Do Women Windsurf In Essaouaria?

The ION CLUB Essaouira center in Morocco offers kitesurfing, wingfoil, and windsurfing lessons. The center is dedicated to windsurfing and stand-up paddling with the latest equipment FANATIC DUOTONE. It welcomes French, English, and German coaches to organize windsurf storage and rental lessons for all levels. Essaouira is known as the windy city, with strong winds filling in from the North and increasing throughout the day.

The center offers a wide range of windsurfing courses, catering to beginners and more advanced riders. Lessons cover riding in harnesses and the wind blows cross offshore from the right, directly next to the center. The beach’s shape allows for downwind conditions.

Essaouira is an ideal all-round spot for watersports enthusiasts, offering excellent windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, and stand-up paddleboarding conditions. The region is located on the coast of Morocco, where the Atlas Mountains meet the Atlantic. Essaouira is still popular with kitesurfers, with casual Western attire seen in many.

Essaouira hosts three competitions: the Womens World Windsurfing Cup and the Mens World Cup. Female windsurfers can enjoy yoga sessions, dancing, camel rides, and windsurf lessons on the beach. Australian windsurfer Jager Stone visited his friend Boujmaa Guilloul in Moulay for starboard tack windsurfing.

Booking surfing lessons for beginners and advanced surfers in Essaouira is available at a price of 15.5 EUR. Top-rated surf schools include Yalla Surf School.

Is Essaouira or Casablanca better?

Casablanca is a nice place but a busy noisy congested commercial/financial hub. Traffic and noisy and polluted. The Hassan II mosque is it’s greatest virtue. Essaouira is a magical relaxed walled port on the ocean next to a long calming beach.

Can you swim in the sea at Essaouira?

Essaouira’s wide, sandy beach is great for walking and kitesurfing, but sunbathing and swimming can be difficult when the winds are strong. For swimming, stick to the town stretch, as Plage Safi to the north has dangerous currents.

Surrounded by dramatic, wave-lashed ramparts, the narrow streets, hassle-free souqs, street vendors and vibrant galleries of Essaouira’s walled medina…

Essaouira’s large working port is noisy, pungent and hugely atmospheric. Along with the flurry of sea-blue wooden boats arriving and departing, nets being…

You might recognise the ramparts of the 18th-century Skala de la Ville. They, along with the hulking Bastion Nord, had a starring role in Game of Thrones…

Is Essaouira expensive?

Is Essaouira expensive to visit?. Essaouira is a reasonably affordable place to visit. Located in Morocco, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the relatively low cost of this destination. It falls in the average range in the country for its prices. If you’re traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.

Within Africa, Essaouira is a reasonably affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 25% of cities in Africa for its affordability. You can find more affordable cities such as Dahab, but there are also more expensive cities, such as Dar es Salaam.

For more details, and to find out if it’s within your travel budget, see Is Essaouira Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Essaouira?. The average Essaouira trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Essaouira travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.

Is it always windy in Essaouira?

Essaouira is also known as the Windy City of Africa because the wind blows hard all year round.

A real delicacy you must taste during your stay in Essaouirais camel’s milk cheese. The texture and taste of this cheese can be compared to goat’s cheese. It is served in different ways so you can get the most out of your tasting experience. Also be sure to try the city’s traditional sweets in patisseries.

During the day, you can enjoy a cup of tea and a lovely view on one of the many terraces. Even in the evening, it is worth leaving your holiday home with swimming pool because that is when the atmosphere of the city completely changes and you can enjoy live music one of those many terraces.

If you can’t get enough of Moroccan flavours, you can buy various spices in one of the local shops. So you can enjoy Moroccan flavours in the kitchen of your holiday homein Moroccobut also once you are back home.

Is Essaouira safe for women?

Safety at night:Moderate. Essaouira is generally considered fairly safe for solo female travelers during the night. Nevertheless, it is always crucial to exercise common sense precautions. Incidences of crime are relatively low but occasional hassles from touts and male attention can be encountered. The medina is well-lit and often busy into the evening, which improves the feeling of safety. However, it’s still best to avoid desolate or poorly lit areas late at night and always stay aware of your surroundings.

Public transportation:Safe. Public transportation in Essaouira is relatively safe. There are various forms including taxis, buses, and trams that are frequently used by locals and tourists alike. As a solo female traveler, daytime trips are more advisable. Always ensure to keep personal belongings close. Petty theft can occasionally happen but violent crime is rare. It is also common to share taxis with other passengers to save on cost. However, ensure to negotiate taxi rates before getting in to avoid overcharging. Though English is not widely spoken, apps can be really helpful or having the name of your destination written in Arabic. Overall, with basic vigilance, using public transport in Essaouira is relatively safe.

Street harassment:Low. Essaouira is generally safer and less hectic than other Moroccan cities. Even though you might experience some instances of individually targeted attention, often in the form of local men attempting to engage in conversation or giving unsolicited compliments, severe street harassment is much less common. As a solo female traveler, always remember to dress modestly to respect local customs and reduce unwanted attention, keep your personal belongings safe, and be confident. locals are friendly and often helpful.

What can you smell in Essaouira?

