Petit taxis cover the town. The kite spots, camps and the hot spring are out on the lagoon road, so most people rely on their camp's transfers or hire a car.
Dakhla
Lagoon, wind and the desert by the sea
Dakhla sits on a long sand peninsula between the Atlantic and a lagoon of almost 400 km². Steady wind has made it a centre for kitesurfing and windsurfing, on the ocean side and in the flat water of the lagoon. Add hand-farmed oysters, a thermal spring in the desert, flamingos on the mudflats and nights that come alive after sunset.
Getting there
Plane
Dakhla airport (VIL) is in town. Royal Air Maroc flies from Casablanca almost daily, and also from Agadir, Marrakech, Rabat and Paris-Orly; Transavia flies from Paris-Orly, Ryanair from Madrid, and Binter from Gran Canaria. Routes change by season, so check the airlines.
Bus
CTM, Supratours and Satas run long-distance coaches from Agadir (about 20 hours), and from as far as Marrakech and Casablanca.
Car
Agadir to Dakhla is about 1,150 km along the coast road, a two-day drive for most. Expect several police checkpoints and keep your passport to hand.
Getting around
Where to stay
Lagoon camps
Kite and windsurf camps along the lagoon shore outside town, with lessons, gear and transfers.
Town
Hotels and guesthouses in Dakhla itself, near the waterfront, restaurants and the bus offices.
What to do
- Kitesurf or windsurfOn the flat water of the lagoon or the waves of the ocean side; schools teach beginners.
- Dragon IslandThe low island in the lagoon, the backdrop of many kite and windsurf photos.
- OystersDakhla's oysters are farmed by hand in the bay; eat them fresh in town.
- Asmaa hot springThermal water at about 38 °C from a deep well, about 36 km from the city.
- BirdwatchingFlamingos and wintering waders; the bay is a Ramsar wetland.
- Evenings in townDakhla is quiet by day and comes to life after sunset.
- Surf castingFishing from the shore is one of the town's sports.
Day trips
Asmaa hot spring
About 36 km from the city, a half day.
The lagoon by boat or 4x4
Lagoon camps offer boat trips, seafood tastings and desert excursions.
When to go
Mild all year: averages run from about 18 °C in January to about 23 °C in September, with almost no rain. Windfinder's long-term average is about 16 knots from the north-north-east. We haven't confirmed which months are windiest, so check its monthly statistics before you book a kite trip.
Quick answers
Is Dakhla good for beginners? Yes: the lagoon side has flat, shallow water, and the camps along it teach first-timers.
Can I get there without flying? Yes, by coach or car from Agadir, but it's about 20 hours by bus. Most visitors fly in from Casablanca or Europe.
Is it too hot? Rarely: the ocean keeps averages around 18–23 °C, though hot days do happen.
Travel times are rounded; check the day's timetable with the operator before you go. Last reviewed 2026-11-14.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dakhla · en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia: Dakhla Bay (Ramsar site) · en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia: Dakhla Airport · en.wikipedia.org
- Wikivoyage: Ad Dakhla · en.wikivoyage.org
- Windfinder: Dakhla wind statistics · windfinder.com
- ONDA airports · onda.ma
- Supratours · supratours.ma
- CTM · ctm.ma
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