Top 5 Wild Beaches around Essaouira (Accessible by Car Only)

There's Essaouira's main beach, long, handsome, windswept. And then there are the others. The ones you won't find in any brochure, reachable only by car, where the sand hasn't seen an umbrella in centuries. Those are the ones we care about.

1. Sidi Kaouki, the north end *25 km south of Essaouira*

Everyone knows Sidi Kaouki for its cafés and surf school. But park before the village, near the white marabout shrine on the hill. From there, the beach opens northward for kilometres of empty sand. No sound, no shade, just the Atlantic working the shoreline.

Perfect for a long barefoot walk. Swimming, though, calls for caution, the current pulls outward.

2. Iftane, the forgotten cove *40 km south, drivable track*

This one, you have to earn a little. A track drops between two cliffs to a tiny arc of sand where a few blue boats dry in the sun. Nets hang from the rocks. The silence is thick and salty. A Duster makes the descent easier, but a small car manages fine at a slow pace.

Bring your picnic, there's nothing down there, and that's precisely the point.

3. Tafedna, the sand crescent *60 km south*

An immense sweep of beach flanked by mountains on one side and argan trees on the other. This is where locals come on weekends, those who know. The fishing village has barely changed. Around eleven, the boats come in with the day's catch. Choose your fish, have it grilled at a roadside shack. Ten dirhams more for the mint tea. A perfect day doesn't cost much more than that.

4. Moulay Bouzerktoun, the wild one *25 km north*

Windsurfers worldwide know this name. Waves smash against black rocks with a violence that mesmerises. At low tide, natural pools appear between the reefs, the water turquoise and almost calm. The wind, however, never stops. You leave invigorated, hair full of salt.

5. Cap Sim, where the desert falls into the sea *20 km south*

You park at the end of the track and continue on foot. Honey-coloured dunes sliding down to the foam. In the evening, when the sun tips over, everything turns copper and orange. Some of our clients say it's the most beautiful sunset they've ever seen in Morocco. We don't argue.

Before you go

A few things worth remembering:

Leave nothing on the beach. These places are pristine because nobody litters, let's keep it that way.

The Atlantic isn't the Mediterranean. Tides rise fast and hard, currents are powerful. Without lifeguards, stay close to shore.

With a car, you can discover one of these beaches every day of your stay. That's probably the best reason to rent a vehicle in Essaouira.