets cold in winter. So, It was time to head south to Africa, and to the beach.
Essaouira on the southwest coast of Morocco checked all our boxes:
• cheap
• a relatively short flights from Europe (via Marrakesh)
• a beautiful beach on the Atlantic Ocean
• reasonable cost of lodging
• inexpensive, delicious and healthy food
• an interesting culture
• and of course, warm, dry and sunny weather.
Essaouira, also called Mogdor, is a charming walled city, and the houses have white and blue façades. It’s a fishing port known in Morocco for its fish.
Essaouira’s beach is wide with a paved pedestrian walk. On the beach are camel and horse rides and amazing sunsets almost every night. The waves are too rough for swimming, but the kite surfers, surfers and wind surfers provide endless entertainment. Beach umbrellas and lounge chairs are $2.50/ 25 dirham per person.
If you want to go more upscale, there is a golf course nearby.
So, lets go …..
Essaouira: The details
Discount airlines including Whiz Air serve Morocco. Some flights are as cheap as 25 euros and flight times from two to four hours depending on originating city in Europe. Once you land, it’s about a 2.5-hour bus ride (equivalent to $10) from, say, Marrakesh to Essaouira.
The Supr@bus from the airport to the hotel was convenient and inexpensive and you can walk on the beach from the station to the hostel (or take the small blue taxis for 10 dirham/ $1, no tip.)
We stayed in the Essaouira Beach Hostel in a private room with bath and sea view. The buffet breakfast was included for at total of $40 a night for simple but clean accommodations.
You should stay in the Essaouira Beach Hostel because you meet a lot of people and the terraces are nice. It’s in a perfect location and the breakfast is a delicious buffet. The rates are really good and the hostel offers sea views. We paid 400 dirham($40) a night for a sea view which included all the government taxes and tourist tax, the equivalent of $2 per person per night and breakfast.
Culturally, the Medina in Essaouira is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s a 15-minute walk on the beach from the hostel. The Medina (below) is right on the ocean and offers shopping, dining opportunities, music in the evenings, bookshops, a fishing harbor, ramparts and local souks.
There is a nice selection of non-touristy restaurants near the hostel where you can eat for $5 to $7 for two.
Il Mare Restaurant near the ramparts in the Medina has live traditional Moroccan music Saturday evening from 7:30 pm. The view of the ocean waves crashing and ramparts is spectacular, especially at sunset. Il Mare is expensive in Moroccan terms: pizza, 2 local beers and a salad is $40 including the tip. They offer fresh seafood too.
Alcohol consumption is low key in Morocco but tourist restaurants usually offer it. Beach & Friends Restaurant offers Happy Hour from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. daily with half price draft beers ($2) and wine ($2.50.) You can go on camel and horse rides from there as well.Various restaurants directly on the beach have nice Moroccan foods choices with moderate costs. Sogebi was our favorite, and entertainers (right) usually came by. Lunch with half bottle of Moroccan wine runs $20 to $30 for two.
The weather was mild in January, with highs in the 70s Fahrenheit (20 degrees Centigrade) and lows in 50 F/ 10 C. It’s often windy so with wind chill, the temps feel cooler. And it’s quite arid because, well, you’re in the desert. The best times to visit are from April to June and September to October. In July, temps still only average about 30 degrees Centigrade, so it’s cooler in the summer than, say, Greece and Turkey. And of course, there’s that breeze of the Atlantic.
What’s great about Essaouira is that it’s more exotic than Europe without being crazy, and prices are more than affordable for those looking for a longer stay … and a shorter winter season back home.
Pro tips:
• Camel rides are fun for photos but after about 10 minutes of riding, you’re ready to return because it ain’t comfortable. The camel gait is jarring to your back, not like a horse’s. I paid for 30 minutes of quick walk and photos for 80 dirham/$8 which isn’t a great price but not awful. I figure they need to feed the beasts, house them, and buy them. (How much does a camel cost anyway?) Also hold on tight when the camel is getting up and down or you’ll fall off!
• If you go to Essaouira, be sure to check weather for extremely windy days/ sand storm. We had a sandstorm for two days. You can’t really go out if the sand is blowing from the ocean because it gets in your eyes.
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See more about Morocco here in Dispatches’ archives.
Read more from, and about, Marge here.
Marjorie Boyd is the original digital nomad, working from wherever as she travels across the globe. Greece is her base, but she spends part of the year in the United Kingdom.
