How do we recognize an earthly paradise? If the award criteria are obviously subjective, Dakhla is one of those timeless places that tick all the boxes: unspoilt nature, 25°C all year round, the magic of a meeting between the desert and the Atlantic… and the desires it arouses. 1200 km south of Agadir and 800 km north of Nouakchott (Mauritania), connected to Morocco by a simple road and to Paris by a direct Transavaia, Dakhla is no longer this lost spot in the middle of nowhere which saved Antoine de Saint-Exupéry of certain death, but a major issue in North African geopolitics.
The showcase of Western Sahara, the subject of conflict between Morocco and its Algerian neighbor, is a cornerstone of the new tourist epic of the Shereef kingdom, determined to see a wealth of hotel establishments flourish on the 400 km2 peninsula . Temple of kitesurfing, chosen by Grand Duke Henri to learn the discipline in 2018, Dakhla has already seduced many of them. Among the latest arrivals, Caravan by Habitas plays the bohemian-style luxury card. Ideal for kitesurfers, the place remains no less welcoming for the uninitiated.
Yoga classes, horseback riding along the waves with Sarah and Bicha, quad biking on the Sahara dunes, relaxation pool and massage, the site is full of activities between the lagoon and the ocean. Here, everything depends on the strength of the gusts, allegories of life at 100 miles per hour for those who come to escape in order to taste Moroccan flavors in this haven of peace. The cuisine based on Moroccan recipes, traditional or reworked, is a delight, as much as the “tea ceremony” which dedicates this essential moment of the day in the culture of the Arab-Berber kingdom.
Between meals, tastings of oysters or grilled camel will offer you 100% Sahrawi flavors. “Here we are in Africa,” the locals will tell you. And since these lands on the borders of the Arab world, the gateway to sub-Saharan Africa, have so much to offer, the Caravan teams will be happy to book you various breathtaking excursions in 4X4: first to the White Dune, where the white sand desert flows into the ocean. After a stop at the Asmaa spring where you will love enjoying the sulfurized water at 38°C all over your body, head to the continent and Mauritania for a stopover in the middle of the natural oases of Imlili and a swim at “ Puerto Rico.
As its name suggests, this beach has nothing to envy of the Caribbean. Except that you are in the middle of the Sahara in the south of Morocco, and that at this precise moment, the notion of paradise no longer holds any secrets for you…
The charm of a Moroccan city
Relatively far from the hotel establishments, but very close to the airport, the city of Dakhla has much more to offer than it might first appear. An average Moroccan town of around 110,000 inhabitants, it certainly has no major tourist attractions, apart from this kitsch sculpture of a teapot on the edge of the bay. However, the stroll in the middle of the souk turns out to be very pleasant and the street food addresses very tasty for fans of traditional Moroccan gastronomy at (very) low prices. Barely out of the fish-rich waters of the Atlantic, fish can be enjoyed without counting.