Seagulls are swooping around, making noise, in their typical state of fuss. It smells. Not overpoweringly bad, but thick—a murky combination of fish and damp stone, with periodic hints of coffee, cedar and cat. Welcome to Essaouira.

As unappealing as all of that may sound, the coastal town of Essaouira (pronounced ‘essa-WEE-ra’) is one of Morocco’s most captivating places. Just a three hour drive west of Marrakech, this salty spot is a world away when it comes to character and feel. With its white buildings and bright blue doorways, Essaouira looks more Med than Moroccan. Given its long history as a prized port for everyone from the Romans to the Portuguese to the Spanish to the French, I suppose this makes sense. Grace to two thousand or more years of cultural layering, the town today is an interesting blend of Berber, Arab and European influences.

And the best way to soak it all up is simply to walk. There are no grand monuments per se, but a wonderful series of must-see (and smell) sights. Nothing is too far away and the more-or-less grid-like layout of the streets makes it easy enough to get found if you get lost. Start with a coffee in the main square, Place Moulay Hassan, the heart of the old town. Then stroll up the wide Avenue Oqba Ibn Nafi to the souks, where you’ll find fresh produce, nervous chickens, and spices galore. Once you’ve loaded up onargan oil(a local specialty with remarkable curative properties for both skin and hair), meander the musty streets of the mellah. Originally the town’s thriving Jewish quarter, the neighborhood has slowly drained of residents and now crumbles around the edges. For a breath of fresh air, find your way to the citadel, sit on a cannon and watch the rough Atlantic surf. Check out the small workshops under the ramparts, where craftsmen turn roots from native thuya cedar into marquetry boxes and furniture of staggering detail. And finally, as you walk to the beach for a casual seafood lunch atChalet de la Plage(a classic), you’ll want to detour via the fishing port to see traditional wooden fishing boats being built.

How conservative is Essaouira?

Essaouira is a tourist town and beach destination, and consequentially is one of the least conservative destinations in Morocco. However, this is still Morocco with a very strong Muslim culture, and visitors should be respectful of this, especially around Ramadan.

“Is Essaouira safe?” This is one of the most common questions that drops into my inbox weekly, even from people who have followed me for years on social media and seen posts about my family trips, solo female trips, trips with my own retired parents, and the months we lived in Essaouira. Perhaps because Morocco is a north African country and feels so far removed from Western comforts, people want that extra assurance before they book a flight.

I do get it. So many media outlets post click-bait articles that plant seeds of doubt for visits to Muslim and African countries. And Morocco ticks both boxes.

Please don’t let these seeds of doubt grow as Essaouria really is worth visiting. Indeed, having lived and travelled all over the globe, it still remains one of my favourite places on the planet.

Is Essaouira or Marrakech better?

And the winner is: DrawAnother tough category, Marrakech has more activities and traditional sights to tick off, but Essaouira claws back some points on the UNESCO medina and port area which complement each other so well. The beach at Essaouira is also a perfect place to spend some time away from it all.

With the beach, port and traffic-free medina, Essaouira has plenty of places for kids to safely relax and play. Do check out our guide to visiting Essaouira with kids.

The beach in particular is an excellent retreat for little ones, there’s even a mini playground to enjoy. And surf lessons are a must for kids age 4+.

How many days should I stay in Essaouira?

So many people only visit Essaouira as a day trip from Marrakech or Agadir. But really, you should allow at least a week to settle into the laid back vibe of this port town.

However, if you are short on time and only have a day or two, then follow our detailed itineraries for:

• One day in Essaouira
• two days in Essaouria (with options for extra days)

Do you only have one day to spend in Essaouira? Here we provide a comprehensive one day Essaouira itinerary for you to follow so that you can get the most out of your visit.

Two days are a typical length of time in Essaouira for those travelling around Morocco for their holiday. Here we provide a comprehensive itinerary for your two days in Essaouira, and provide inspiration for any extra days you may have up your sleeve.

Can I drink tap water in Essaouira?

Is the tap water in Essaouira safe to drink?. Whilst the majority of locals drink the tap water, if you are only visiting Morocco for a short time, the last thing you want is a stomach bug. Best to stick to filtered or bottled water, and avoid ice cubes in your drinks at restaurants and cafes.

To save on water bottles, consider buying a water filter bottle. The WaterWell™ Travel Ultra 2 Stage Filter 700ml Water Bottle removes bacteria and parasites (including Salmonella, E-coli, Giardia) and chemicals. It’s the perfect water bottle for travellers.

WaterWell Water Filter Bottle, BPA-Free Tritan, 2-Stage…

• &#128167
• DITCH THE DISPOSABLE WATER BOTTLES – Stop relying on single-use plastic water bottles! With the…
• &#128167
• FILTER 99.9% OF WATERBORNE PATHOGENS – The 2-stage filter in the WaterWell 700ml Travel Water…
• &#128167
• KEEP YOURSELF HYDRATED – Whether you’re out camping, hiking, or on a long journey, make sure…
• &#128167
• NO AFTERTASTE – Unlike some other water filter bottles on the market, the WaterWell doesn’t…
• &#128167
• EASY TO USE: Simply fill the bottle with water from any source, screw on the filter cap and…

What is the most liberal city in Morocco?

Casablanca is also the most liberal and progressive of Morocco’s cities.