Dakhla (W. Sahara) Travel Guide
Dakhla Lagoon & Desert Safaris
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Located in the Western Sahara coast of Morocco and 22 kilometres north of the Tropic of Cancer on a peninsula at the edge of the Sahara desert, Dakhla offers a little-know kitesurfing and desert holiday destination.
Dakhla town is essentially spread over a huge sandy spit with a huge 50 kilometres lagoon that is set to become an off-beat playground for watersports enthusiasts. With a climate of all-year-round sunshine this place could even match the Canary Islands as a perfect winter sun getaway!
Dakhla is also a port and southern region in Western Sahara, under the de facto control of Morocco. The town was first established as a Spanish trading port in 1476 under the name of Villa Cisneros. The small port stands on an inlet of the Atlantic which the Portuguese called Rio De Oro (River of Gold) as trade in gold dust from West Africa passed through it.
The Spanish retained this name for the surrounding region. During the 1960s, the Francoist dictatorship built one of the three paved airports in Western Sahara. Between 1975 and 1979, Dakhla was the province capital of the Mauritanian province of Tiris al-Gharbiyya, consisting of its annexed portion of Western Sahara.
Attractions in Dakhla (W. Sahara)
Not blessed with many attractions in town, visitors to Dakhla can visit the Fortress of Villa Cisneros and Villa Cisneros Church. Watersports and desert safaris are the things to do here.
Activities in Dakhla (W. Sahara)
Dakhla is known for its 50 kilometres lagoon where you can enjoy windsurfing, camel riding, and kitesurfing. The city lagoon also offers a real opportunity to birdwatchers where they can observe a wide range of migrating birds.
Relaxing
For a perfect place to relax and unwind you don't need to look much further than Dakhla lagoon.
Getting Around
Petit taxis can be caught anywhere in town. Grand taxis are also widely available to head out of town. Long distance buses connect Agadir with Dakhla, though beware it is almost a 2-day drive to get here!
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